Hippology Contest | Tennessee 4-H Youth Development

Hippology is a comprehensive contest that challenges participants to demonstrate their knowledge of horse care, management, and the equine industry. The event includes a written exam, slide identification, horse judging, stations, and a team problem phase. The word “hippology” comes from the Greek terms hippo (horse) and ology (study of).

Hippology Study Material

UT Horse Handbook

Regional and State Contests: Open to 4-H members in grades 4–12 (as of January 1).
State Contest: Open to 4-H members who qualify through regional competition.

Teams will consist of three or four members.
The top three individual scores from each phase will be used to compute the team score.
All four team members will be eligible for individual awards.

There will be two age divisions:

Junior (4th and 5th grades)
Junior High (6th through 8th grades)
Senior (9th through 12th grades).

Parts of the Contest:

Part I: Written test
Part II: Identification
Part III: Horse judging
Part IV: Stations
Part V: Team Problem – Senior Division Only

Individuals who have been members of the state senior division first-place team will not be eligible to compete in the State Hippology Contest in future years.
Four junior and four senior teams from each region may compete in the state contest.
The champion senior team is eligible to compete in the Eastern National Contest in Louisville, Kentucky, at their own expense.
There is NO travel money available for the Champion Senior division team to compete at national-level contests. The Senior division Champion team is eligible to compete at national-level contests at its own expense.