Horse Shows And Gymkhanas

Almost everyone who owns a horse will want to show. There are events for all. If you have a finely bred, well-trained horse, you may want to try the Performance and Equitation classes at your local horse shows. Or if you want to have the fun of competing in timed events there are always play days and gymkhanas. A gymkhana is made up of horse games and timed events. Both horse shows and gymkhanas take much practice, but the winning of a trophy or ribbon is compensation for the effort.

Showing your horse requires as much practice as any other sporting event. The competition is great, and you must learn to be a good loser. You can't just be good, you must be better. Showing for performance requires excellent horsemanship and unless the horse is schooled well in these events there is no use in entering. Play days and gymkhanas take good balance and a certain amount of skill and luck. Decide the type of classes that suit the talents of your horse and keep him in that category. An animal that is well collected and well trained should not be used in a race or game that requires the horse to run with abandon. This will cause the horse to be too animated in a Performance Class where collection is essential. By the same token, a fast horse capable of moving around obstacles should not be expected to become thoroughly quiet to show in equitation.

Performance classes consist of Western Pleasure, Trail Class, Stock Horse, and Western Equitation. In these horses are required to walk, trot, and canter on the correct lead, stop abruptly, and work on a reasonably loose rein both ways of the ring. In Western Pleasure, Stock Horse, and Trail Class the horse is judged. In all Equitation classes the rider is judged for hands, seat, performance of horse, and suitability of horse for the rider. The stock horse is required to make two rounds in a figure eight to show change of leads, both back and front, three fast sprints, and a collected stop (mouth should be closed), pivots (swinging front legs to left and right, pivoting on back legs), and backing on a loose rein. In a fast stop, if the animal's mouth flies open it means too heavy a hand and the exhibitor will be marked down in points. In the Trail Class the horse goes through certain designated obstacles chosen by the horse show committee. This usually consists of a stock gate, backing through poles laid at an angle, a short hedge for jumping, a water hazard, a bridge, and a trailer. Sometimes a cowhide is added or a burro with rattling pans tied to his back.

At times, in an effort to make the obstacles more difficult, they are changed to unreasonable hazards that no self-respecting animal on a normal trail would accept. It has been said that the average show trail horse is brain-washed when required to follow through these obstacles to the point where he would be dangerous to ride out on a real trail.

For performance classes appointments are important, even though they count only 25 per cent. The all-over appearance should be neat and attractive. Hat, gloves, kerchief or tie, chaps or chinks, western boots, and spurs are optional. The saddle should be equipped with lariat, hobbles, slicker, and sometimes a sheathed pair of wire cutters. Some of these things may be optional. The saddle and all tack should be in good condition and clean.

Gymkhana events vary greatly with the region. It isn't possible to describe all of them. Some events by the same name are handled differently in widespread areas. For example: Pole Bending on the West Coast would be thus: Six poles, twenty feet apart. The course is one hundred feet long. The rider may pass the first pole on either side and then shall pass successive poles on alternate sides (serpentine), turn the sixth pole, and return in the same manner. A penalty of two seconds is added to the time for each pole knocked down. Touching a pole with the free hand will also impose a two-second penalty. The rider is clocked as he passes the first pole, and the timing shall be done as the horse's nose passes the pole on the return. A good pole-bending horse will change leads around each pole. The time for this event is nine seconds. A variation of Pole Bending, as done in Colorado, is to start at the entry line, run to the sixth pole, then serpentine to the first, back through to the sixth, and then to the finish line.

The Quadrangle Stake Race is around four stakes placed in the form of a twenty-five-yard square. Two stakes in the center form the starting line. A running start is made twenty feet behind the starting line, and the rider is timed as he enters the course between the poles. The first two turns are to the left, then passing down through the center stakes again, and the last two turns are to the right, finishing as the rider passes between the two center poles again. A two-second penalty is invoked for knocking down a stake. Touching a pole with the free hand also invokes a two-second penalty. The time for this event is twenty-two seconds.

For the Boots and Saddle Race someone holds the horse at the opposite side of the arena. The saddle is on the ground beside the horse. At the starting line the contestant stands with boots at his side. At the signal the contestant puts on his boots, races to the horse, saddles the animal, and rides back to the starting line. The saddle must be checked to determine the correct tying of the latigo. The saddle must be placed correctly. If these items are not right the contestant must go back, resaddle the horse, and ride back to the line again. There have been instances when all contestants were sent back to resaddle. This makes the race more exciting.

The Relay Race consists of teams of four riders each. Each contestant has his own horse but one baton per team. The course is to make a run around a designated pole at the far end of the arena, return, and hand the baton to the next teammate. If the baton is dropped, the rider must dismount, retrieve it, and hand it to the next rider. When the fourth rider has returned to the starting line, the scoring is done to see which team has completed the course first.

In the Double Bareback Race your partner waits on the opposite side of the arena. Race, bareback, to this point, dismount, and your partner swings up on the horse and returns to the starting line.

In the Keyhole Race the start is the same as in Pole Bending. A twenty-foot circle is drawn and lime used to make the markings. The keyhole has a four-foot entrance. The starting line is one hundred feet from the entrance. On signal the rider races toward the entrance, enters, turns, and races out again toward the finish line. Stepping on or over lines of the keyhole or circle will disqualify contestant.

Musical Tires requires one less tire than contestants. When the music starts, the riders canter, clockwise, around the ring. When the music stops, the riders dismount and jump into the tires. The riders are required always to go forward so that if one rider is only three feet ahead of a tire when the music stops he must go all around the ring until he comes to the empty tire. When the music begins again, one tire is removed. This continues until all the tires are removed with the exception of one tire and two contestants. Usually the tie is run off by having the riders take their horses to the end of the arena, dismount, and run back, on foot, to the tire. The first contestant to jump inside the tire wins the contest.

Run-Ride-Lead Race. The contestants start from the far end of the field and run to get their horses (held by a helper), ride to the far end of the field, dismount, and lead the horses back to the finish.

Trailer Race. Contestants must have car or pickup with trailer attached and horse inside. Contestants are brought into the ring and lined up evenly. At a signal the driver gets out of the car, removes the horse from the trailer, saddles him, rides to a given point and returns, unsaddles him, and puts the horse in the trailer, gets back into the car, and turns on the lights.

The Egg Race. The contestant races to a pole at the far end of the field, spoon in hand, dismounts and scoops up the egg, mounts, and returns to the starting line. If the egg is dropped, it must be retrieved. Sometimes ping-pong balls are substituted.

Barrel Race. Place as many barrels as there are contestants at the far end of the field. Contestants start mounted, race to their assigned barrel, dismount, "ground tie" (toss the reins to the ground; the horse should remain standing), crawl through the barrel, remount, and race to the finish line.

Balloon Race. Each contestant is given a balloon on a string. When the whistle blows, each contestant tries to see how many balloons he can break before his own is punctured. When a contestant's balloon is broken, then he must leave the arena. The contestant with the last remaining whole balloon wins the trophy.

Old-Clothes Race. Place a row of sacks containing castoff clothing, such as foundation garments, Mother Hubbards, slips, etc., in a line at the far end of the field. The contestants ride to the assigned sack, dismount, dress in the contents of the sack, mount, and return to the finish line.

Water Race. Each contestant is given a bucket and a helper. At the end of the arena is a tub for each team. One contestant fills the bucket and hands it to the rider. The teammate rides with the bucket and empties the contents into the tub. When time is called, the team having the most water in the tub wins the race.

Potato Race. Fill a box with potatoes and place at one end of the arena. Each contestant is armed with a sharpened spear. The rider endeavors to spear a potato and ride the length of the field to deposit the potato in his own box.

The contestant collecting the greatest number of potatoes in a given time wins.

Nightgown Race. This is done with a team of four, one horse and one nightgown to each team. One part of the team holds the horse, two dress the fourth who must ride seventy-five feet away, ride around a pole, and back to transfer the gown to the next teammate. The humor of all races is the excited awkwardness of the contestants and the unpredictability of the horse. None of these events are as easy as they appear, and skill and ability are not always promise of a win.

Some of these events, such as Pole Bending and Stake Racing, require the horse to be trained to run the course. Speed and coordination between rider and mount are important. The age of the horse or rider is of no consequence.

Young riders who want to have fun at horse shows enter these events. Fine equipment is not necessary. The events are usually divided into senior and junior classes so each will be competing with the right age group. Good fellowship and sportsmanship are necessary at any show.

Manners for horses are an important part of any gathering. You are responsible for the actions of yourself and your horse. Obey the rules and follow the directions of the ring steward. Don't lose your temper and take it out on the horse if you don't win. Remember, your horse is "on stage" and is just as nervous, among strange animals, as you are. Gymkhanas are fun, and inspiring. Participate for the experience of competition, and if you're good enough you'll win and start filling your shelves with trophies and ribbons.

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