# What else besides trail riding to do with my horse?



## katbalu (Sep 8, 2011)

Obstacle course?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Dressage at its basics is just good riding skills such as lateral work, keeping tempo, forward motion, ability to disengage any part of the horse, works well off your leg, etc.

That being said, try taking part in a fox hunt or endurance race. Obstacle courses are a great idea, some show grounds have them all set up. Maybe train for a trail show. The kind where you open gates, etc. It'll also get him desensitized to all sorts of things.

You could always work on his basics and paces in an arena of sorts.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Dh and I just signed up for our county's Search and Rescue.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

Not a trail rider, I do dressage, but we also get bored just going around in circles!!

I've taken a liking to doing a lot of bomb proofing, all you need is a plethora of scary objects (tarps, exercise balls, etc..), obstacles and patience!! I've also started teaching some tricks, starting with bowing, standing on things, etc..
Dressage is also fairly easy to start with your horse on your own. It is basically about improving the response from your horse to your aids and involves being able to place the horse in the gait you want, at the speed you want with the touch of a button. Leg yielding, turn on the forehand and turn on the haunches are also good exercises to work on with your horse so you can place his forehand and haunches where-ever you would like. Lots of transitions are also helpful in putting the horse "on your aids".

Good luck!


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## Spirit Lifter (Apr 23, 2012)

Dressage is over my head even at the basics. I'm an advanced hacker, that's all. Give me anything in the woods and I'm all over it.

Search and Rescue - I love that idea! I'll look into it.

Obstacles - that sounds fun and easy to set up on my own. I'll do it.

Endurance - has always intrigued me but I thought it took a certain kind of horse to be good at it. My QH has just turned 8 so she is young but to me she looks too stocky for the job.


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## callidorre (Dec 7, 2011)

There are also hunter paces. I want do to one at some point soon. They involve jumps along the trail but jumps can be optional. Here's wikipedia's very simple explaination-

Hunter pacing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

They are based off of the type of ride you would have in a fox hunt. There's an "optimum" time that you trying to hit. So, it's kind of like a trail ride at a fast pace with jumps.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Spirit Lifter (Apr 23, 2012)

That sounds fun!!:happydance::happydance::happydance::happydance::happydance::happydance::happydance::thumbsup::thumbsup::think::think:


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

You can still enjoy endurance riding with a stocky quarter horse. I do. I don't actually compete but I certainly enjoyed getting him in shape!!! Rain has got in my way so much this year of riding! I enjoyed putting Biscuit in a collected jog and getting him to go at the paces I needed - using the heart monitor to check his progress. It was a blast for me.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Altho it doesn't involve riding, google horse agility. It's designed to hone the groundwork using imaginative obstacles.


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## Fingerlakes (May 2, 2012)

Fox hunting!! Nothing better!! Well, maybe a few things, but still.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

katbalu said:


> Obstacle course?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Similar in a sense, for a change of pace I do trail class work (platforms/bridges, opening/closing gates/mailboxes, etc), with our mares. It's a fun way to keep them thinking and sharp and you can do it in a ring or a field.


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## Spirit Lifter (Apr 23, 2012)

Fingerlakes said:


> Fox hunting!! Nothing better!! Well, maybe a few things, but still.



I wouldn't even know where to find that around here. Sounds like a blast!


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