# Driving Obstacle Class



## Becky Horat (Jul 27, 2012)

What type of obstacles have you seen/had in the Driving Obstacle Class?? The poles that are placed fairly close together that you back 1 wheel between.....any idea about how far apart that space is?? Trying to think of different obstacles to work on.


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## Flying minis (Jul 27, 2012)

Ours last weekend had us:

pull up to a mailbox, take out the mail, keep it with us on course (which was fine with my cart that has a boot, but my open slat cart I had to carry the mail with my line!

walk up to and over a blue tarp, with flower boxes on the sides.

Trot

Trot weave 4 cones, distances to the side of the cones got smaller as we went, since they were diagonally set toward the wall of the arena - they were VERY tight, could not weave them, had to "figure 8" them.

Trot from the cones into a hula hoop with right tire and stop (yes, TROT into the hula hoop). 270 degree turn to the right, keeping right tire in the hula hoop.

Walk to and over a plywood bridge

Walk to a 3 sided box. Pivot to align with the opening, back into the box until wheels touched the back pole.

Walk to 2 poles, laid out only 4 inches apart. Walk through poles with right tire between poles, trot circle to the left. Walk through poles with left tire between poles, trot circle to the right.

Don't go back through poles. Trot to mailbox. Stop and put mail back in.

We got 2nd and 1st places with my over horse, 2nds with my under horse. : ) I thought this was a fairly difficult course - the hardest being the cones, as they were very tight. My over horse can pivot at a trot, so she handled them much better than my under horse, who had to make large figure 8's.


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## Sandee (Jul 27, 2012)

Wow, back a wheel between two poles - that's one that I've never seen. Usually it's back into a 3 sided box, maybe knock something off the back to prove you got all the way in.

Drive forward one wheel between 2 poles (usually about 6-8" apart, I'm guessing) and it could be at a trot instead of a walk.

Drive one wheel into a hula hoop and turn a 1/2 circle or complete circle while that wheel remains inside the hoop (or drawn lime circle).

All sorts of loops and turns in and out and around cones at a walk or trot. The closer together the cones the more "looped" your turns have to get. Even backing (serpentine) through 3 or more cones.

Over a tarp or a bridge with or without stopping on it.

Stopping to pick something up (mail, flowers etc.) and dropping them off which requires you to hold the reins in one hand and the horse to come to a complete stop and stand.


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## Becky Horat (Jul 29, 2012)

Thanks for the hints. Yes...one show had you back with one wheel between 2 narrow poles. Much harder than backing into a box. Gives me some good ideas.


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## targetsmom (Jul 29, 2012)

Wow, some great ideas to practice! Thanks. We have had poles set up in a big "L" that you had to trot through - very tight turn, lots of half halts. On the same idea, we have had a maze that you had to walk through, basically walk in, sharp turn (not quite pivot because you need to clear the pole on the ground) and walk a couple steps and do the same in the other direction.

One of the hardest - for some horses - was when instead of a hula hoop to pivot in, there was a white chalk circle that some would not go near!


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## SilverRose Farms (Jul 29, 2012)

I dont personally like trying to pivot in the hula hoop... Ive had it flip up and catch on the horses legs and almost tangle a wheel as well. Ive also seen wrecks because the hula hoop did the same thing on others.


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## Renolizzie (Jul 29, 2012)

SilverRose Farms said:


> I dont personally like trying to pivot in the hula hoop... Ive had it flip up and catch on the horses legs and almost tangle a wheel as well. Ive also seen wrecks because the hula hoop did the same thing on others.


That's good info. If I try this I'll make sure not to use a hula hoop. I use a dry lake bed up the street for my arena so I could probably just paint a circle with spray paint to try this maneuver with.


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## happy appy (Jul 30, 2012)

Sorry but I'm a very visual person and I need pictures! lol Does anyone have pictures from shows or the set up they have at home? While the bugs are so bad in the woods right now we are only driving on the back roads around my house. This might be fun to do in my ring. I have a 110x220 sand ring. Would that work?


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## Becky Horat (Jul 30, 2012)

I will have to try the chalk on the ground. I can see them needing to get used to that.


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## Sandee (Jul 30, 2012)

Getting them used to any odd colors on the ground is a good idea. I used to have a riding horse that would shy from dark shadows or wet spots in the arena.

In parades I have seen horses shy at the most unusual things. My old gelding went right over railroad tracks but stopped dead still before walking over a black striped painted crosswalk.


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## Sandee (Jul 31, 2012)

Here's one where we had to drive through an L. 


This one was at Pinto where we had to drive 2 Ls laid together (sort of a Z without the slant in the middle). 


Pinto again we had to back into this; go forward; turn; drive into the next box; and then back out. 


Here's one grandson just learning obstacle. This shows the two poles to drive with one wheel between. 


Oops missed! 


Here's a tarp (representing water) between flower boxes (to hold down the tarp). 


A close-up of a back into the 3 sided box.


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## happy appy (Jul 31, 2012)

Great pictures! Thanks


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## Becky Horat (Aug 1, 2012)

Thanks Sandee....very helpful!!!


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## hobbyhorse23 (Aug 1, 2012)

Renolizzie said:


> That's good info. If I try this I'll make sure not to use a hula hoop. I use a dry lake bed up the street for my arena so I could probably just paint a circle with spray paint to try this maneuver with.


The thing with the hula hoop is news to me and definitely something to be aware of as I can see that happening. To me that makes it even more important to practice with them though as you KNOW you'll be asked to in the ring. It's much better if your horse gets used to it and trained for how to handle any "behavioral oddities" on the part of the hoop at home, where he's comfortable and you can work him through it on your own time without stress.




(I see this as being similar to riders who refuse to introduce their horses to a carriage because "he's too scared." Hello?! What are you going to do, spend the rest of his life avoiding things instead of building his confidence? In this case a driving horse can't afford to avoid scary sounds and sensations because accidents do happen and he'd better be prepared and know how to react.)

I'd start in-hand and get your horse used to walking through the hoop, backing into the hoop, pivoting in the hoop, etc., then have him drive through it and work up to doing the full thing in the cart. He should be taught that it's no big deal if the hoop flips up, in fact I'd clicker train mine to associate that sudden flip with food so it doesn't bother them at all! I'm crazy that way though.





Leia


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## Renolizzie (Aug 1, 2012)

hobbyhorse23 said:


> The thing with the hula hoop is news to me and definitely something to be aware of as I can see that happening. To me that makes it even more important to practice with them though as you KNOW you'll be asked to in the ring. It's much better if your horse gets used to it and trained for how to handle any "behavioral oddities" on the part of the hoop at home, where he's comfortable and you can work him through it on your own time without stress.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good thoughts, Lela. I put a hula hoop on the shopping list. Thanks,

Renolizzie


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## Becky Horat (Aug 1, 2012)

It probably depends on the size of the hula hoop too. I know there are at least 2 different sizes. I use the smaller one and have done lots of work for Halter Obstacle with it. Yes, they've had it around their feet and it flip up on their leg with no big issues. Have done a lot of work with it in the cart as well and haven't had a problem....maybe because it's the smaller size?? Have had actually more incidents of the back through poles moving and skidding around. Was very grateful they seemed un-fazed by this. We do lots of descentizing to things as well....but there's always something else to try. I definately have to do the chalk on the ground though.


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## SilverRose Farms (Aug 1, 2012)

This is a video in which my stallion had the hoop flip up and get him. He was not mine at the time.



I was just warning about the hula hoop. As after that video I have since seen tons of horses ponies and minis have the same or similar issues with it... In one case at a pinto show it actually got stuck around one of the cart wheels.


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## Sandee (Aug 1, 2012)

After watching this video I am wondering ....who drives their horse through the hula hoop? I always come at an angle so my wheel ends up in the hoop but seldom does the horse step into the hoop. I see how it could happen but this is not something that I have not seen often.


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## SilverRose Farms (Aug 1, 2012)

I think it was a combination of factors.

Different cart, strange place, green, and hates blinders..... tons of factors came into play for that particular incident.

I have seen it happen at many different shows. With horses ponies and miniatures. Normally people do try and take it at an angle

The stallion was green and having been told to drive over the tarp and plywood previously he was sure that's what he was suppose to do there too.


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## Poodlepill (Aug 5, 2012)

Silver Rose Farms, I love your horse in the video


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## SilverRose Farms (Aug 5, 2012)

Poodlepill said:


> Silver Rose Farms, I love your horse in the video


Thank you hes a ton of fun to drive but very challenging as well. Im hoping that he will sound up and be drivable again. (He got caught in wire and cut his rear leg up very badly.)


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