Spring is in the air, or at least it was yesterday! I left an “outdoor jobs” list for our 17 year old son Elliot, then went out to feed the horses and walk the dogs. He joined me around 9.30am very motivated, I am pleased to say. After fixing the fencing, folding the tarpaulin etc we set about collecting anything we could find to help create a Horse Agility Course. We gathered some plastic drums, tyres, lengths of wood, plastic piping, scaffolding poles, carpet, barrels and my wooden sun bed. Well I never did find time to lie in the sun!!

I went indoors for a coffee around 11am  and Elliot used the time to draw up a course, so we were clear of what we were trying to achieve. Two pieces of wood lengths at right angles on the corner, and a gap between them created the entrance/exit. We would start by bending around 3 plastic drums pushed into tyres to stabilize them. Through 2 barrels, take a left and do a figure  of 8 leading us into the bridge ( you guessed – my sun bed that Elliot had carefully removed the legs from!) Across the bridge, turn right onto a piece of carpet weighed down by 2 poles. Stand still a few seconds then back up at right angles into a parking area. Stand still again and then straight ahead, walk back over the bridge and into the hoop on the ground. 2 front feet in the hoop and 2 back feet out. Stand still again. Walk through a lane of poles at right angles to line up for the last obstacle, the arc. Under the arc and out through the exit. Eh Voila!

Break for lunch and then time to put the course to the test. I chose to do this with “Finch” our yearling Exmoor colt.  His young handler, Caroline, is on holiday this week. He hasn’t had a head collar on since early December, but he stood still in the field and allowed me to put it on. This was a very good start! We walked around the course and although the bridge was a little scary, he had a good look and put one foot on it. The carpet took a couple of attempts after which he was comfortable to stand with all four feet on it. I didn’t back him up at right angles into the parking on the very first exposure. I just backed him straight out.

He was happy to stand in the hoop, he even took a nap, or was it the sun in his eyes!? We didn’t tape the hoop in case he got spooked and possibly entangled in it. We shall join the two ends together once he is used to it.

No problem at all with the arc! This was just an introduction and there was no pressure at all on him to do more than just look at it.

We plan to add lots more to the course, but yesterday we wanted to improvise and see what we could create with what we had lying around.  Thanks to his Father, Elliot is practical and logical. He not only understood exactly what I was trying to achieve, but was also able to implement it. This was helped also by the fact he has designed Western Trail courses in the past.

A successful and happy day was had by all. Carol got sunburnt, Elliot had time out from the computer and Finch, who took it all in his stride was rewarded with a hug and some chopped carrots!

Article written for Equine Tourism www.equinetourismcommunity.co.uk