What interesting, challenging, or just different ranch/stock horse trail obstacles have you seen at competitions? Looking for suggestions as members of my local association look to upgrade our trail classes. Tarps or other live animals are not allowed but any other ideas are welcome.
I went to an informal trail challenge clinic/competition last weekend. I’m not sure if these are the same types of things you would see in your trail classes, but I will list several. There was a Flintstone-mobile made from several large barrels and a wood frame. The horses had to push it from point A to B. A water box with the plywood with holes in it, so when the horse stepped in the plywood sunk a little and water squirted up (mare was not going in that with all fours). The narrower “catwalk” bridge, teeter totter bridge, mattresses, various things with tires, one where tires of various heights were set into a slight slope. Beginners went to the top of the slope and rode down, which was pretty easy. The Advanced class had to navigate the tires going in a circle.
I am looking for suggestions more in line with ranch/stock type settings. Something that might relate to an activity used by a working stock horse. For example, opening a gate or roping a dummy calf.
Our local show Ranch trail classes always have a log tied to a rope that the rider has to dally to the saddle and the horse drag it around a set obstacle.
I have shown in the Ranch Trail classes at several Paint shows. And watched the class at the World show. There was a teepee set up with for poles set radiating from it that you loped around, loping over the poles.
Also a trailer parked on the course,still hitched, that you load your horse in and unload. One that got several exhibitors was a coiled rope hung on a jump standard at the start of the course with the instruction to carry the rope throughout the pattern
some held it. Some tied it to their saddles. But several dropped their rope.
Side pass over different pole configurations…
Try to use real branches instead of poles. I’ve also had painted animal cutouts on course. Those were fun.
Open a mailbox (remove mail and replace) close mailbox. Put on and remove a rain slicker, Navigate some logs. Drag a log facing forwards or backwards. Walk by a “camp site” tent table and folding chairs- or picnic setting or something like that. Have fun.
Too bad you can’t use any live animals…one of the more challenging things that happens all the time on our place, is that you come to a water trough, and have to water your dogs.
So the dogs, of course, jump in the trough. Not a terribly big, scary deal…
Until the dogs inevitably jump OUT of the trough, and shake.
Always scares the green horses, and often the cattle as well, because they can’t usually see the dogs once they are in the trough. And then they appear with a splash, out of nowhere!
I would like to see a simulated barbed wire gate as an obstacle. You would have to dismount, and maneuver the gate with one hand and direct the horse with the other. I’ve met more than a few horses that aren’t terribly well halter broke, that you can’t send somewhere on the end of the lead rope.
I’ve done a couple Ranch Horse Trail classes locally. Obstacles I’ve done:
-walking over a bridge
-opening/closing gate
-loading/unloading onto a trailer
-dismounting and picking up each foot
-roping a dummy
-drag a log
-walk across a water obstacle
-walk through a “pool noodle” obstacle
-walk through “streamers” obstacle
-trot/loop over logs
-sidepass / back a designated pattern (such as an “L” shape)
-move a rain slicker from one obstacle to another … or put the rain slicker on/off
And one show I go to always incorporates a small pattern (similar to a reining pattern but may incorporate trotting).
