Planning a fun day

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We just did a whole fun games day here. one of the things that was the most challenging was the Gone Fishing game. There were buckets placed around the arena with paper cut outs of Fish with paper clips on them in the buckets, and you had a helper or in my case a bucket between my feet you took a short pole with a string with a magnet on the end, you got 2 minutes to drive around to each bucket and fish and see how many fish you could get. You can allow a stop or not its really hard to do without stopping. but the stop and go is good for the horses and putting the reins in one hand etc is good for the drivers.

Karen
 
I think I may just explain that these are NOT the rules or games for that matter that they will encounter elsewhere.
For that matter, some shows have what are called "house rules". At Villa Louis, you can take a groom that can give "quiet directions" to the driver on the Cross Country course, whereas that is not allowed at Walnut Hill as per the ADS rules. The best thing to do is to read the Prize List and the rulebook before you even get to the show.
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(Of course, most of you know that. Written for the masses, again.)

one of the things that was the most challenging was the Gone Fishing game. but the stop and go is good for the horses and putting the reins in one hand etc is good for the drivers.
Sounds like a good idea that is fun, too.

Myrna
 
I love this discussion. I am getting my driving mini in Oct and have been trying to think of things to do with him other then just going around in circles. I am going to put some of these ideas to work in my driving area. Need to keep both of us having fun and thinking. One question, if I may, I was thinking about dressage. Where can I get a good book to teach me this so I can work Lance on this too.
 
Driven Dressage with the Single Horse by Sandy Rabinowitz. For more advanced reading, Carriage Driving by Heike Bean and Sarah Blanchard.
 
I haven't read the first book Myrna refers to but I LOVED 'Carriage Driving' It is one of the most informative (a most clearly explained) books on driving I have read. Granting of course their are many books I have not read
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it is a book I would recommend reading to any level of driver. You may find some of it is beyond your level but each time you reread it you will understand a bit more. I started reading it about 10 yrs ago and have probably been thro it about 4 times now. As I learn more about driving I understand more of what she/they are explaining in the book.

Jetiki, that sounds like a really fun game
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I'll bet people will love it here (plus I know some horses in our group could use work on standing still)
 
Ditto both those books! You might also check out "Mini School," the one featuring Lancelot (the Appy mini in Europe that does high school dressage) as she talks about the basics of rhythm, bending, lateral work and all the rest in the context of working minis.

Leia
 
Now that one I will have to check out since my guy is named Lanceolot
 
We have a mixed bag of drivers too, many of whom won't drive obstacles, but will do them in hand, so we always add games for them too. If you have a hula hoop you can set it on the ground flat. For horses in hand, have them step into the hoop, front feet only. Once their front feet are solid in the hoop, have the handler pick up the hoop, over the horse's head, back along the horse and over his rump, down his back legs. If the horse is driving, put a wheel - either specified left or right, or choice of driver - into the hula hoop and have the horse pivot with the wheel remaining in the hoop. Green horses can do a 180, advanced a total 360 degrees.

In hand, we do musical feedbags, jumping - low fences, since our horses are so much more athletic than we are - and mailboxes. Picking up objects: cans in bags, etc are always good. Last month we walked through a PVC "doorway" with a mister on it - very cooling. Can be walked through or driven. Serpentine cones and reinsmanship type patterns driven.

OH! Apple bobbing - horse and handler! We got such a laugh out of one guy who could not get his pony to go near the water tub. He worked his way out of it by bobbing an apple himself, then allowing the pony to bite it out of his mouth!

Poker ride!!! Can be done in small area with easy obstacles. Upon completion of obstacle, driver gets an envelope (either from a volunteer, or pick up on a table near the obstacle). Envelope has 1 playing card in it. You can have 5 obstacles only, or 7 and the driver gets to toss a couple away.

You might consider a scurry if you have time!

Have a great time!

Oh, fun and inexpensive prizes: bags of horse treat mixin's, hoof picks (can never have too many of those), inexpensive bridle hooks for the tack room, shredded carrot noschies for immediate eating, raffle tickets.
 
Leia,

From where is this book available? I would read this to PJ over dinner.
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You might also check out "Mini School," the one featuring Lancelot (the Appy mini in Europe that does high school dressage) as she talks about the basics of rhythm, bending, lateral work and all the rest in the context of working minis.

Leia
 
Fishing! How cool is that?? Next Fun Day we have is in October; the guys will love it.

It reminds me of another game we used to do at ridden play days. We put out targets and gave each rider a squirt gun with different coloured water in it. No stopping!

We just did a whole fun games day here. one of the things that was the most challenging was the Gone Fishing game.

Karen
 

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