For The girl who asked about the mounted games?
read here as I can't get it all in :(
hangs the next letter and so on, all team members go a couple of times and you also have to spell the words correctly - usually it's PONY CLUB. First team to hang all the letters and get back over the finish line wins.
Pairs Bending - advanced only
Either team of four in which case two lots go, or two people on ponies, one at each end.
Line of bending poles in the middle, often only about three not the full lot like for bending.
First person gallops thru the poles and holds out a short length of rope to the other mounted person at far end, they both gallop back next to each other thru the poles while not letting go of the rope. It's not easy this one as youhave to allow room for both ponies to get thru the poles and the ponies have to be happy to gallop that close to each other. Again not sure if they do this.
Obstacle course - basic and advanced
We used to do all kinds of things with this but I've seen it done with just one obstacle.
Basically team event or single - if it'
kinds of things with this but I've seen it done with just one obstacle.
Basically team event or single - if it'
lIne of obstacles down field eg hoop (you pass it over you) hurdles (YOU jump them) line of tyres you have to step thru etc.
If single pony sets off and rider leaps off to complete each task
if team two go and one leaps off while the other leads the pony, at the end you gallop round a pole and repeat the exercise on the way back (if it's teams the second of the pair takes her turn)
Sack Race - basic and advanced - we used to have helpers at the far end for the youngsters ponies to be left with.
Line of sacks at far end, you gallop down, leap off, get into sack and then run/bounce/jump/stagger you way back to the finish leading pony. First back wins
Bareback trotting race - Basic and Advanced
again in a square of flags with the whole field present. Everyone is bareback - on GO everyone sets off at a trot completing the whole course. If you fall off you get back on (and survive the merciless teasing for the rest of the year) if your pony breaks gait you have to circle same
as walk trot canter race. First back wins.
Balloon race - advanced only
Load of balloons attached to a board at one end, lance in a bucket or something in middle and team at other end of field, on GO first member gallops to the middle, collects the lance, gallops to the balloons and pops one, either gallops back and hands the lance to the next one or replaces it in the holder. Next rider does the same until all the balloons are burst - first team to complete and get back over the start line win. Oh last member has to replace the lance where it was found.
Relay - again advanced and basic and for teams of four
Either two ponies at each end or all four at one end and a flag at the far end, first rider has the baton, gallops out to the other end, either hands baton over to another team member or turns round the flag and gallops back to the start for the handover. Either way all riders have to complete without dropping the baton, if you drop it you pick it up. First team to finish a
and get back over the finish line wins.
That's all I can remember for now. I'm sure folks who are currently doing these can tell you far more.
Now as for how can I do them - that's more complicated
Firstly if you're serious then you can join either the Pony Club or a mounted games organisation where you will get training days and access to all their equipment - which doesn't come cheap! - and they will train you up with a veiw to you having fun and possibly getting onto the teams. This is a good start as you get the best of training and you don't have to pay out for all the stuff, plus of course it's a bit difficult doing this kind of thing on your own, races needing at least one other competitor.
Don't despair if you just want to do local show lever games tho, you can practice at home.
Basically take everything very slowly, you need to get your pony used to everything - the pros make it look so easy but that's taken YEARS of practice and careful training.
Things to remember
Get your pony used to poles, canes, cones, balls, balloons, etc etc. Do this slowly and carefully and not scaring the pony. Eg put a line of garden canes in the field and lead him or her thru, leave them there for a day or so if you can do so safely so the pony gets used to them. For the flag race you need to get the pony used to you grabbing in effect a stick, whirling it round near their rump and then pointing it past their nose, this won't happen overnight so you need to slowly get the pony used to each thing and make sure you desensitize the pony to being touched by the flag/cone/ball etc, ie do it slowly and gently and praise the pony if he or she doen't flinch. Go back a stage if they do. I can't stress enough how much of an advantage this kind of work will pay off and be later on.
Anyway good luck, if you start now you should be ok to have a go in the summer gymkhanas :)
Get him or her used to being with other ponies who are galloping madly around - being 'flighty' does not get you any points as no self respecing games pony would dream of taking off other than when commanded! :) If you can get your friends involved then get one of them to stand in the middle and then everyone else can ride around them, start at walk and make sure all ponies are happy before you go any faster, slowly build up the speed to canter and gallop.
Teach your pony to lead from either side quite happily
once you have this teach yourself to vault on from either side. Start at walk but make VERY sure your pony then doesn't anticipate this when you just want to get on, so make sure in between times you insist on perfect stillness while you mount.
Vaulting is not easy until you get the hang, basically as the ponies front foot nearest you comes down and backwards you leap off yourleft (if your on the left of the pony) foot and up over the ponies back. There's a knack of using the ponies movement to help you spring and that's something you'll need to work out for yourself or get someone to help you as reading about it is not going to work :( Vaulting is important as it saves time, everyone makes mistakes, and where I've said 'if you drop it you have to pick it up' it's a lot easier if you don't have to get off to pick the item up, This is why small ponies are best for games.
Take each game and practice it at a walk, eg walk between the bending poles/carrying flags for the flag race then trot then finally canter. You must make sure the pony is happy and calm before going on to a faster speed, that way you teach your pony to be a better games pony as they're not going daft at the sight of a games field and only wanting to gallop madly. Control of the pony wins most games, you can even win with a slower pony at local level if you make sure you're accurate at all times, eg throwing and the like, so if a faster but less in control person misses you can just keep going and sometimes win. not ALWAYS tho so don't think that :)
Practice practice practice, on your own, with friends, this gets you used to doing everything and then on the day it's not a mad fumble trying to work out what you're meant to be doing.
See also the question about mounted games asked previously today for the first part of this reply :)