Driving obstacle class

[Zelda]

I am looking to challange myself and my horse this season by attempting driving obstacle class. I have only seen the class once. Can anyone help me with a course set up. What kinds of obstacles can I expect. Water is listed as one option, has anyone encountered this and what was the set up for that?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Becky Horat]

This is such a fun class. Some of the obstacles I've had or seen are:

Hula Hoop: Pivot with one wheel in the hoop (360 degrees)

Tarp w/ potted flowers around edges to trot over (I use $1 store flowers for this)

Back thru PVC poles set at just a few inches of clearance of your cart width.

2 PVC poles next to each other with just enough width to run your cart wheel through...Line up 1 wheel to drive thru

Weave cones that are set very closeley at times at a trot (sometimes having to serpentine, versus weave because of width)

Go over a wooden bridge (haven't had this)

PVC poles set in a "U" shape with a cone towards center (closer to opening) you drive into the "U" and out again without hitting cone or poles

Patty Clokes' DVD on Obstacle Driving shows most of these. Also look on You Tube for ideas or photos on Casey McBride Photography shows photos of World and National Classes. The $1 store is a wonderful place to find Obstacle Course items.

It's a lot of fun....enjoy

 

[targetsmom]

At local shows you might expect things like walking over a tarp or a bridge, putting one wheel in a hula hoop or circle and doing a 360 degree (or some other size) turn keeping the wheel in the circle, backing into or out of an obstacle, serpentine trots around cones, trotting through an "L", walking through a "maze" (one or several tight "U" turns, stopping and picking up an object, putting it in your cart and putting it somewhere else. Driving between closely spaced poles on the ground (or driving between elevated ones).

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I havent' seen water in an AMHA/AMHR class. A tarp is usual. The hardest thing I've seen was driving over parallel boards, then making the horse move over one step and back over the boards. I think only one or two drivers in a class of 8 was able to do it. That was in an amateur level 1 class (which I did not think was appropriate). I tried it, but could not do it. We went home and practiced it. Being an inexperienced exhitibitor, I didn't know how to plan for it well enough; I think I should have pulled farther forward to give myself maneuvering room, but I seem to recall the space was rather limited.

Backing into a box is routine and trotting around poles.

I wish whoever sets up the class would do something my horses are used to, such as having a barking dog on the course or a few chickens fly under their hooves!

 

[JMS Miniatures]

The hardest part for me is to get the wheel between 2 poles or as Marsha said over a thin rail board like they had at Nationals this year. So I say lots of work on that. Lots of work on backing and backing angles, work on trotting in circles or figure 8s or serpatines, trotting over tarps, and of course get your pivots down. Its a fun class and gives your horse something to do in the cart.

 

[Zelda]

anyone every encounter the water hazard? I am told to expect it. Really can't picture how that would go?

Thank you for the information so far, I can see I will struggle with the backing, not his strong ability. I did see some of the amhr national youth class, there was one obstacle--looked like a rail that was spooking all the horses, anyone know what that was, it was on the far side from the camera. Looked kind of like white pvc, I think it was the second obstacle.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

the only "water hazard" I could think of would be a blue tarp, other then that I have not seen any actual water in a obstacle driving class nor to be honest it has been a long time since I've seen a water hazard in a halter obstacle class. The pvc pole you might be talking about was probably the railing that I was talking about. It was a long thin upright pole that you had to put a wheel on and you could easily slip off and you could not get back on it no matter how hard you tried if you did slip off. I know in the ammy and open class there was 2 and angled enough where you had to really set yourself up for it. It could have been unsteady hands causing the horses to react. It was tough this year and I don't think I even successfully did it right. Something I really need to work on this year.

 

[Zelda]

I am laughing now, this may be a little more of a challange than I had anticipated but... for me that is what it is all about.

I am sure it will be fun. I think it will just be about not getting a DQ and finishing the course. I did see that wooden rail at nationals. I only saw one exhibitor reach beyone the 3/4 point and she went off. I think I need to get started soon.

 

[targetsmom]

I have also seen them use chalk instead of the hula hoop and some horses wouldn't go near it! I practice in the driveway with a circle of something white like chalk.

 

[Sandee]

Most of the obstacles have been listed. The "water" at a A or R show is usually a blue tarp. If you do Carriage or other types of competition it might be actual water as I've never been to one of them. And at a breed show you will never be asked to exit the cart for a driving class except for the versatility class where you have to drive then unhitch (with a helper and it's timed) and show halter then jump the horse over 3 jumps.

Performance classes are more fun to me than halter.

 

[Zelda]

Tried out my stallion to see where we needed to start. He did the 360 beautifully, I was pretty shocked for his first attempt. I used the same cue as if we were side passing and he picked up on it pretty well. It will come. I have one more question. I searched for videos of classes and it seems that everything is done to the right, do you ever do the 360 counterclockwise? when you run rails is it always the right tire? Thank you to everyone who send a reply.

 

[targetsmom]

I believe it can be either tire in the circle and turn can be in either direction! At least I have seen that on a training video somewhere. So sometimes you are turning on the inside wheel and sometimes on the outside wheel. Same with the other obstacles. Oh, and in Pinto we have been asked to dismount the carriage before exiting the pattern or sometimes in a line-up where you have to remount. Always read your rule book!

 

[Sandee]

Practice everything at home that you can think of and then they will come up with the one thing at a show that you didn't think of. Yes the 360 can go either way.

The key is to get your horse to the point that he trusts you always.

When we were starting out they threw an umbrella in a class. You had to open it while your horse was ground tied. I grabbed an umbrella out of my truck before the class and ran to the stall; leaned over the gate and quick opened it in front of my filly. I got one of those looks, "really, and just what do you expect me to do with that!" and she went on eating. One of the fond memories I have from showing her.