What are some fun games to play on horseback?

Question

I'm looking for some fun and creative games to play on horseback. I work as a counselor at a horse camp, and I'm hoping to set up some games for the campers to play. The campers are of all ages and experience levels, so I'm hoping to find easy games for the younger kids and some difficult or high-speed/high-intensity ones for the more advanced riders. Or just fun horse-related games in general!

Answer 1

some games that we play on horse back are:

-mustangs & cougars: this works best with bigger groups of riders. everyone pairs up in "islands" of two horses and their is one "mustang" and one "cougar". the cougar has to chase the mustang until they get close enough to "tag" them{usually within two feet}. when the cougar tags the mustang, they switch roles. after a few role trades, the current mustang trades off with someone who is part of an island. and, to keep the game fair, the cougar must slowly count to five in between every tag or switch.

- Duck, Duck, Goose: simple enough, have everyone pick a spot against the wall, or the outside of the arena if you will, and have the person who's it go around the inside. when they pick a goose, the goose chases them around the arena once, if the person gets passed, they continue their circle and park in the goose's spot as the goose then continues to pick their goose.

- Red Rover: have one person circling in between to sides of the arena, have one announcer say which horses to send across and again, the tagging space is about two feet. you can either have one designated "rover" for a certain amount of time, or you can trade off every time someone is tagged.

-Bi-wrangler boxes: have two boxes or barells set up at the end of the arena. have one horse at a time go down between the two boxes, around the left one, back through the middle, and then around the right one, and then proceeding home so the next rider can go

- Keyhole: set up boxes/barells/cones in the shape of a keyhole. the rider must go down into the keyhole, turn around inside without knocking anything down or stepping out of the hole, and then finishing the relay before their opponent.

-Clothes pins: WARNING! I RECCOMEND THAT YOU ONLY PLAY THIS GAME WITH VERY EXPERIANCED RIDERS ONLY!!! This is a fast-paced game that requires enough skill to maneuver tight turns without yanking on the horses. the tagging zone is also much closer. give every rider 5 clothes pins. have them attach them to what they can, their saddles, their clothes but NOT the horses' reins/headstalls. your goal is to end the game with the most pins. the tagging range for this game is about 6 inches to one foot, so again, EXPERIANCED riders only please. this is a very dangerous game if played incorrectly.

if you would like to hear of more games, because i have A LOT just shoot me an e-mail and i would be more than happy to share them with you. :] [e-mail]

Answer 2

This is fun!

1. Follow the leader

2. Red light, green light

3. Simon says

4. Follow the leader with each gait

5. Bob for apples and w/e you get your horse will enjoy too!

hope i helped!

Answer 3

APPLE BOBBING!

Answer 4

Well you've got bending (also western bend), keyhole, flag races, relays, jumping, drills, costume parties (haha), riding bareback (good to improve their seats - but safety first, of course), horseball (maybe only for experienced riders).

Oh and pony polo!! Funnest game ever! just make sure the horses/ponies go well and don't kick etc.

Answer 5

Horseback games are great fun and always introduce new people. I recommend doing some schooling games/gymkana games which will also help coordination, balance, mounting and dismounting, gate changes ect. Anything that involves speed in a small space with lots of horses should be avoided. Even some traditional gymkhana games may not be suitable for small spaces like a small arena. Games that involve crawling on the ground, or using broomsticks or hockey sticks can be hazardous.

- Sack Race = When the intructor yells out a gait, the kids have to ride at that certain gait to the line at the end of the field than dismount, jump in a sack and lead their pony without falling over. Great fun!

- Egg & Spoon= This would help with balancing, it is just like egg and spoon race on horseback

- Gait Knockout= This is when you call out a gate and everyone has to do it. If anyone breaks the gait or is last to get their horse to that gait they are out.

- Flag race is great fun for helping with balance, coordination and gait changing, Thsi is when u have 4 poles 15metres apart, each poles has a flag pole to it. You have to go around the poles collecting the flag on your way back so start at the pole closest to you, ride at a fast gate then slow down just enoguh to grab the pole on your way back to the starting line than go for the 2nd pole and so on. Also great for controlling

- Bending Poles= You can maximise the fun of bending poles by having 2-4 teams each person with a different number on the same team but with the same number on a different team then you call out the number and what gait the riders do and it is a race. It is good for coordinating, gaits and balance

Anyways there are a couple of games as example

Have a great time

Answer 6

Games are a great way to get kids confidence in themselves and their horses up.

Here are some fun group ones (encourage the kiddies to keep their horses supple and not to get carried away and yank/tug their mouths):

-Mini Dressage comp (for the bigger kids) make a simple test invloving 20m circles and simple serpentines plus transitions. Judge them on things like the partnership beetween horse+rider.

-Showjumping rounds

-Whats the time Mr.Wolf? (little ones)

*make it educational by encorporating horsey quiz questions

-Water cups (little kids) each person has a cup of water 2/3 full, and they have to ride it down to the end of the ring & then put it in a bucket, and ride back to the team where someone will refill it and you will keep going, trying to do it faster without spilling.

-Bending Race because of its simplicity and speed. The rider weaves and bends, tracing path between five poles along the length of the arena.

-Stepping Stones race, where the rider dismounts, runs nimbly across a set of upturned buckets (or stepping stones), and vaults back into the saddle to complete the race, this involves skill and control.

maybe ask them for ideas... you could do tag, or best presented shows - the list goes on and on!

Just remember to have fun!

(whats a counselor?) ^^

Answer 7

+Barrels

+Flags

+Bounce Pony

+Red light Green light

+Bending

+Egg and Spoon

+Apple bobbing

+Put lollies in icing sugar and rider/pony has to find them

+Key Hole

+Clover

+Get a cup of water and get riders to trot and then go over a small jump. Who has the most water left?

+Rider Class

+Mug Race

+Small Jump Course

+Half Hitch

+Best Presented

+Mystery Event (Make something up) - Water crossing etc

+Trot poles

+Snakes and ladders (set up a bouce pony game, jump up through jumps, then around a cone, and bend through jumps on the way back

+Horsemanship award

+Running Tee

+Walking race (will be hard for jumpy ponies)

+Sack race (race up, dismount, jump back to finish

+Stepping stones (rider jumps on stones then vaults on to horse easier to get on at trot)

+treasure hunt

+relays

GOOD LUCK - Bounce pony's my favourite game

Answer 8

I am a member of a riding club and once a month we have a playday... I am not sure if all playdays have the same events but there is one that the younger kids do really good at because faster isn't always better. have two barrels in the arena or whatever it may be, the far barell has a rubber bucket full of sand or dirt with a golf ball sitting right on top, the closer barell is empty and sitting open end up. The point is to go to the far barrel pick the golf ball up and return on the otherside. When you reach the closer barrel throw or toss the ball into it. time delay for missing the barrel or knocking one over.

another one is flags... again to barrels but both at one end of the arena, one is on the left side (with about 15ft or more to the fence) the other on the right (same distance) the flag is in a bucket of sand on one side or the other of the arena. A bucket full of sand but no flag is on the opposit barrel. The point is to run (or walk) down the arena pick up the flag on your way by put it into the empy bucket and run (or walk) back to the line. again time penalties for missed buckets or knocked over barrels. and if you go on the inside of the barrels you are DQed. but you can make your own variations.

Both of these events can be taken as slow or fast as wanted... I always flew through them but my little sister was less experienced and walked through. With the first game you will find that if you are going to fast when you throw the ball in the barrel 8 times out of 10 you will miss. Maybe there could be some life lessons in there somewhere. I hope these help

Answer 9

egg and spoon!

and fer high sppeeed.., a good game of TaG. make shur u hav  a large area tho...

or ride a buck. were ur barback and u slip a dolllar bill under ur leg and see who can last longest at a walk, trot, canter, lope then reins int eh mouth (a little dangerous)

Answer 10

Polo for older kids

Also Cantering rally races for older kids

For both rally races and for little kids make a rule saying if your horse gallops what ever place your in go down one. EX: 1st but galloped= 2end

Little kids Also play around the world, while in the saddle do a 360 then ride off.

Have a Gymkhana

Similar to a horse show, riders show their skills in obstacle courses, races and relays. Often gymkhanas are aimed at kids and ponies with the main focus being fun and horsemanship.

Answer 11

They make many books of games. I would recommend buying one from Dover or something, have fun!

Answer 12

could end up badly, but how about red rover cross over. just joking

how about keyhole in slow motion, that could be fun.

flag racing is fun

bending

a mini jump course

or english vs western

(see who can do the best impression of each)

or blind mans bluff (mask the riders eyes and she has to ride around the arena looking for other riders) yeah that idea officially sucks...oh well back to tea and soy milk

Answer 13

Red Rover has ALWAYS worked and you can have the person coming over choose their gait.

So, if you've got a beginner going against an advanced rider, the beginner can choose WALK and still stand a chance.

Answer 14

red light, green light, but you have to be careful with this one so kids don't yank the horses' mouth off trying to get them to stop.

Having to drop balls in a bucket at the other end of the arena(form teams)

Freeze tag-for laid back horses only-use dressage whips to tape the other people to freeze them

Answer 15

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