Help my mare find her calling!

[sirbeastmom]

She’s ranch bred, short, stout, athletic in quick bursts, and QUIET (a tarp blew over her, wrapped around her head and legs, and she barley twitched an ear).

For the most part, she’ll put up with whatever I ask her to do, but there are some things that make her grumpy if she has to keep doing them. Here’s what’s on her grump list: arena work, patterns, and having to lope more than a few times around the arena.

She’s pretty indifferent to cows—they don’t bother her, but she’s not exactly cowy.

What she likes: trails, chaos (seriously, she walks toward loud scary things), and napping in the middle of the arena while all the other horses work around her.

She’s a great little trail horse, would probably perform well in ranch pleasure, and we might take a stab at ranch roping (if I ever learn to rope).

I want to play to her strengths and likes, and if that means being a trail horse then so be it, but there are probably tons of disciplines and activities out there I haven’t even thought of trying with her. Any suggestions?

[kelo]

Is she AQHA registered? How about a Trail Challenge? https://www.aqha.com/riding/pages/trail-challenge/about-aqha-trail-challenges/

If you’re up for farther distances, NATRC is a lot of fun, no reg necessary: http://natrc.org/newbies_index.htm

[lorilu]

WOrking Equitation. It’s a three part event, dressage test with obstacle and speed obstacles…

[Bluey]

Team sorting/penning doesn’t require much cow, but you need to have a quick and handy horse you can put where you need to be, which you say she is.
In fact, there a horse with lots of cow or cow training has to unlearn working cattle nicely to learn to chase them at a run, which many do fine, it is a different type of fun for them.

Many horses like it because it is standing around half asleep waiting, then a burst of running, then standing around sleeping the rest of the time.

[Dani]

Team penning and sorting is a TON of fun! I enjoy doing trail classes too, only have been to Ranch Horse Open shows, but my mare isn’t specifically trained in any one discipline (yet) and she does fairly well.

[sirbeastmom]

[QUOTE=kelo;8888840]
Is she AQHA registered? How about a Trail Challenge? https://www.aqha.com/riding/pages/trail-challenge/about-aqha-trail-challenges/

If you’re up for farther distances, NATRC is a lot of fun, no reg necessary: http://natrc.org/newbies_index.htm[/QUOTE]

Paint, not AQHA. Looks very cool though! Didn’t there used to be a competitive trail association? Did that go belly up?

NATRC also looks fun, though she’s currently closer to going three miles than 30 miles lol. I’ll check out the events in my area though!

[sirbeastmom]

Thanks for the suggestions! There’s a ranch sorting series close to me—not sure why I haven’t checked it out before! Looks pretty beginner friendly :).

[Boo]

Why don’t you try mounted archery?

Yes to start with its the same runs on the track (and it involves speed eventually - smoothness and consistency is more important to start) but once you can shoot etc it becomes so much more and the open and hunt courses can be super challenging.

[BLBSTBLS]

Mounted Shooting

Extreme Trail

[kelo]

@sirbeastmom;8889088

Paint, not AQHA. Looks very cool though! Didn’t there used to be a competitive trail association? Did that go belly up?

ACTHA, they did go belly up. Not sure if you could do the AQHA ones with an APHA, but might be worth asking.

Mounted shooting is also a lot of fun. Limited work for the horse – a lot of standing and short bursts of running – but a real challenge for the rider.