This book of patterns, provided by the Montana State 4-H Horse Committee, has been made possible through the generous support of HorseShowPatterns.com, a company that has designed and customized over 1,000 patterns for judges, show managers and contestants worldwide. All patterns herein have been selected and customized by the State 4-H Horse Committee to comply with Montana 4-H assessment level requirements. 

The patterns in this book are to be used solely and exclusively for Montana 4-H horse shows and for clinics sponsored by Montana 4-H. Patterns for uses other than Montana 4-H are available by subscription through HorseShowPatterns.com. 

Tips for pattern users:

  • These patterns are presented as ideas and options to consider for county and state 4-H horse shows in Montana. Use of these patterns is not required. 
  • Always check the pattern against the project assessment checklist found in horse project books to make sure it meets your expectations. The State 4-H Horse committee’s goal was to develop patterns that meet and do not exceed assessment requirements for individual levels. 
  • Some of the 90 degree, 180 degree, 360 degree, etc. turns are not designated as hindquarter or forehand turns, so show management can designate what kind of turn they would like to be executed in the pattern or use the patterns as is and leave the decision up to the contestant or judge to choose. 
  • Unless otherwise indicated, lead changes are simple lead changes.  Horsemanship Level 6, Colt to Maturity 5-Year-Olds, and Green Horse Level 4 can do flying lead changes. 
  • English Horsemanship riders Level 3 and up should ride the trot on the correct diagonal. 
  • In Hunter Hack patterns, only senior level exhibitors should hand gallop. 
  • There are pattern options for Colt to Maturity 2-Year-Olds and Green Horse Level 1, but show management may opt to just do rail work for this level. 
  • There are not specific patterns for English Colt to Maturity and Green Horse, but the existing Western patterns may be adapted to become English patterns with a change in terminology (change jog to trot, stop to halt, lope to canter, etc.).  
  • Ranch Horse patterns can be found in the Ranch Horse curriculum.
Thank you to the State 4-H Horse Committee for reviewing patterns and to Dr. David Denniston of HorseShowPatterns.com and his support of Montana 4-H that allows the Horse Committee to create a reference with his patterns for our state program! 

 

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (8-10)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to back four steps, perform a 180-degree turn, walk to the judge for inspection, then, after being dismissed, execute a 90-degree turn, trot, and stop.

[S/1-2]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (8-10)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to walk, trot, stop at the judge for inspection, then, after being dismissed, follow instructions of steward.

[S/1-5]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (8-10)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to trot, break to a walk, turn 90 degrees and walk to judge to set up for inspection, and when dismissed, turn 90 degrees and trot away from judge.

[S/1-16]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (8-10)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to walk, trot, stop and set up for inspection in front of a judge, when dissmissed, perform a 90 degree turn, and walk.

[S/1-4]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (8-10)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to walk, trot, stop and set up for inspection in front of judge, when dismissed, back up one horse length, perform a 90 degree turn, and trot straight away to finish.

[S/1-22]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (8-10)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to trot, walk and stop to set up for inspection in front of judge, and when dismissed walk straight away from judge.

[S/1-13]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (8-10)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to trot, stop to set up for inspection in front of judge, and when dismissed perfrom a 180 degree turn.

[S/1-7]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (11-13)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to trot, stop and perfrom a 360 degree turn, trot until even with judge, perform a 90 degree turn and set up for inspection, and perform a 270 degree turn to trot straight away.

[S/2-4]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (11-13)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to trot, perform a 360 degree turn and set up for inspection, when dismissed trot, break to a walk, and perform a 90 degree turn.

[S/2-18]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (11-13)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to walk, trot straight to judge, stop and set up for inspection, when dismissed turn 1/4 turn to right, back up one horse length, perform a 180 degree turn, and trot straight away.

[S/2-22]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (11-13)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to walk, stop and perfrom a 270 degree turn, trot in a circle then straight to judge, stop and set up for inspection, and when dissmissed, perfrom a 90 degree turn to walk away.

[S/2-53]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (11-13)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to walk, trot to judge, stop and set up for inspection, when dissmissed back up one horse length, and perform a 90 degree turn to walk away.

[S/2-57]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (11-13)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to walk, trot to judge, stop and set up for inspection, and when dismissed, perform a 270 degree turn.

[S/2-62]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (14 & over)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to walk, stop and perfroms 245 degree turn, trot to judge and set up for inspection, when dismissed back up four steps and performs 270 degree turn, and trot to the line-up to finish.

[S/3-6]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (14 & over)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to trot, break to a walk, stop and perfrom a 90 degree turn, back up four steps and perform a 180 degree turn, set up for inspection, when dismissed perform a 90 degree turn, and trot to line-up to finish.

[S/3-9]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (14 & over)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to trot, stop and perfrom a 360 degree turn, walk and stop to back up five steps, perform a 300 degree turn, walk to judge and set up for inspection, and when dismissed, trot to the line-up to finish.

[S/3-10]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (14 & over)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to trot half way to judge, break to walk, once to judge stop and back approximately one horse length, perform a 180 degree turn, set up for inspection, when dismissed perform a 270 degree turn, and trot straight away to finish.

[S/3-33]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (14 & over)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to walk, trot, stop and set up for inspection, when dismissed back approximately one horse length, and performa 270 degree turn.

[S/3-62]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (14 & over)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to trot, stop and perform a 360 degree turn, walk, trot to judge and set up for inspection, when dismissed back approximately one horse length, and perform a 270 degree turn.

[S/3-63]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Showmanship (14 & over)

Show Date:

This image is a diagram of a showmanship pattern involving a judge and a participant that is instructed to perform a 360 degree turn, walk, trot, perform a 270 degree turn, walk to judge and set up for inspection, when dismissed perform a 90 degree turn, and walk straight away from judge.

[S/3-65]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee