Hello Everyone! My name is Robyn Cox and I’m the Communications Intern for 4-H Ontario. I’m a recent graduate of The University of Western Ontario’s Media and the Public Interest program and am looking forward to keeping you posted about the happenings at 4-H Ontario. Last week I got the opportunity to talk to Hallie Hulton, a young lady who just experienced her first year in a 4-H Horse Club. Talking to Hallie was a lot of fun. She was happy to share with me some of the great experiences she had with the club this year and it was inspiring to hear about the learning opportunities she took advantage of through 4-H. ________________________________________________________________________ A Fantastic First Year with 4-H By Robyn Cox Hallie Hulton is an articulate and energetic 10-year-old who just completed her first year in a 4-H club. Growing up on a horse farm, it is no surprise that Hallie wanted to participate in the Frontenac Horse Club this year. In her first year, Hallie has proven her showmanship prowess by racking up a number of winning marks with her beautiful horse, Lady. These include the Grand Champion Novice at the Metcalfe Regional Fair and the Frontenac Show, where she also garnered the award for Reserve Grand Champion overall.
For Hallie it was the perfect timing to join the Horse Club; a mare on her farm had just given birth to a colt and her cousin, Kevin Hulton, was coaching the club alongside fellow volunteers Kathy Townsend and Marsha Pearse. Her background with horses made Hallie a great help to the friends she met in the club and the club gave her a golden opportunity to exercise her teamwork capabilities. Hallie’s passion for animals is evident. Not only does she care for Lady but she also helps out with the six other horses, the family dog, and the five cats on the farm. As she puts it, “I love watching them grow up.” Hallie’s pride and excitement shines through when she talks about all the different things she learned in the club: showmanship, feeding, care, and riding. While Hallie knew many of these things already her skill set and confidence grew with the club considerably. Also, her willingness to research at home and read books on horses allowed her to get the most out of her 4-H experience. She is excited for another year in the club but in the meantime she continues to “Learn To Do By Doing”, in true 4-H fashion.