Most equestrians, at one point or another, have probably played with obstacles with their horses. Maybe for you, this was on a big course, or something simpler at home, like barrels, cones, or poles. The general consensus you will find is that obstacle training can be a fun thing to do, if you have a brave horse, but not all folks really see the point in it. So why do I believe that obstacles are an important part of training up a versatile horse? Well, I’m glad you asked!
There are many reasons to introduce your horse to obstacles. One of the common ones is to build your horse’s confidence or de-spooking. Now, I’m not a fan of some of the desensitizing techniques that trainers will use. If my horse is afraid of a particular obstacle, let’s use a flag, for example, I’m going to first isolate this element from the rest. Then I’m going to shrink this obstacle down into something that I can easily control. Using the example that my horse is afraid of flags, I’m going to start with a little flag on a stick, not the largest flapping American flag on a pole that I can find. I always want to set my horse up for success, and not overwhelm him.
Going hand in hand with de-spooking is prepping your horse for the trail. Before I get my horse into a situation where he has to cross water, jump a log, or navigate fallen rocks, I’d like to have the chance to introduce him to such obstacles in a controlled environment. If you want your horse to enjoy the trail in a relaxed manner, it’s not the best idea to get yourself into a situation where you’ll have to force him through something that frightens him. If you have a bad experience, this can ruin trail riding for the two of you permanently.
Some obstacles put your arena work to good use and test your problem-solving abilities. For example, in opening a gate, your horse ideally should be able to maneuver his shoulders and haunches, back up, and side pass, all with only one hand holding the reins. This may be a good place for you to discover a hole in your training, isolate the problem, and then fix it. Another example would be an L corner, made up with ground poles. This is an obstacle you can complete on the ground or under saddle. Let’s say you are going to back your horse through the corner. You have to find a way to communicate with your horse that you want him to back straight, turn 90 degrees, and then back the rest of the way out, without stepping on the poles. Most people can manage the backing, but that 90-degree corner will trip them up. When you’ve mastered this exercise, you can level up the difficulty by asking your horse to back an L using actual fences as barriers instead of ground poles.
Obstacles can also be very beneficial gymnastically for your horse. Ground poles and cavaletti ask him to pick up his feet and stretch out his muscles. Small jumps can encourage him not only to get his feet up but stretch over his topline. Tracking up and down hills can build up muscle and endurance. A pedestal can put the horse into a version of collection, as he gathers all four feet underneath himself. These are just a handful of examples, but there are many more.
My final reason for obstacle training is simply that it’s fun, for both me and the horse. It challenges us to step up our game, communicate better and think outside the box. Personally, I enjoy designing courses for my horse and I to complete, and inventing new sorts of obstacles. My horse’s enthusiasm generally dials up a notch when I introduce more stimulus for him to process. This can be good to entertain a bored horse or build the confidence of a nervous one.
So, obstacles are a wonderful tool in the training of the versatile horse. For those who really enjoy them, there are many disciplines, groups, and events that are now including obstacle and trail competition. Here in Colorado, there are things such as the Colorado Obstacle Challenge, Working Equitation, and ranch trail classes at local shows, to name off a few. Cowboy Dressage has plans to add in obstacle tests in the near future as well, something I am very excited about. The thing we have to be careful with trail and obstacle competitions, particularly anything that’s timed, is to always put the horse first, and not push them through something they can’t handle. No blue ribbon is ever worth sacrificing horsemanship. So whether you have a desire to compete or simply want to better your horse, go play with some obstacles! They can be elaborate or simple, but I can promise they will benefit you and your horse.
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