Play pony games to amuse children

Children often get bored riding in an arena and young boys especially have a limited interest in riding round in circles. If you don’t have other places to ride, try some pony games every now and then to keep them amused. I find they are very popular, help to encourage even the youngest of riders to control their ponies better without thinking about it and the props needed don’t cost much.

Try the following individually and then add them together to make an obstacle course (with the exception of Musical Chairs). After a few practice rounds, children can be timed against the clock using the stop watch on your mobile phone. We used these games for two 13 year old boys this week and both they and the ponies really enjoyed themselves.

The baton or ball game
Place a baton (we use a short piece of plastic piping) or a ball on a block or pot within reach of children on ponies. The child must ride from the starting position, pick up the baton or ball and ride to another pot or bucket and drop it in. Start in walk and progress to trot. When timed, you can have a 5 second penalty for dropping the baton on the ground. I also use this game for complete beginners on lead rein.

Bending poles
These are always popular and good for co-ordination and encouraging correct use of the aids. Ponies must be ridden in a serpentine fashion around markers, electric fence posts or even flower pots. Start in walk and progress to trot. More advanced riders will be able to canter.

Small cross pole as a jump
Include a cross pole as a small jump which is easily managed by different age groups and all ponies.

Around the world
The child must stop the pony in a designated area, boxed off with jumping poles on the ground. Someone responsible must hold the pony for safety while the child completes ‘Around the World’ where he swings a leg over and ends up sitting to face the pony’s tail and then back the other way until facing forwards again.

Dismount and run to a marker and back
We used this instead of ‘Around the World’ in our obstacle course. The child rides the pony into the designated area, dismounts and puts the reins behind the stirrups. He or she then runs to a marker (we used the gate of the arena while the boxed off square was at the E dressage marker half way down the long side). If the pony wanders away, the child has to catch him and lead him back into the square before remounting and continuing.

Collecting items or sweets
Another popular game is collecting items or sweets which are placed on the top of posts along the exterior fence of the arena. Small treat sized chocolate bars are ideal and great for encouraging riders to use their legs to get the ponies close enough so that they can grab the bars. Children should do this one at a time or things might get out of control.

Musical chairs
(Not for use in an obstacle course) Children ride their ponies around the arena while you control the music. When you stop the music the children must ride to the nearest marker and stand still beside it. Take away a marker and start the music again. When the music stops, one child will be left without a marker and is out. Take away another marker and start again. Eventually you will have one winner left at the end.