4-H horse show numbers modest, talent level high
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The number of participants may have been relatively small, but the talent level was still high at the annual 4-H horse show held Tuesday at the Saline County Fair.
Riders participated in a wide variety of events and age divisions, including trail, barrel, showmanship and egg-and-spoon.
Logan Hunt, a third-year 4-H exhibitor, spends a lot of time before the show getting his horse, Joker Ray Hunt, prepared.
"I put Cowboy Magic in his tail, or use baby oil in his tail before a show," Hunt said.
"After you give him a bath, you scrape out all the water so they don't get dandruff."
Hunt always makes sure both horse and rider are familiar with their surroundings before a horse show.
"I get him in the arena and work him if it's a strange place," Hunt said.
Like most exhibitors this week - and at most end-of-July fairs - Hunt is making sure his horse doesn't overheat.
"We have a fan that fits in his stall," Hunt said.
Before the horse show, the participants decided they wanted to get their parents a little gift for all their hard work helping their kids participate in 4-H horse shows. All the parents were called to the show ring and presented with gift bags before the show.