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United States Pony Clubs
4041 Iron Works Parkway
Lexington, KY 40511-8462
Phone:  (859) 254-7669
Fax:  (859) 233-4652

Hurdle Race

Skills Needed:  Crawling, pair-riding and vaulting skills.

Equipment Required:

  • Two Hurdles, 30 inches wide, 1 ft. high
  • Two Hurdles, 30 inches wide, 2 ft. high
  • Note: The photograph of the hurdles (above, right) properly shows the hurdles themselves. The spacing, however, is too tight.
  • Two Mugs, half full of water

Game Setup:

Four hurdles will be placed 6’ apart centered between lines A and C.  They will be alternately 1 ft. and 2 ft. high, beginning with 1ft. closest to line A.   A mug will be placed on the center of the 2 ft. high hurdles, half filled with water.  This race is ridden in pairs with the number three rider of each team beginning behind Line C (changeover line).  Riders one and two will stand side by side at the start line, with rider number four behind them.


Game Play:

On the signal to start, riders number one and two will ride forward to the hurdles, where rider one will dismount and hand his pony to rider two.  Rider one will then step over the first hurdle, crawl under the second hurdle, go over the third hurdle and under the fourth.  Rider one will then remount and both riders will ride to the changeover line, where rider one will wait.

Rider two will turn around after crossing the line, then riders two and three will ride to the hurdles, where rider two will dismount and go under and over the hurdles.  Rider two then remounts and both riders ride to the start/finish line where rider two will drop out of the race.

Rider three will turn around after crossing the line, then riders three and four will similarly complete the course, with rider three negotiating the hurdles.  Number three drops out when riders three and four reach the changeover line and riders four and one will complete the course with rider four negotiating the hurdles.

The winning team will be the one whose final pair are first across the finish line, mounted on their ponies.

At the changeover, the next pony must remain behind the line until both the previous ponies have crossed the line.

The rider to hold the pony at the hurdles may grasp its rein before, or as they ride down the arena.


Correction rules:

  • Should any hurdle be knocked over, or a mug fall off, the rider concerned must replaced them and re-negotiate all the hurdles again.

  • If a mug is knocked over, the water will fall out. The water does not need to be replaced to continue the race; however, the mug  itself must be reset.


Special Tips:

  • Standing up or scrambling to ones knees too early will cause the hurdle to tip and the mug to fall off. Riders should practice crawling completely through the hurdle before coming up to a knee.

  • Use an Army "combat" or "belly" crawl.

  • Rein contact with each pony must be maintained throughout the race.

  • After the hurdles have been successfully negotiated, the unmounted rider may do a standing vault, or may do a running vault with the help of his partner.. See vaulting tips.



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