Judged Trail Ride questions

[LLStar117]

Lets do some more brain storming.

Have you hosted a Judged Trail Ride for a fundraiser?
What did you charge per rider?
How many place ribbons did you have?
What kind of prizes did you have?

What kind of obsticals did you have on the course?
How many obsticals did you have?
How did you grade each rider?

Would you do it again?

[SunshineAcres]

Wendy Fisher at Willow Tree Equestrian Center puts a couple on every year. She is a great person to talk to about this. Her phone number at the barn is [phone]. She does not work Saturdays.

[horsecrazylady]

Here is a site with some good ideas and information www.squidoo.com/judgedtrailride When I was a judge at one they good advantage of the natural things in the woods. Like a big tree hanging out over the trail a bit, a camp site to pass, bridge to cross, water to cross, a lama to ride past, a set of stone steps to go up and down (were already there from a cabin that had once sat there). Since I was a judge I didn't get to see all of the obsticles. I do know at one place you had to dismount and remount but if you do that you need to have a mounting block of some kind for those who cannot mount from the ground.

From my searching the fees have been anywhere from 25.00 to 60.00 for adults and less for kids. Some require helmets some don't.

[starlite9804]

I was on the same ride HCL was on....that is where I met the crazy lady Other things that I have seen were a tarp spread on the ground to walk over, put on a slicker and take it off, dragging something behind the horse, balloons filled with helium staked to the ground on each side of the trail, throw a horse shoe over a stake, saftey check with extra points awarded for helmets. I would not recommend live animals to ride past such as the llamas, there were people that got hurt from that one.

[LLStar117]

Yeah I don't like the idea of riding my own horse by a llama. The horses just don't understand that animal! I was thinking of how our 4H could use this idea as a fundraiser. I've always wanted to attend a Judged Trail Ride, so I might have to help host one! I like the ideas so far. Thanks.

[horsecrazylady]

Yes there were a lot of horses that didn't like the llama in fact one horse spooked out into the field and dropped dead. I had to ride past it on the way back to camp. Now Hannah, strange mule that she is, wanted to follow it through camp. I have heard of having to ride past chickens in a pen too. There are so many things you can do but I would limit it maybe 10-12. Judging consists of how the horse approaches the obsticle, accomplishes the obsticle, and how it leave it. Anyway that is how we had to judge the steps.

Time limit, yes there should be a time limit or you could have some people there at one for so long they would hold up the others. There were two judges at each obsticle and you had to confer after the horse was done and award the points. I think each one carried a card and we put the score on their card. (?)

Here is a site that give some ideas on judging. They only have one judge per obsticle but I think if you can get them have two. www.oldpeoplesridingclub.org/education/Judged_Pleasure_Trail_Riding.pdf

[horsecrazylady]

ok, a lot more than I had figured. I only had one page up and there are more on how to judge.