Lessons In TR

My horse, with husband and baby in the background. This is the first thing she does on our walk after not getting out for several weeks – mind you, out of the big pasture on the other side of the fence whose grass is apparently not luxurious enough. Anyway, I’ve had some responses on activity ideas to post – keep ’em coming please!

Ping Pong Pow

Kim Bennett, TRI, ES, CHA of Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center sent me this game.

Set up:

• none! all you need are 2+ volunteers

Activity:

1. One volunteer  moves to a spot anywhere in the arena and hollers PING and the rider has to steer there.
2. Another volunteer moves to a spot somewhere else in the arena and hollers PONG and the rider has to steer there.
3. Then PING moves somewhere else and hollers PING again as does PONG.
4. You can add a third person to the mix who hollers out POW.

Benefts:

• works on steering – “a good way for your riders to get their heads looking in the direction they want their horses to go”
• independence – “it is great when they are just beginning to be independent. They may have to walk the whole distance of the arena or the volunteer could have moved 180 degrees behind them and they just have to do a tight half turn.”
• a nice way to involve the volunteers!

Thank you so much Kim!

Do you have any activities to share? Send me an email on using the contact form!

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Note: This is not professional advice, this is a blog. I am not liable for what you do with or how you use this information. The activities explained in this blog may not be fit for every rider, riding instructor, or riding center depending on their current condition and resources. Use your best personal judgment!