Plain View Farms - Working Equitation Playdays
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Fees
$45 without instruction
$85 with instruction
Please have a current Coggins within the past year
$85 with instruction
Please have a current Coggins within the past year
Trailer Parking
We parked on the east side of the arena where the barn's horse trailers were parked.
BathroomsI assume the barn has a bathroom somewhere.
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WaterStandard boarding barn with water spigots.
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Trail Experience
Sam and I were ready for some variety and were happy to try some brain-busting obstacles. Walking into the indoor arena there were a lot of different obstacles set up.
This was the hardest one for Sam. You pick up a pole from the barrel and "joust" the metal bull, picking up rings. You then place the pole in the opposite barrel. The pole makes a funny noise when you pick it up and put it back down. We practiced this on the ground just picking up the pole.
Below: Standard weave poles. We weaved around the poles at a trot and practiced bending to each direction.
A nice big wooden gate. This was fun to play with. Sam first had to get used to the gate hitting his chest and side-passing to the gate. By the end of our time practicing Sam was pushing the gate with his nose.
With this obstacle you are walking around scary objects in a circle. They call it "The Farmyard".
Below: Bridge with flowers. To the left of the bridge is a "Switch a cup". You stop between the two poles and pick up the dixie cup and place it on the other pole then back through the poles.
Rating
Fun and easy! Sam and I started with ground work just getting used to all the commotion and weird objects. It was fun watching him use his brain and try to figure out the obstacles. However, on the trail if Sam is uncomfortable I always dismount and lead him and use lots of positive reinforcement (apples) to help him learn he can do a scary obstacle. On the trail you never "have" to do anything, you can always get off and turn around. Working equitation helps build that "bombproof" horse and deepens the trust and relationship with your horse.