Photography

Trail rides can encompass riding on level ground, through woodlands, in the mountains. My wife learned about "obstacle courses" online. She travelled to a few and found them a good means of teaching horses and riders to prepare for "real-time" trail rides. And to make into a competition sometimes.

In an obstacle/trail course various obstacles are placed throughout a loosely-laid out circuit. Walking through the course-way riders and horses face challenges at each obstacle. They can choose to get through the "road block" or go on to the next. Often riders lead horses over the grounds to introduce them to obstructions, then came back through a-horseback, usually to success.

Laurie set up her trail course in a 2 1/2 acre pasture. Riders made appointments to ride. Horsemanship clinics were conducted in her arena
and moved onto the course. We managed the operation for ten years.

In this forum, each Friday we put up a posting called "Horses and Around The Farm". Today's posting is the third of a series about the obstacle course. If you'd like to see more about it, please click on these two links, which will take you to the first two posts.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1036159040
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1036159380

Thanks so much for your kind comments and interest Barb!