What You and Your Horse Can Gain from Giving Equine Agility a Try

Have you ever given equine agility a try? This relatively new sport is quickly growing in popularity, with workshops and competitions being held all over the country. In fact, equine agility can offer you and your horse a lot. Here are some reasons you might want to try it out.

Any Horse Can Participate in Equine Agility
Equine agility is a versatile sport and is designed so that just about any horse can participate. Even if your horse has long been retired from riding, agility may still be a way to keep him active and engaged. Retirees, horses with physical issues, minis, and young horses without any under saddle training can all participate in in-hand agility. If your horse is rideable, you may also want to explore mounted agility, which is still a fairly low-impact sport.

Equine Agility Is a Whole Lot of Fun
When you compete in agility, you and your horse will complete a course of obstacles. You’ll be judged on how well you and your horse navigate each obstacle, and the horse and rider team with the highest score at the end of the competition wins. There are certain rules, but they’re fairly simple and easy to learn.
Agility courses are all different, and they continuously offer you and your horse new challenges. Expect to face obstacles like walking your horse through scary objects, over small bridges, through large hoops, and more. As you do more and more agility, you and your horse will build your trust in each other.

Agility Helps to Build Your Bond With Your Horse
Agility is based on training and communication between you and your horse. In training for agility, you and your horse will spend a lot of time together. You’ll develop subtle cues and your horse will come to rely on your body language for direction. Agility gives you the chance to improve your training skills, develop your bond with your horse, and become more skilled in communicating with your horse through body language.

If you would like to give agility a shot, it’s best to find a group or trainer in your area who focuses on agility. There are also many books and online resources on the subject to help you get started. And of course, you’ll want to keep your horse comfortable so just pop on his Cavallo Hoof Boots to take you through any terrain at any speed.