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

English Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant trots, backs up, trots a circle, and stops.

[HSE/WT-2]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, trots, stops, and backs up one horse length, all in the shape of a hook.

[2015HSE/HSE%20wt-22]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, trots a circle, stops, and backs up one horse length.

[HSE/wt-32a]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant trots, walks, stops, and backs up one horse length, all in the shape of a loop.

[HSE/wt-26b]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, trots a circle to the right, trots a circle to the left, stops, and backs up one horse length.

[HSE/wt-4]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, trots, stops, and backs up one horse length, all in the shape of a Z.

[2015HSE/HSE%20wt-48]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, sitting trots, canters a circle, posting trots, stops, and backs up one horse length.

[2015HSE/HSE%201-32]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant posting trots in a zig zag, canters, stops, and backs up one horse length.

[2015HSE/HSE%201-9]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant trots, does a rising trot circle, canters a circle, walks, stops, and backs up one horse length.

[2015HSE/HSE%201-45]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant sitting trots, posting trots, canters stops, and backs up one horse length, all in the shape of a loop.

[2015HSE/HSE%201-7]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant trots, posting trots, canters, stops, and performs a 90 degree turn, all in the shape of an elongated hook.

[HSE/1-14]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant trots, canters, stops, and turns 90 degrees.

[2015HSE/HSE%201-13]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant trots, completes a posting trot circle, canters, stops, and performs a 90 degree turn.

[HSE/1-2]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant sitting trots, posting trots in a circle to right and left, canters, stops, and backs up.

[HSE/1-6]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, posting trots to the diagonals, performs a 90 degree turn, canters in a large S shape, stops, and backs up.

[HSE/3-4]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant sitting trots, posting trots in a half circle with cantering to complete the circle both in the left and right directions, sitting trots, stops, and backs up.

[HSE/2-21]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant sitting trots and posting trots two half circles both finished by cantering, all in the shape of a figure 8.

[HSE/3-34]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, posting trots a circle to the left and right, canters, sitting trots, stops, performs a 180 degree turn, and backs up.

[HSE/3-42]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, performs a 180 degree turn to the left and right, backs up, posting trots, trots, canters, and sitting trots.

[HSE/3-66]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant trots, canters, posting trots, sitting trots, stops, and performs a 90 degree turn, all in the shape of a clothes hanger.

[2015HSE/H2-4]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, sitting trots, rising trots, canters, stops, backs up, performs 1/2 turns, and trots.

[2015HSE/HSE%203-51]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant backs up, walks, canters, posting trots, sitting trots, stops, and performs a 360 degree pivot.

[2015HSE/HSE%202_4_NEW]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, stops, performs a 90 degree turn, sitting trots, leg yields, canters a circle to the right, posting trots, and stops.

[2015HSE/H3-3]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, performs a 360 degree turn, sitting trots, canters, and rising trots.

[2015HSE/HSE%203-46]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant posting trots, turn 360 degrees, canters, stopss, and backs up, all in the shape of a hook.

[HSE/3-22]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant posting trots, performs a 180 degree turn, canters, sitting trots, and stops.

[HSE/3-14]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant posting trots to the left and right diagonal, performs a 180 degree turns, canters, walks, and stops.

[HSE/3-6]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant backs up, performs a 3/4 turn, walks, canters, posting trots, and sitting trots.

[HSE/3-69]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, sitting trots, leg yields, canters, stops, backs up, performs a 180 degree turn, and posting trots.

[HSE/3-13]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, performs a 180 degree turn, backs up, posting trots, trots, canters, and sitting trots.

[HSE/3-66]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant canters, posting trots, sitting trots, stops, and backs up.

[HSE/3-5]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant posting trots, stops, performs a 270 degree turn, canters, canters a circle, and walks.

[HSE/3-27]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant backs up, walks, performs a 3/4 turn, posting trots, performs a full turn, and canters.

[HSE/3-68]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, posting trots, performs a 90 degree turn, canters a half circle to the left and a half circle to the right to make an S shape, stops, backs up, and performs a 1 1/4 turn.

[2015HSE/H3-4]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant posting trot, canters, sitting trots in a half circle, canters a half circle, counter canter, stops, performs a 1 1/4 turn, and backs up.

[2015HSE/HSE3-30]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant posting trots, counter canters a circle, stops, and performs two 360 degree turns on hindquarters.

[2015HSE/H3-9]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, posting trots, canters, hand gallops, turns 180 degrees, and backs up.

[HSE/3-64]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, performs a 90 degree turn, canters in a half circle, posting trots in a half circle, counter canters in a half circle, performs a 270 degree turn, hand gallops, stops and backs up.

[HSE/3-16]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, canters, posting trots in a circle, canters, hand gallops in a circle, trots, stops, backs up, and performs 1 1/4 turn.

[HSE/3-41]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant sitting trots, posting trots, circles, walks, canters, stops, and backs up.

[HSE/3-39]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant posting trots, canters a circle to the left and right, performs a 360 degree turn, hang gallops, and stops.

[HSE/3-32]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant posting trots, canters, sitting trots in a half circle, canters a half circle, counter canters, performs a 2 1/4 turn, stops, and backs up.

[2015HSE/HSE3-30_2]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, leg yields, posting trots, canters, counter canters, performs a 270 degree turn, backs up, and gallops.

[2015HSE/HSE3-31]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

English Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows the steps for a horse showmanship pattern where the participant walks, performs a 1 1/4 turn, canters, lopes in a half circle, hand gallops, and trots.

[HSE3-67]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee