GOING Gaited
ONLINE
When the going gets rough... go gaited!
MAGAZINE
f o r g a i t e d h o r s e e n t h u s i a s t s
Photo of Ivory Pal by Cheri Prill Tennessee Walking Horse Issue August 2010
a
Column
Archive
 | ||||
Follow us on Facebook
f
| ||||
- Gait Training
- Behavior Training
- Veterinary Info
- Farrier Info
- Equine Tax Info
- ...and more
- Expert Q & A
- Gaited Horse Sense (GHS Messageboard)
- Forum Guidelines
- Gaited Breed Assoc. Directory
- Tack/Product Review
- Reciprocal Links
- Printable Photo Calendar
- Horse Trails by State
- 5-Star Campgrounds
- Terms of Use
- About Us
- Advertising
- Handpainted Browbands
- Logo Clothing
- eBooks
- Note Card Gift Sets
- For back issues of the magazine by month
- Search this site
Photo Credit: Linda Snyder of Picture Perfect Photography in Bunker Hill, IL.
Betsy Kelleher has compiled stories from mare owners across the country into her second book, MARES! (ya gotta love em)…Fifty Stories to Aid & Inspire Mare Owners. Visit her website for more information: www.goduseshorses.com.
I’m borrowing Jane Savoie’s book title, because that’s exactly how I felt when Lady and I recently completed our first ACTHA ride! ACTHA is the American Competitive Trail Horse Association, and their Competitive Trail Challenges are growing news these days—six mile rides with six obstacles rated by judges.
Each ride’s obstacles are not revealed until the pre-ride meeting, but there is a list of possibles on the ACTHA website. I checked them out and decided that Lady should learn to “drag,” in case that was on the agenda. I worked with her several times, dragging a rope, then a hunk of wood, then one day I walked beside her while dragging an empty muck bucket. I was amazed at how quickly she learned this new skill! But I never thought to practice dragging a BODY!
Yes, one of the ride obstacles turned out to be dragging—a SCARECROW, of all things, which fit perfectly into the fall theme. The ride was on a cool and windy Saturday, with highs in the low 70’s. After registration, the ride meeting and getting saddled, I mounted Lady and off we went in the second group out, accompanied by safety riders. As our group got acquainted, I learned most of us rode gaited horses! We rode about a mile between each obstacle, on fields and through woods, and it was an enjoyable fall ride.
The dragging obstacle was third on the schedule. As we approached, I wondered (and worried) how Lady would respond. The scarecrow lay on the ground like a big rag doll, an attached rope coiled on top of the first barrel. Lady would have to walk beside it as I picked up the end of the rope. She looked without backing off, and when I asked her to go forward, she was good all the way. I suddenly realized I had to pull the body closer to gather up the rope end so it would stay on top of the last barrel. Lady stood still as the scarecrow crept closer. With great relief, I crossed the obstacle finish line in 35 seconds (one minute limit). The judge gave both Lady and I a perfect 10, posted online after the ride.
Later, we came to a large blue tarp, held down with a dozen big orange pumpkins. We were asked to walk across the tarp without disturbing the pumpkins dotted here and there upon it. Lady has no problem with tarps, but I suddenly realized how windy it was! The tarp edges were rolling up, and the center was billowing around the pumpkins!
As our turn came, Lady looked down and cautiously stepped onto the edge of the tarp. She walked carefully around the pumpkins as the tarp billowed up around her ankles. She did not stop or back up and we crossed the tarp without knocking over any pumpkins. I was so proud, I certainly would have given Lady a 10! The judge gave each of us an 8. I couldn’t help wondering what we did wrong! The judge’s comment read, “two hands with curb bit.” Was I supposed to ride with one hand? I’ve always ridden with two hands in gaited horse shows, with the same long-shanked bit! Next time, I will verify this point beforehand. Whatever the discipline, there are rules and criteria by which participants are judged. We learn to go by the rules in order to win.
I was disappointed in the scores at first. Lady’s total was 50 out of a possible 60, and my total was 51. I think we always hope to win when we compete, even though we don’t let on—right? But we need to learn what it takes. I would have given Lady higher scores, but I was focused on one thing. I’ve seen her headstrong reactive side, her quickness to whirl, her refusal to load. During this ride, I saw a different mare. She seemed to think about everything she was asked to do, and her response was calm, willing and positive.
