Driving Obstacle People....

[Keri]

Spinning of the in-hand obstacle question. What are some driving obstacle courses that you like??? I design our courses and I always seem to get stuck on finding new and creative ways to spice up driving obstacle. I generally do backing into a parking stall, pivoting, cone work, plywood bridge (don't have a real bridge big enough yet, but I plan maybe this year), stopping and checking the mail, trotting over and around a tarp. These are all pretty basic. Is there some new things you think I can add???

 

[targetsmom]

I saw one at our last show that rattled a lot of us: instead of backing into the "parking space" we had to walk in and back out. Sounds simple, except for the way the NEXT obstacle was set up. You had to back out in such a way that you were lined up to trot around some barrels properly. If you didn't turn sharply enough, you got too close and you didn't have room to trot before the first barrel. You also had to go in and out of the box at different angles.

We often have to pick up something (stuffed toy or bucket) and keep it in the cart while trotting around barrels and then stop at last one and drop it off.

Another one our Club uses is either mounting or dismounting from the cart (as either first or last obstacle).

One I see on the World webcast is to negotiate a U-shaped obstacle where you walk in and have to do a very tight turn and walk out.

As you can see, none of these obstacles require anything special. Unless you want to use a stuffed toy.

 

[Reble]

Obstacle for driving

A large piece of green carpet on the grass and on each side a standing pole, most of the horses refuse than finally would go over it. some tried to jump it. We where surprised.

Normally as you said tarps and quite simple, but the green carpet seemed to spook them.

 

[Keri]

Ooh, thanks! I always have them back into a parking space. Never thought to have them pull into it and then back out. See, just takes someone else thinking different than me to use the same obstacle differently. I like the green carpet idea. I'm going to mess around with different versions of painting stuff to mess with horses a bit (like a black painted plywood they have to pivot on for in hand). I had them stop at a table, pick up a letter, put it in a mailbox and then put the flag up before they went. Or stop and read the letter.

Can't do mounting/dismounting as we have PMC kids unless I think of something else for them. Thanks for the ideas!!!

 

[Sandyboy1]

How about driving with one wheel on a plank, lengthwise?

Or driving with one wheel between two poles?

I've seen those obstacles a few times.

Pam

 

[Al B]

Serpantines around cones show the horses agility (and the drivers mental state plus you can also back thru the cones) and pivots are good. Remember there are 6 ways you can pivot. I have done gates. The goal is to make it challenging without making it dangerous.

 

[Slinkky]

We do a lot of fun things. They are all timed events and trotting only. We do Barrel racing, pole bending, manuvering through different sets of cones, putting a hula-hoop on the ground and pivoting in it (turning a complete circle keeping one wheel in the hoop). We have one where we set up a barrel at opposite sides of the arena. The barrels have a small bucket of sand in them with one bouquet of fake flowers on one of the barrels. We have to get close enough to the barrel to grab the flowers but not so close as to move the barrel and race back to the other barrel and place the flowers in the bucket, the trick here is when they add different obstacles in between the two barrels (like a bridge, a tarp, weaving around cones, etc.) We do another one where there are 5 muck buckets scattered around and you have 5 hand-size bean bags. You have toss the bags in the buckets (only one bag per bucket). You only get one shot at it-if you miss, your out of luck. It's a timed event with a definate start/stop area (usually between two poles). the person with the most bean bags in the buckets in the least amount of time wins.

Have fun!

 

[Sandee]

If you want something that will challenge the drivers, you have to think "out side the box", pardon the pun. Use almost any ordinary (simple/everyday) obstacle but change the way it is to be used. For instance we see a lot of "drive thru" L shapes. Instead of driving THRU (between the poles) the L, tell them to drive on the outside with one wheel inside the L. You still have to leave the poles apart so that they can make the turn at the corner. However, I've seen a lot of well trained (better word might be over trained) horses get confused and really mad that the driver is asking them to NOT go BETWEEN the poles.

Just like the driving in and backing out. It messes with their minds if they have been worked and worked to do something just one way.

 

[Reble]

We do a lot of fun things. pole bending, Have fun!

We would like to try this at our mini shows, how many poles and how would these be set up.

Could you explain the directions for us, & with carts how far apart?

Never set it up before but have watch my daughter with her riding horse do pole bending, year ago.

thanks for sharing

 

[Margo_C-T]

You need to remember that anything laid on the ground, like the plastic tarps, or even carpet, *can* pose a danger, in that it *could* get caught up in the cart, or snagged on the horse's hooves, as they pass over it. Not likely, but it CAN happen--and if something like that snags, and is dragged, by horse OR cart, it could cause a serious runaway.

I have designed courses a number of times, both in-hand and driven--I did it for 'bigs'before I did it for 'littles'. I always required that if the plastic tarp is laid out to be used, that the 'leading'edges be well-buried in dirt, as an additional precaution.

The course is best designed for the skill level of most exhibitors expected--AND, if you are designing it, be logical, and strive for some degree of 'realistic' challenge.

Margo

 

[targetsmom]

New England Pinto will be adding Gymkhana driving classes for minis this year. There will be Ammy and Open Divisions and these are separate from the Ammy and Open Divisions with halter, trail, and other usual classes. Courses used are the same as for horses and ponies. Any suitable vehicle may be used - 2 or 4 wheel - but minis must TROT. Penalized 5 seconds for each time they canter or gallop three steps between any 2 points on the course. There will be pole bending, barrels, flag race and keyhole.

 

[Slinkky]

Rebel,

We use the standard 6 poles. If it's just mini's competing we set the poles 12 - 15 feet apart. If biggies are driving, the we use the "official" 21 feet apart. And as for the poles, we usually rent a playday arena and we use their poles and barrels. If we have to go somewhere else that does not have official poles, we have a girl that made her own and will bring hers. She just set PVC pipe in coffee cans and filled them with cement.

There are a lot of good suggestions here. Have a great time!!

 

[Reble]

Rebel,We use the standard 6 poles. If it's just mini's competing we set the poles 12 - 15 feet apart. If biggies are driving, the we use the "official" 21 feet apart. And as for the poles, we usually rent a playday arena and we use their poles and barrels. If we have to go somewhere else that does not have official poles, we have a girl that made her own and will bring hers. She just set PVC pipe in coffee cans and filled them with cement.

There are a lot of good suggestions here. Have a great time!!

thanks Slinkky, about the distance between the poles and how many

just found some info on the direction, that you have to go straight up one side weave in and out and than back in and out than run home. I hope that is correct.

 

[Keri]

Yeah, that's my thing with driving. It has to be super safe. So that's why I have a plywood bridge instead of a real bridge as I worry mine isn't wide enough for mishaps. But I'd like to get one with rails and really wide (begging hubby). But I want to do an archway. We just had one a few years ago fall on a horse when the cart hit the edge of it. Thank goodness the horse was bomb proof and just stayed there until it could be taken off.

But good idea with the games. I could easily incorporate them. And thanks Sandee! I like the idea of doing a bit more with the wheel. I have them put their wheel between two poles. But making them turn is a challenge.

 

[Sandee]

You need to remember that anything laid on the ground, like the plastic tarps, or even carpet, *can* pose a danger, in that it *could* get caught up in the cart, or snagged on the horse's hooves, as they pass over it. Not likely, but it CAN happen--and if something like that snags, and is dragged, by horse OR cart, it could cause a serious runaway. I have designed courses a number of times, both in-hand and driven--I did it for 'bigs'before I did it for 'littles'. I always required that if the plastic tarp is laid out to be used, that the 'leading'edges be well-buried in dirt, as an additional precaution.

The course is best designed for the skill level of most exhibitors expected--AND, if you are designing it, be logical, and strive for some degree of 'realistic' challenge.

Margo

For safety sake I like to use the bent (u shaped) fasteners that come with things like the kids slip and slide. Also the hooks for securing the wire frame outdoor Christmas decorations work too. I put these in the grommets (about 3 to a side - more if the tarp is really big or you could fold it under) and pound them flat into the ground stretching the tarp as you go. This keeps it in place and keeps the wind from making a sail out of it just when someone is standing in the middle.