Horse Agility

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Hi all

Has anybody done any horse agility?

I've just joined the club and plan on doing some things with Blue over the spring/summer. He is only 20 months old so I tink it will give him some grounding for when it is time for him to be broken.

Will also give him some play time.. It does look fun.

Any experinces of it?

Replies

  • playcharm
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    We haven't done any agility, but would enjoy hearing about it. I have one that needs to be broke this summer so would be interested in hearing how your guy does with it.
  • Solly123
    Solly123 Posts: 162 Member
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    Nope, never tried it. Also have a 3yr old to be backed this summer.. Would enjoy hearing how your guy deals with it!!

    Keep us informed on your progress!!!
  • ToBeCountry
    ToBeCountry Posts: 81 Member
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    Has anyone participated or made an obstacle course? Watched a few YouTube videos. It looks like fun!
  • MAGNIFIEDME
    MAGNIFIEDME Posts: 52 Member
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    I'm building my own obstacles this summer, friends and I follow Parelli so it's great MENTAL and physical exercise for your horses, simulates so many things in their lives like trailer loading, trail riding etc.
  • grannysmj
    grannysmj Posts: 16 Member
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    I've joined the Horse Agility Club but never really competed. Just playing with some of the obstacles :)
  • ruralgirl
    ruralgirl Posts: 86 Member
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    Lots of local horsey friends seem to be starting this! They love it but I just dont have time to do more stuff;-)
  • grannysmj
    grannysmj Posts: 16 Member
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    I'm building my own obstacles this summer, friends and I follow Parelli so it's great MENTAL and physical exercise for your horses, simulates so many things in their lives like trailer loading, trail riding etc.

    I'm a new horse owner and had a bad experince at one of the places I boarded at. They tried to trailer my horse and well long story short he does not trust going into a trailer with anyone :( it's been about a year so this fall we will start working with him again. Also when I joined I thought I was going to be the next Agility Queen because my boy is so smart. Well he sure knocked me back to reality.

    So needless to say I have alot of work to do on my horsemenship before I'm the Queen...lol
  • Whisperinghorse
    Whisperinghorse Posts: 202 Member
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    If anyone near Suffolk, Ashen do agility days.....
  • ToBeCountry
    ToBeCountry Posts: 81 Member
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    Update from my previous post - a long time ago. (March 2012)

    I did make an obstacle course in October. I used it as a fundraiser for my daughter who is special needs.
    It was a hit. Had about 26 obstacles. Water box, bridge, teeter totter, cowboy curtain, etc.
    About 25 riders came.
    Had a great time. Requests are coming in to host it again this coming fall.
  • BellehavenfarmDawn
    BellehavenfarmDawn Posts: 248 Member
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    Very cool. I have only just read about it. but this would be a natural for us clicker trainers! could you describe the obstacles. I have seen a few. It had to be expensive building all that stuff?
    Dawn
  • Midnight444
    Midnight444 Posts: 23 Member
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    Has anyone thought about starting a MFP group devoted to Horse Agility? I love to do groundwork with my horses as well as ride... I love to try and make things interesting for my horses and for me... I would LOVE to learn more about this... Thanks... ~Jane :flowerforyou:
  • ToBeCountry
    ToBeCountry Posts: 81 Member
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    Very cool. I have only just read about it. but this would be a natural for us clicker trainers! could you describe the obstacles. I have seen a few. It had to be expensive building all that stuff?
    Dawn

    If your on Facebook, I have a page with photos of riders doing some of the obstacles.
    Most of them were made from stuff laying around the barn.

    The Facebook page is Red Barn Acres. Nothing fancy, but it was fun. Next year, I would like to set it up in the wooded area on my parents property.
  • BellehavenfarmDawn
    BellehavenfarmDawn Posts: 248 Member
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    OH great. Tx. great winter project. Time for the farm women to learn about power tools!
  • ToBeCountry
    ToBeCountry Posts: 81 Member
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    OH great. Tx. great winter project. Time for the farm women to learn about power tools!

    If I only had some large machinery to dig and move large objects, I would love to have more obstacles. Right now, I have them set up in a "spare" pasture. Not my ideal location. Hopefully, one day I can make a more permanent area without loosing pasture and hay field space.

    Happy Trails!
  • BellehavenfarmDawn
    BellehavenfarmDawn Posts: 248 Member
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    Hi Midnight. I would love doing that. Just create another discussion in MFP Horse Enthusiasts?

    I come at this work from two angles.

    First I am a clicker trainer for my dog and horse. I would teach anyone interested but sadly at our barn no one is. I got Sunny at 5.5 yrs old but because of any old injury, didn't ride until he was 7.

    but that turned out to be a gift, because it gave me an opportunity to revisit his training as if he were a baby. Picking up feet etc etc, tons of bomb proofing....I mean I went wild because he is an OTTB and because I wanted to trail ride. All kinds of ground work, again with a clicker overlay to let him know that he was moving towards the behavior I wanted.

    Then 3 years ago I moved to Tory Hill to learn Classical Dressage as a way to rehab the body. The focus is balance and straightness. Here I was introduced to In Hand work, some ground driving, and I aspire to do the same at Liberty which is something my clicker role model, Alex Kurland, does. In Hand, at liberty. HOW FRICKIN COOL?? Plus Exercise we love.

    Sunny will take a couple steps of Piaffe with a Tellington Jones neck ring. He puffs up like an 18 H horse LOL. not perfect piaffe of course but it was a way for this forward Racehorse to find his UP.

    I enjoy setting up obstacles and leading him, then doing them at liberty. Can not wait to build a Teeter Totter. Weave Poles., I went on line and the Agility Club International is creating opportunities for those us not near a competition. We can send in a videos and work our way up. From beginner to advance! Fun.

    you wanna start the discussion?

    dawn
  • BellehavenfarmDawn
    BellehavenfarmDawn Posts: 248 Member
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    TBC,
    we have all that equipment but Jill only lets Mike use it. I don't blame her. Its all expensive.

    Back in the day she had a competitive X country course set up all around the farm. these were the very early days of eventing. LeGoff sp??) advised on the jumps! Delaware Valley Combined Training was created!

    Dawn
  • BellehavenfarmDawn
    BellehavenfarmDawn Posts: 248 Member
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    Midnight....just realized WE ARE in the agility discussion! too sleepy last night!!