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

Western Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, stop, and take 4 steps backward.

[WH/WT-2]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, perform a figure 8, stop, and back 4 steps.

[WH/WT-5]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, stop, and backs one horse length..

[WH/WT-6]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, stop, and take 4 steps backward.

[WH/1-6]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, stop, and take 4 steps backward.

[WH/WT-14]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, jog a circle to the right, stop, and back one horse length.

[WH/WT-20]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 1)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, jog a circle, walk, and stop.

[WH/1-26]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, jog a circle to the left and right, lope, stop, and back one horse length.

[WH/1-19]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, lope, stop, perform a 90 degree turn to the left, and back 4 steps.

[WH/2-26]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, lope, and stop.

[WH/1-28]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, lope a circle to the right, lope, walk, stop, and back one horse length.

[WH/1-62]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, jog a circle to the right, lope a circle to the left, lope, stop, and back one horse length.

[2015WH/WH%202-42]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, lope a circle to the right, stop and back one horse length.

[WH/1-25]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 2)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, lope a circle to the right, jog a circle to the left, and jog until finish.

[2015WH/WH%201-75]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, lope a half circle, perform a 180 degree turn, jog a wide half circle, stop, and back 4 steps.

[WH/2-1]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, lope a circle to the right, perform a 180 degree turn, lope a half circle, walk, stop, and back 4 steps.

[WH/3-11]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, lope, lope a circle, sidepass right, back three steps, perform a 180 degree turn, jog, and stop.

[WH/3-26]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, perform a 180 degree turn, lope a circle, perform a 90 degree turn, stop, and back approximately one horse length.

[2015WH/WH%201-1]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, lope a half circle on the right and left lead, stop, back one horse length, and perform a 180 degree turn to walk off.

[2015WH/WH%203-80]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, lope, turn 180 degrees on right and left hindquarters, jog a circle, lope, stop, and back one horse length.

[WH/3-34]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 3)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, perform a 180 degree turn on the right and left hinquarter, lope a half circle, jog, jog a half circle, and stop.

[2015WH/2-5]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, lope a circle on the right and left lead, stop, and take 4 steps backward.

[2015WH/WH2-58]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, perform a 360 degree turn, lope, extended jog and circle to the right, stop, and back one horse length.

[WH/2-20]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, extended jog a circle, lope, stop, and back one jorse length.

[WH/3-22]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, perform a 360 degree turn to the left, perform a 90 degree turn to the right, lope a half circle to the right and left, and stop.

[WH/2-30]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 4)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, back one horse length, execute a 3/4 turn and lope on right lead, lope on left lead, execute a 1/2 turn to the left, and extend the trot to exit.

[WH/3-68]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they are ready without stirrups, jog, extended jog and circle to the right, lope, walk and pick up your stirrups, stop, and back one horse length.

[WH/3-21]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they lope, lope a circle to the left, perform a 225 degree turn, jog, extended jog, walk, stop, and back approximately one horse length.

[WH/3-3]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, lope, lope a circle to the left, sidepass, back 3 steps, perform a 180 degree spin to the right, extended jog, and stop.

[WH/3-26]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they extended jog, perform a 360 degree turn to the right, lope, jog, stop, and back.

[WH/2-27]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they extended jog, lope, stop and perform a 360 degree spin to the right, stop and perform a 180 degree spin the left, and jog to the line-up.

[WH/2-51]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they lope, stop and perform a 360 degree spin to the left, extended jog, normal jog, stop, and back up.

[WH/2-56]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, stop and turn 180 degrees left, lope a circle on left lead, stop and turn 180 degrees right, extended jog a circle to the right, back one horse length, and sidepass for 6 steps.

[2015WH/WH%203-37]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, lope a circle to the right, lope on left lead, stop and back one horse length, spin 1 3/4 turn to the left, and walk off.

[2015WH/WH%202-70]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, stop and perform a 360 degree turn to the left, counter canter on the right, stop and perform a 180 degree spin to the right, extended jog in a circle, stop and perform a 180 degree spin to the left, lope, stop, and back 4 steps.

[2015WH/3-16]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 5)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they lope, stop and perform two 360 degree spins to the right, lope, extended jog and circle to the right, stop, and back one horse length.

[2015WH/WH%203-20]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they lope, walk, lope a large fast circle, lope a small slow circle, stop and perform a 180 degree spin to the left, extended jog, stop, and back up.

[WH/3-1]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, extended jog, stop and perform a 360 degree turn to the left, lope a small slow circle, stop and perform a 360 degree turn to the right, lope a circle with speed to the right, stop, and back approximately one horse length.

[WH/3-15]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk, jog, stop and perform two 360 degree spins to the left, extended jog, stop and turn 90 degrees to the right, lope a half circle to the right, perform a flying lead change and lope a half circle, stop, and back one horse length.

[WH/3-30]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they extended jog, stop and complete two 360 degree spins to the right, lope a large fast circle to the right, lope, stop and back one horse length, and spin 3/4 turn to the left and walk off.

[WH/3-70]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they walk halfway to the center and jog the rest of the way, lope a circle to the right, lope a larger faster circle to the right, extended jog a circle to the left, spin 1/2 a turn to the left, back one horse length, spin 1 1/2 turns to the right, and jog.

[WH/3-75]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, extended jog around the square corner, lope a small slow circle to the right, lope a larger circle with speed, perform a flying lead change, stop and spin 180 degrees to the right, jog a circle, stop and back one horse length, spin two turns to the left , and follow instructions of your ring steward.

[2015WH/3-5]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they jog, extended jog, stop and perform two 360 degree spins to the right, lope with speed, perform a flying lead change, walk a circle, stop, and back up.

[2015WH/3-2]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee

Montana State 4-H Horse Patterns

Western Horsemanship (Level 6)

Show Date:

This diagram shows a pattern for a rider where they lope, perform a flying lead change, stop and perform two 360 degree spins to the right, turn 180 degrees to the left, jog, walk, and turn the corner to the right.

[2015WH/WH%203-51]

Pattern Provided by:

Montana 4-H State Horse Committee