# Any tips for these Mounted Games?



## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

Hello! I was wondering if anyone out there had any tips for the following mounted games:

~Bending Race
~Sock Race
~2-Mug
~5-Flag
~Ball and Bucket
~Quoits

And any vaulting tips? I'm just starting Mounted Games - I am a little taller than 5' and have a 13.2hh pony. I have started Mounted Games at my local pony club, and go to practises every week. I have learnt the basics and would now like to get better. I am currently not on a team but next year, I may be on the A-team as there will be a few spaces, but I will have to be very good to get on the A team! I am very keen and would like to be really good at Mounted Games! My pony is learning very fast the tips of Mounted Games and is just starting to run for the vault. Any tips on training him would be greatly appreciated, too. Thank you so much to all you kind people out there!


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## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

Bumping


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## skipsangelheir (Feb 9, 2013)

I have no idea what those are, except maybe bending race (pole bending?), can you explain please?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

Sure, no problem! Sorry about that. Bending is pole bending, yes. Five flag is where you transfer flags from cone to cone. 2 mug is where you transfer mugs from pole to pole. I'm really sorry got to go to bed now - I need to be up early tomorrow. I will add more tomorrow, sorry! Thank you for answering though!


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## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

Just wanted to say, there are many youtube videos on these games if you'd like to take a look - I think they are incredible! :lol:


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## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

Sorry, back now. Bending race is the same as pole bending, yes. 

Five flag is where you ride up to the top with a flag and turn around the cone at the top whilst putting the flag into the cone. You then ride back down, picking up a flag from the cone on your way past. You then spin the flag into an upwards position and give it to the next person, who does the same. 

Mug race is where you have 4 poles. There is a mug on the 1st and 3rd pole. 2 people are at one end and the other 2 at the other end of the line of poles. Person 1 goes first, moving the first mug from the 1st pole to the 2nd, and the second mug from the 3rd to the 4th pole. They then carry on straight, and the next person goes.

Sock race is where there is a bucket halfway between the riders and a pile of 4 'socks'. The first rider goes with a sock and puts it in the bucket while cantering past. They they go up to the top, jump off, pick up a sock from the pile and vault on with the sock. They then give it to the next person, who does the same.

Ball and bucket race is a little complicated. You use 4 riders and 2 ponies. At the start, there are 2 people, 1 on either side of the pony, un-mounted. When the starter's flag goes down, person 1 vaults on from a standstill and they ride, with person 2 running alongside, to the other end of the area. Person 1 then jumps off, and keep throwing balls into a bucket from 2m away until they get one into the bucket. Meanwhile, person 2 turns the pony around so that they are on the pony's left-hand-side. When person 1 gets a ball into the bucket, they run to the pony and lead it while person 2 vaults on. They then go back to the start line and the other pair goes.

Quoit race is where there is a cone halfway between the riders and a pile of 3 quoits and a tennis ball. The first rider goes with a quoit and leans down, putting it on the cone. They then run to the other end, jump off, pick up a quoit and vault on again. They then hand it to the next person. Riders 2 and 3 do that. Rider 4 does the same except that they collect the ball from the end and balance it on the cone on the return journey.

I'm getting a little better at vaulting, and vaulted today with little help  Any tips would be greatly appreciated - I would like to be very good at games  Many thanks, CrispThePony


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

Hi OP.

My biggest tip is to go to all the practise rallies, watch everyone and learn! Honestly, without knowing what you and your ponies weaknesses are we can't help a big deal.

However, here are some things you could practise at home:

Vaulting on and off
Working without stirrups
Riding pony right up to tree/fence/pole/bucket/object so that you can reach down and touch it the FIRST time, rather than having to come back if you overshoot.
Desensitize pony to sticks, flags, buckets etc
Ride without whip and spurs (if you ever use either) as these are not allowed in MG
Practise your start. You must be ready to go, WITHOUT going over the start line.


But big word of warning here - if your pony is fit and happy and forward going, then the MG practises you go to should be sufficient practise for the game skills. Don't repeat repeat repeat the same thing at home, or at your yard, as you may end up with a sour and resistant pony. 

Have fun :wink:


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## IndiesaurusRex (Feb 23, 2011)

Go fast or go home ;-)

Sorry, no real advice, but I will say, I watched the Prince Philip Cup at Horse of the Year show for 5 nights in a row, it was brilliant! I have so much respect for the little ponies, being able to go so fast with those kids flapping away on top :lol:

Have fun!


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## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

Thank you so much Shropshirerosie for the tips - I will try them when I practise. I usually practise once a week at time in addition to the games practises, and do other activities the other days as to not make him bored. Thank you so much for the ideas!

Indie - I love the Prince Philip Mounted Games too! The little ponies are so quick and seem to love what they are doing 

Many thanks to you both, CrispThePony


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## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

Bumping 

Anyone else? Any tips are greatly appreciated - the people at my pony club are thinking of getting a B team together and I don't want to let them all down by not being very good! :?

Thank you so much to all of you that have helped me so far - I love mounted games and want to keep getting better and better! :lol:


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

CrispThePony said:


> Quoit race is where there is a cone halfway between the riders and a pile of 3 quoits and a tennis ball. The first rider goes with a quoit and leans down, putting it on the cone. They then run to the other end, jump off, pick up a quoit and vault on again. They then hand it to the next person. Riders 2 and 3 do that. Rider 4 does the same except that they collect the ball from the end and balance it on the cone on the return journey.
> 
> I'm getting a little better at vaulting, and vaulted today with little help  Any tips would be greatly appreciated - I would like to be very good at games  Many thanks, CrispThePony



Quoits? 
Is that anything like the snitch used in Quidditch?


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## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> Quoits?
> Is that anything like the snitch used in Quidditch?


No - unfortunately not!  A quoit is basically a rubber ring


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

it just has that Hogwarts sort of ring to it.


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## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

Yes, it does indeed! Anyway, this is becoming a little off-topic. Anyone else got any tips on improving my mounted games? Thank you so much to everyone that has posted so far - my games are improving already!  Thank you so much and - anyone else?
Many thanks,
Lara


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## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

Bumping - anyone else got any tips?


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

The main thing is to develop a great hand / eye coordination. Always look at whatever you are going to pick up and at nothing else. Practise with picking things up with both hands, vault on and off at all paces. 
I owe a lot to gymkhana games and loved them as a child. Unfortunately so few children have the fun.


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## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

Thank you very much, Foxhunter. I will practise that a lot  

Anyone else? Thank you!


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

Hello Crisp.

I think the main reason that you are not getting many responses is because the majority of people on this board are North American and have never seen Mounted Games.

I will suggest that you have a look in the barrel racing sub forum. While it is obviously a different sport in a different discipline, and there are many things that do not apply to both sports, there are also similarities.

Both go, I think from standing start to fast and furious.

Both have repeated patterns.

Both require a fit horse or pony, and have the potential to do damage to an unfit one.

I don't mean you go in that subforum and ask for advice, as I said; most of the barrel racers probably won't have ever heard of MG. I just mean you might learn from reading some of the threads about training.


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## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

Ok, thank you very much Shropshire. I will go and look at the barrel racing posts. Yet I may still ask about mounted games if that is ok, as I think it still has some differences to barrel racing. But thank you very much anyway, but I'm afraid that I am going to still keep this thread open.
CrispThePony


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## CrispThePony (Feb 3, 2014)

Just wondering if anyone out there had any more tips for any of the games? Many thanks, CrispThePony


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