Obstacle Course Ideas for Equine Driving

With the right course setup and the ideal driving team, a horse driving obstacle course makes a tremendous experience. Obstacle driving horses should be athletic and obedient, while the driver must be knowledgeable and skilled at equine driving. With the ideal horse and driving team in mind, you can design and set up a range of exciting and challenging courses.

  1. Timed Event

    • Give drivers a specific amount of time to complete a designated course of 20 or fewer obstacles. Once past the starting line, a driver navigates his horse through a course of cones with tennis balls perched on top as quickly as he can without any faults. Faults are assessed by penalty seconds; for each knock over of cone or ball, five seconds are added onto the team's elapsed time. Five seconds are also added for the first disobedience of the horse, such as a run out or a refusal. Any horse who has a second disobedience gets 10 seconds added to the elapsed time, and a third disobedience grants an elimination. The team with the lowest time wins.

    Fault Competition

    • A fault competition involves a course of numbered obstacles determined by the size of the driving area; always under 20 obstacles for a single course. This type of course focuses on precision driving instead of speed. Drivers need to navigate through obstacles with minimal clearance. Cones with tennis balls perched on top again make an excellent test. Any team that knocks over a ball or cone is assigned a fault. The team with the least amount of faults at the end of the class wins.

    Gabler's Choice

    • By timing this course, horse and driver must navigate a course within a two minute time frame. Each obstacle should be designated a point value depending upon the difficulty of the obstacle. Types of obstacles used in this course can be a mix of cones, bridges, trees, water crossings and rails. The more challenging an obstacle, the higher the point value should be. Let drivers choose how to drive the course, deciding their individual strategies for how to get as many points as possible in the allotted time. The team to get the most points in the two minute time frame is pronounced the winning team.

    Cross Country

    • Made up of natural or artificial obstacles that resemble those found on a drive through the country, Cross Country courses contain large obstacles that are easily driven through. Types of obstacles the team navigates might include bridges, laundry lines, trees and water crossings. Drivers guide the team through a designated course at a pace no faster than a trot. The team to complete the course with minimal faults, and within the designated time frame, becomes the winning team.