Beginners: start online in walk then trot
Intermediates: go to neck rope in walk or trot
Advanced: work at liberty in walk, trot or canter
Fun: try riding it (w/t/c)
Challenges Online/Liberty/Ridden:
- Front feet & back feet in hulahoops (or walk over)
- Trot over poles on tarp
- Trot/canter through scary corridor
- Jump
- Trot through weave pattern
- Transitions through narrow corridor (walk in/halt/backup/trot out)
- Walk/trot over bottle bank
- Walk/trot fig 8
- Walk/trot through curtain
- Trot through arch or jump hoop jump
- Sidepass over or near an obstacle
- Walk through water feature
- Ground tie (immobility/halt) and extreme familiarisation with objects around horse
Liberty with Solly
Ridden with Solly
Tips:
Try and test all the obstacles to make sure you and your horse know what to do at each one, make sure you reward for the slightest try and as you advance you do more with each obstacle, either stay longer, transitions or all at a higher gait throughout.
Once you know what to do with each obstacle then put them together as smoothly as possible as a course (if online then keeping a ‘smile’ in the rope as much as you can).
Set it up the best way for your area so it doesn’t need to be in this order or this shape.
Do not push your horse through or over things, accept what he gives you and teach him more as you go along. Repeat as often as you can for a horse that is a slow learner and make sure you mix it up often for a horse that gets bored quickly.
Remember it’s supposed to be fun….for you AND your horse 🙂