By Jaysa Causby

Rowan County 4-H member

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved horses, and this love of horses led me to 4-H.

I began riding horses when I was 4 years old. I loved it, and my parents wanted to find the best place for me to ride, which led us to Rockwater Farms in Rockwell.

Ann Furr was my riding instructor. She also led a 4-H club called East Equine Explorers. Almost as soon as I started riding with her, I joined the East Equine club.

Looking back now, I’m so happy that I did.

Whenever I first joined this 4-H club, I was one of the youngest members. This meant that I had a lot of great role models to look up to. We always had club meetings on Thursday evenings, and I would spend the whole school day looking forward to them. During the meetings, we would cover all sorts of topics, from wilderness survival to self-defense on horseback. I always learned so much at the club meetings.

4-H has opened tons of opportunities outside just my club. I’ve gotten to do summer fun camps, teen retreats, horse shows, winter enrichments, county council, speaking contests, seminars, horse clinics, outdoor grilling classes, community service projects and so much more through 4-H. I’ve met many new people from all across North Carolina and even across our nation through 4-H. It’s cool to have friends all over and get to see them whenever I go to 4-H events.

I’ve been in 4-H for almost eight years, and it’s made into the person that I am today. I’ve become a successful horse rider and horse owner, a confident public speaker, and a leader in the Rowan County 4-H program. 4-H has provided me with so many opportunities to get involved, and I haven’t even come close to doing half the things that 4-H offers.

This week is National 4-H Week, which is a great time to promote 4-H in our community. No matter who you are or what you love, 4-H has something to offer you.

4-H is open to ages 5-18 as of Jan. 1. If you are interested in learning more about Rowan County 4-H, contact Laura Allen, 4-H agent, at laura_allen@ncsu.edu or 704-216-8970.