Don't Feed The Bears ACTHA Obstacle

A few weeks ago I rode with my wife in an American Competitive Trail Horse Association (ACTHA) competitive trail ride event north of Las Cruces, New Mexico at Isaaks Ranch.

These ACTHA rides features a six mile trail course with six obstacles where judges grade the horse and rider on their ability to negotiate each obstacle.

One of the obstacles we faced was called "Don't Feed The Bears". This obstacle was designed to replicate hanging a food bag high in a tree to "bear proof" it like you would on a pack trip when camping in bear country. The way this obstacle was set up was a lariat rope over a tall gate entrance and connected to a large blue Wal-Mart bag. See picture at right top.

The rider had to approach the gate through a set of cones, retreive the coiled end of the lariat handing on a fence, then back their horse up pulling the blue Wal-Mart bag off the ground a certain distance.

Most of the horses and riders in our group had a hard time at this obstacle, as most horses were a little skittish at the blue bag or had trouble accepting the bag moving and leaving the ground.  This was really a good obstacle to test the brave horse.

The way I thought this obstacle should have been approached was if the horse was having some difficulty accepting the blue bag, then an approach to the blue bag just like any other obstacle.  If your horse has trouble as you approach the bag, then let him stop,.... don't let him back off it and when you can tell by his body language and head set that he is more comfortable with the bag there in front of him, then ask him to move forard. You may have to repeat several times before the bag isn't an issue.

You can then side pass him or otherwise move him to the coiled lariat. When you pickup the lariat, I suggest holding the coils in your rein hand (like when you rope) and use your off hand to manage the running end of the lariat so when you back the horse you can keep the rope off his head. Be careful if you hold the coils in one hand so the coiled lariat won't snug down over your hand if your horse bolts.

The video below is an example of this type of obstacle and how you can practice at home or the local arena. Any obstacles like this, if you take your time - really allow your horse the time, will only make him a better and braver horse.

More Training for the Trail Horse

I was recently asked to bring a horse to a park to support a Law Enforcement Agency picnic. Many of the agents and mission support personnel had young children so they thought horse back rides and the inevitable picture taking would be a good draw for the picnic.

I easily said yes as this would give me a good chance to sack one of my horses out on all sorts of fearful things.

So on a Sunday late morning I arrived with Junior and rode him around the park seeing all sorts of things new to him: a rappelling tower with a group of people climbing and rappelling; baby strollers; volleyball courts with flapping boundary tape; picnic tables and canopies; a jumping balloon shaped like a castle complete with some screaming curtain climbers jumping around like wild banshees,..and all was good until we encountered a large bag sticking out from a pile of saw dust that had yet to be spread.

That flapping bag was the only thing that bothered my horse but it only took a minute or two to get him to drop his head onto it and when it was all said and over with I had him backing into it with the bag getting wrapped around a leg and he was okay with it.

Then it was time to let the kids pet, rub on and sit in the saddle on Junior for short ground led rides. With their parents there to confirm it was their child and to give permission, I ended up putting about 50 kids on Junior back for short rides and pictures taking.

In between groups of kids petting on Junior and wanting to ride him, Junior grazed on the park grass which he has only seen a half dozen times in the last 5 or 6 years. At the end of day I think I had just a little bit better of a horse, and a bunch of happy kids and their parents had pictures to prove it.