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Trail Obstacle Ideas

I sometimes help design trail patterns for a local stock horse association. I am always looking for ideas for new obstacles. The association has some limits on obstacles such as no tarps or culvert pipes. Specifically, any fun ideas for a side passing or backing obstacle? Anything unusual that you have seen in a trail pattern?

Hexagon of logs with spaces for a side passing pattern that is too hard for me to explain in text is the best one I have ever seen for side passing and showing turn on the fore and hind. Let me see if I can find a video that shows it.

Here you go, if this doesn’t start in the right place the point you want to start watching at is 1:14:

https://youtu.be/pocCbvtH1oM?t=74

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That looks cool. I would have to really explain it well in the drawing but definitely something to look at.

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That was great! Thanks for the idea!

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Not much of a new idea but I like when a large tree branch or even tree trunk is used for side passing or lope overs, rather just regular poles. Especially just one large branch or trunk for a lope over or small jump. Just seems a bit more authentic for a trail class. Also a drag is good, so a rope attached to a tire or small log that you have to drag in a figure eight. Maybe add additional points if done at a trot. Use a jump standard or something similar that the rider coils the rope up and hangs it up so it’s ready for the next competitor.

The video posted above is a great idea. You can use that figuration as a lope over, even serpentine around the logs, then they come back to do the side passes, forehand turns and pivots. You could make that one obstacle count as several pretty easy.

I like the natural logs for trot and lope overs too so every time we cut down a tree I end up saving at least one good sized branch.

Any other ideas?

If you can find some greenery garland, like Christmas garland, use that to add some plant life to your course. Wrap around poles for a side pass. Hook one end to a pole/jump standard, then the other end to another pole/jump standard. Do two of these and make a chute you have to walk or trot through, then back out of. Uses potted plants/fake flowers/small Christmas trees. Replace these for any cones you might typically use. You can set them up for serpentines, back arounds, etc. I like using one obstacle for multiple uses so think about how you can combine things. Like the serpentine, at the last marker they can stop then back a circle around it. Put a lariat rope on the ground in a big circle, they can walk in, do a turn around, walk halfway out then sidepass around the rope.

Well there’s always the tried and true back through an L, open a gate. I have also seen: Open a mail box and take out a letter. Walk over a bridge. Walk through a box of water. Walk over a tippy bridge. Fill up several huge tractor tires with dirt so horse has to walk up and over them. And put on and remove a yellow slicker. Drag a tire. Have a pole set lying across two barrels (upright) pick up one end of pole and side while keeping other end of pole on barrel go 360 degrees around to start point and put the end of the pole you are holding back.

Really like that horse. A good exercise. My OTTB would do that.