Competitive trail rides and obstacle challenges combine a high level of horsemanship and sportsmanship in an outdoor casual competitive setting.
Obstacle training helps to establishes trust and confidence between horse and rider.
Challenges incorporate natural horsemanship skills, obstacle navigation and the element of speed or time limits. Obstacles may involve one or a combination of the following; Noise (bells, horns, motor, shots etc)
Visual (moving objects, bright colors, smoke etc) and Training skill (yields, speed control, directional backing etc) or any combination of these elements.
Both sports are growing rapidly, with a number of organizations that offer one or both events.
Organizers and hosts offer prizes and paybacks at most events and will often have a portion of proceeds donated to a beneficiary or charitable organization.
Competitors attend local events, but also may travel as much as a few hundred miles to attend events put on by organizers; especially those organizers that put on challenging, fun events with great awards and prizes.
Competitive Trail Challenges (CTC) combine obstacle and skill challenges on a trail setting. Obstacles are spaced evenly along the trail, usually about a mile apart. Each obstacle will have a time limit, but there is no time requirements for completion of the ride.
Extreme Horsemanship Obstacle Challenges (EHOC) are set up in an outdoor arena or open field course (with perimeter markings). There are normally 10 - 15 obstacles per event with a time limit of 5-8 minutes to complete the entire course.
Events are often combined with clinics, demos and family fun entertainment..
ride in the scout division of ACTHA to check out what they are all about
take in a schooling EHOC and find out if you and your horse have what it takes
Come out of curiosity - Compete for the fun of it!!
