This class will cover eight weeks of eight classes. Students will meet once a week, to better develop the judges’ eye. Learners will further develop their skills through a judges’ perspective and learn about what it takes to be a horse judge. This class will be focused on scoring events, identifying quality in individual horses and developing a set of reasons for different classes of horses.    

1st Class – What is Horse Judging? - In this class, we will discuss what it means to be a judge, individual events that will come up during this course, and will learn the anatomy and movement of the horse.  

2nd Class – Conformation & Halter Classes – In our second class, students will learn what conformation is as well as, dive into the meaning and purpose of equine form to function. At the end of class, we will introduce a halter class and identify conformational quality and flaws together.  

3rd Class – Judging a Halter Class – Time to judge your first halter class! Learners will be presented with a halter class and will judge the class based upon what they see. Once students have judged the class, we will openly discuss what we have seen in the horses presented, qualities we appreciated, flaws that we disliked and placing we gave. 

4th Class– The Performance Classes – In the 4th class of this course, we will begin looking at judging performance/riding events in the english and western disciplines. Each discipline offers different events which will be explored in this class. We will discuss the key points of judging a performance class and the style of each event. Students will be introduced to scoresheets, scoring systems and penalties.  

5th Class – Judging Performance Classes – Students will judge, score and take quality notes on two separate classes of different performance disciplines. After scoring each class, we will discuss as a group how everyone in the class scored, horses that met the criteria of the class the best, any penalties that occurred during the class and each students’ overall placing.  

6th Class – Giving Reasons – Students have developed the beginning of a judge’s eye and now it is time to explain and defend the placing given in a reasons format. We will discuss how to put together a set of reasons, use correct terminology, and delivery of a reasons set. Students will develop two sets of reasons. The first set will be a halter class that will be presented during this class and the second set of reasons will be developed from one of the performance classes from our 5th class.   

7th Class – Understanding the Scoring System – This class will prepare students for their horse judging contest in the following class and will discuss what to expect at a horse judging contest. Students will learn how to score placings that they give individual classes by examining cuts and understanding explanations given by carded judges. We will also elaborate on how scores are given when presenting a set of reasons. 

8th Class – Horse Judging Contest – This class will be set up very similar to a horse judging competition. Students will be scored individually on the placing of each class, develop a set of reasons and overall understanding of judging horse events. This will be a fun, educational contest for all students to enjoy. 

This class is extensive and will be in-depth for learners. This class is a great avenue for those wanting to become a horse judge, compete competitively with their horses, or want to gain knowledge of desirable qualities and movements within the horse.