You're Never Too Old to Learn the Ropes of Gaming. By Kendra Iseppi (or Middle Aged and Doing What?)
All work and no play when it comes to the business of horses is not a healthy thing. We all know the terrific amount of work that caring for these wonderful creatures takes.
With this thought in mind a few years ago I found that I was not having the fun with my equine friends that I had hoped and I found myself isolated from other horse owners once we owned our own farm. I found the remedy for these dilemmas was gymkhana.
Gymkhana is in essence "games on horseback".
Gymkhana is in essence "games on horseback". The games are usually timed events and usually involve barrels, poles and or running patterns. I was lucky to have a friend that was doing this and decided to investigate to see if this was something that my horse and I could do safely together and enjoy together.
Not wanting to compromise my well being nor my horses' there are a number of things that I recommend that I did prior to joining a gymkhana group.
I am just finishing up my third year of gymkhana competition and am by no means an expert. But I have been asked by the maker of this web site to share my insights and experiences being a relative new comer to this fun and exhilarating sport.
I hope what I have to share will be helpful to anyone considering trying gymkhana. These are strictly my ideas and thoughts and are what worked for me.
Going to a show or two first and observing is a must.
Visiting a show or two and watching the events should give you a good idea as to whether you and your horse would be comfortable competing in these types of games and whether this particular group is the right one for you. I was lucky to find a group that has three adult divisions - one of which is for beginners.
Questions to ask.
As a beginner some of the questions that worked for me were the following:
- Are there different divisions in this club - is there a division for beginners or are they all top competitors?
- Are the people friendly?
- Is there a division for younger riders?
- Are the people in charge helpful?
- How long has this group been in existence? Do they welcome new members? Are there set rules and regulations for the membership and can you easily get a copy of them?
- What about shots for the horse? Do you need proof of rabies and coggins and or other shots/vaccines?
- Are there clinics offered to learn how to do the games or will you have to take lessons from someone?
- What is the condition of the horses that are competing? Do they appear to be well cared for and in shape for this kind of competition?
- What kind of equipment do I need and what is required? After watching the show and the competition I found it a good idea to call my vet and to ask him whether or not he thought my horse and I could handle this type of competition safely.
- What is the atmosphere like - do people appear to be having a good time?
- Is there an EMT on the premises or a person versed in first aid in the event of an emergency? What is the cost for this and where does the money go?
- Where are the shows and are the conditions safe for the horses and you? (Ground conditions, parking, outside or inside etc.)
- Do you get a general good feeling about being comfortable belonging to this group or club?
- And most important do the members share your ideas and philosophy about good horsemanship and fair treatment to the animal?
Be prepared for this type of competition - taking lessons, learning patterns etc.
I cannot stress this enough. Trying to compete in this type of activity with an unfit horse and/or an unfit rider can be the recipe for disaster and lead to serious injuries as well, I found that hours of trail riding was the best thing for both of us with lots of trotting. I usually trail rode two or three times a week for a few hours and then practiced patterns of the events that I wanted to compete in for an hour or so.
At first the patterns were done at a walk so that I could learn them and my horse could learn them. I next took lessons from a local trainer who not only competed in this but taught as well. The lessons were invaluable.
She taught me the right way and the safe way and gave me some much-needed confidence. She also taught me things like improving my seat and body posture as well as the proper approaches and leads to do this correctly.
She also was there to cheer me on and to point out things that I should do to improve or correct myself.
She also taught me how to help my horse to become more flexible and subtle and gave me exercises to help him with this-bending etc. She also helped me make the decision to do this as well as making sure both me and my horse could handle this. I continue to take lessons periodically from her as I improve and the competition becomes more intense.
She also taught me to use my own judgement and to not compromise the horse in any way especially if the horse or myself were not having a good day. After all they are only games!
Making sure that you know the patterns.
This kind of competition involves movement in various patterns around barrels, poles and types of barriers. There is nothing that will sabotage your chances to do well like not knowing the patterns for each event. If you have any doubt about them, I would commission the help of one of the seasoned riders to help you review the patterns and take time to write them down and continue to go over them.
In the heat of running to a barrel or pole it is easy to forget what the approach is and what side to turn around. This fact just emphasizes how helpful it is that the horse knows the pattern as well and does the pattern easily. The old adage "practice makes perfect" rings true with gymkhana as well.
Safety first.
Knowing that just riding horses has an inherent risk of injury, competing on these animals at a full all out haul definitely increases that risk.
I found that this old body was having days when we would be at the end of the day, in the heat of the summer sun that I knew if we tried to all out haul to win we were putting ourselves in serious jeopardy.
If I found that fatigue was catching up with me or my horse I would notify the ring steward or show secretary that I would not be competing in the rest of the events or not in certain events.
I wanted to win just as badly as the next person but getting hurt because I was tired or my horse was tired was not worth it. It was fine with me for myself and my horse to arrive safely home knowing there were no injuries to worry about and that I in no way compromised the safety of myself or my horse.
Whilst on the topic of safety this brings up the issue of preventing injuries with the use of certain equipment. The use of helmets is often required with this type of competition and will depend most likely on the club. Some clubs like the one that I belong to recommends them for all riders but makes it mandatory for any rider 17 or younger to have an approved helmet on.
Many riders especially those in the upper tiers of competition will put protective gear on the horses legs and feet. The use of skid boots and or splint boots and or bell boots on the horses legs are not uncommon to see used and are used to protect the horses legs from injury. The use of saddles and bridles that are well cared for and in good condition are of paramount importance.
Checking your equipment for any defects or tears is important before each show as is the proper care that should be given to your equipment after each use with some good leather care products. It can give you great peace of mind as you are running to your first barrel knowing that you have checked your girth and cared for it before you are putting great stress on it and that goes for the rest of your equipment as well.
Using equipment that is made specifically for this type is riding is what many of the riders in the group that I belong to have. Many have barrel saddles and or heavy duty trail saddles that will hold up to the vigors of this type of competition.
Learn what you are getting into.
There are many videos and books that are available by the top barrel racers as well as various clinics and seminars that teach gymkhana. Talk or write to people that do gymkhana and get their insights before you try this. They may have information that may be very helpful as well and thoughts and ideas that I may have unintentionally not thought of mentioning.
I have found that there are various gymkhana associations and clubs in many states and regions and contacting them may be helpful to learn more about what is available where you live.
Good Luck and Happy Gymkhana-ing!
