# Handy pony ideas wanted!



## jozzie789 (6 June 2008)

My mum and me are running the handy pony, at our PC show. Weve done it for the last couple of years and we try to keep it varied, but were running out of ideas what to do know....... any ideas very welcome! Thanks


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## zoesophie (6 June 2008)

When I was a kid we did stuff like.....

*hang the washing out (peg out a few items whilst on board)
*washing up (2 oil drums on their ends with bowl of washing up to be done and put clean stuff on the second drum)
*Run over flower pots (dismount and the remount, obviously  
	
	
		
		
	


	




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Cant think of any more but this was some time ago so not sure if they will fall within the relms of health and safety anymore


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## birchave0 (6 June 2008)

post a letter
hook a duck! (paddling pool)
run through tyres (rider!)


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## muddy_grey (6 June 2008)

I have only ever done 1 handy pony.  My friends and I all entered on our big SJ's and it got quite competitive!  Of course we were all beaten by a 12.2 but we did have fun.  We had to:

Put on a satchel, get gloves out and hang on washing line.
Get off and lead horse and wheel wheelbarrow through cone slalem (sp)
Climb up bank (rider only) and get back on whilst staying within set box
Take gloves off washing line put back in satchel and hang satchel back up


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## silvershadow81 (6 June 2008)

From those ideas above... i dont think ill be entering!!!  Id be off at a zillion miles per hour!!  

Good luck though... sounds like great fun! x


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## Nosey (6 June 2008)

You could have a little alleyway of straw bales or whathever decorated with some garish obstcales. One we did was decorated with a variety of sports eq'pt and it was quite narrow for the pones to walk down it.
Go through a hoolah hoop (..not the crisps!!)
Elements of Gymkhana games built in Eg a bit of a mug race or a short stint of bending.
Years ago I remember one req. you to walk over a tarpauline - not sure if that might not cause too much havoc though!


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## jozzie789 (6 June 2008)

I like the hanging the clothes on the line! Thanks for all the ideas.... more welcome tho


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## TarrSteps (6 June 2008)

A variation on posting a letter could be to pick up a letter out of a box at one point then give it to the judge at the end.  If you wanted to be really tricky you could include a test done one handed while holding the letter!  We had one where the kids had to pick up and carry a stuffed animal and then put it in a cage later in the course.

A maze of poles, either quite a complicated one forward or a simple one reining back.  You could dictate a pace of let people go whatever speed they want but penalise for stepping out.

Leading over a jump or some other obstacle.  (If you try the tarp be prepared for some fun!  And maybe some tears. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




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Answer a simple question?  Depending on the level of the kids it could be point to a part of the horse or similar.  It's not always the most popular test but it can be a nice way to give a bit of a reward to a competitor who is tentative/slow.

A small jump out of and back into the ring?  (So long as there is a safe area outside the ring to jump into.)  It's surprising how much or a problem this can be for some.

Unusual obstacles?  You could make a fake washing line (we used to jump a real one but you might have some H&amp;S concerns these days 
	
	
		
		
	


	




) by putting a few clothes on a rail.  Or a row of buckets/sacks of feed etc.



I used to love organising things like this.  I think I'm a bit pathetic!


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## carys220 (6 June 2008)

I did Handy Pony a the BHS Northern Counties champs, it was a long time ago but I'll try to remember some of the course, it wasn't the best course I've seen by any means:
4 raised poles making a box that your pony had to step in and out of without touching the poles.
a zig zag walkway made out of roadworks stuff and streaming tape
a bell on a barrel that you had to ring three times(i'm sure that wasn't good for the horses' ears)
a dummy on the floor that the horse had to step over and not stand on.
Can't remember anymore but here are some from when me nad my mum used to do it, excuse me if they've already been suggested:
a wooden bridge
open a gate(on horseback) and close again
a tarpaulin with added water(it rained that day LOL)
a tray with cups on a barrel that you had to fill with water and carry to the next barrel(on horseback)
a castle like structure that you had to walk through
get off your horse and get back on the wrong side
back up
pick up a mailbag and post letters
hang out washing
walking over a mattress(on horseback)

If I think of any more I will let you know. I did have a pic somewhere that showed the whole of a course with me doing it, not sure where it is now.


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## carys220 (6 June 2008)

Ooohh I did remember:

carry a bag of cans from one pole to the next(we used the bags you get carrots in and empty drinks cans) we did have a few 'upsets' with this one though!
opening an umbrella
carrying a flag from one barrel to another(we also did rodeo games at our shows)

I have a video but I have no way of getting it onto the computer


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## carys220 (6 June 2008)

Trotting through poles with one hand on your head


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## carys220 (6 June 2008)

a wooden board painted as a zebra crossing to walk over


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## Natch (6 June 2008)

CarysDB It sounds a lot like I've done that course myself!

Make sure adults can enter (seperate class) - its great for bombproofing all horses!

Backing between two poles
Open and close an umbrella
Bending poles with no reins (arms out to side)
Walk up to a scarecrow and jingle the tambourine that was tied to his arm
Walk under something a bit like a shower curtain that is shredded!!

Ahh, I love HP! I'm a big kid at heart!!


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## Cop-Pop (6 June 2008)

I still have nightmares about hanging washing on the line - my pony took off and we ended up taking the entire washing line across the show ground with us 
	
	
		
		
	


	








  I was trying to fight it off and stay onboard and got tangled in the huge jumper that was on there 
	
	
		
		
	


	




  Pony finally came to a stop and I had to be unwound from everything 
	
	
		
		
	


	




It was a scary course that year tho - there were loads of road signs, a maze made from those orange barrier things, a bridge to walk across, a jump made from plastic milk bottles, had to carry a sack of something and put it in a tub....  the designer was sadistic I'm sure - there were kids deposited all over the course


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## carys220 (6 June 2008)

That sounds like one of my courses Zalacca


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## Hollycat (6 June 2008)

I always remember one where we had to dismount and lead the pony through a trailer (front unload).  You'd be surprised how many dfficulties this caused!


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## Weezy (7 June 2008)

I haven't done handy pony since I was ickle, we always had to...

Walk horse over tarpaulin

Open and close a gate

Jump something garish

Bending

Put on a jacket (a rustley one) then do a *task* and then take it off and hang it on a an old fashioned coat rack (the ones that are free standing)

Water in cup - this can go from walking to trotting and jumping


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## carys220 (7 June 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
I always remember one where we had to dismount and lead the pony through a trailer (front unload).  You'd be surprised how many dfficulties this caused! 

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh yeah, I've seen this too! I had an absolutely perfect horse, and I mean bombproof - the only thing he wouldn't do was box, he'd banged his head when he was younger so hated trailers, didn't like small boxes but was mostly fine with big boxes! We were at a show with a trailer in the handy pony and spent an hour practising with my friend's trailer at the show - he wouldn't go anywhere near the trailer in the ring though! 

He was the bestest horse ever though! I miss him


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