Funny Horse Games

Playing games with your horses adds variety to lessons, camps, shows or simply a nice change of pace from your usual riding routine. Funny games are great for kids to enjoy themselves while learning about horses or even overcoming fears. The break from routine is good mentally for the horse, and if you play games with your own horse, it can be a bonding experience for you two as a team. Games can also help sensitize horses to a bustling environment and noise as participants and spectators alike cheer enthusiastically.

  1. Touch Your Horse

    • Riders can learn horse anatomy by playing horse games.

      The emcee or caller calls out a horse part, and each rider has to touch that part with her hand while staying mounted. This game is easier bareback. You need to consider the level of rider and use horses that are not sensitive to a lot of movement or touching. For beginner riders, easy parts to recognize and reach are the mane, neck, withers, poll and stomach. For more intermediate riders you might include rump, tail, stifle and ears. For advanced riders, bump up the challenge by including shoulder, muzzle, leg and, if they can convince their horses to cooperate, a hoof.

    Bareback Dollar/Buck a Ride

    • Bareback games are fun ways to improve balance.

      Katherine Deichman, Assistant Instructor at Hunters Chase Farms in Wimberley, Texas, says that the bareback dollar ride -- or buck a ride -- is a favorite at camp and playday game. While bareback, the rider places a dollar bill flat under a thigh.The caller gives instructions to all riders, starting with simple tasks, such as walk, halt and turn and on up to the more difficult. Any rider losing her dollar is eliminated. As the competition gets to the last two riders, add more advanced instructions, such as low jumps. The winner collects the dollars.

    Egg Relays

    • Balancing an egg on a spoon while riding is great fun.

      Divide teams on each side of the arena, one side starting with an egg on each spoon and each teammate holding an empty spoon. At the signal, each rider advances at any pace while balancing the egg on the spoon. When she reaches her teammate, she transfers it to her teammate's spoon, and then that rider rides across the arena to either another teammate or to the finish line. The first team to finish the required trips across the arena with the egg intact wins.

    Costume Contest

    • Allowing kids to dress up horses in costumes, or painting them with finger paints, is a fun way for young children to enjoy horses. It is also a good option for those too inexperienced for riding games. You can instruct children to paint certain parts of the horse, teaching them horse anatomy in the process.