The Facets of Equuality - Horse Agility

In which I describe why the international sport of Horse Agility has become a part of my practice and why you might want it to be part of yours.

Though the common saying tells us "there is nothing new under the sun," there are always new ways for us to think about the "old" things we are doing. The "new" sport of Horse Agility is doing just that for horsemanship.

If you've not heard of Horse Agility before, or just need a quick refresher, here's the ten-penny tour: Horse Agility is a discipline and internationally competitive sport in which horse and handler, both on foot, navigate a course of obstacles while focusing on clear communication and positive horsemanship.

Before I explain why I'm so excited about Horse Agility, let's take a quick look at its roots.

A Super Short History of Groundwork

Groundwork has been a part of horsemanship for as long as man and equus have been interacting. Indeed, it is a pretty safe assumption that before the first intrepid rider climbed onto his horses back, he had done some kind of preparation on the ground.

In Classical Equitation, the work in hand formed an integral part of the horse's training. Through ground exercises, a prospective mount became educated to the aids

In recent years, with the rise of Natural Horsemanship, a new generation of horsemen, myself included, learned that groundwork was the foundation of everything: the place to teach new skills before taking them under saddle and the place to return to when there are problems to be solved.

So, obviously groundwork is nothing new. So what's the big deal about Horse Agility?

Unbridled Thinking

The big deal about Horse Agility is not that it asks us to do something different, but that it asks us to think about the things we do differently. If you read back through my (extremely) brief and (highly) abridged account of the history of groundwork you might notice a common thread: through the ages groundwork has been seen, nearly exclusively, as preparation for mounted activities.

Horse Agility frees us from the limitation of always thinking about ground work in terms of preparation. We can then ask a lot of really interesting questions such as:

• How do we feel about the horse when we're doing something where the goal is not to ride?
• How well can we communicate without the traditional rein and leg cues?
• How does the horse's ability to move at a high level change when there isn't a rider on his back?
• Might a horse or human who is considered unsuitable for conventional activities find a new life as an Agility star?

The list could go on and on, but you're starting to get the idea.

In with the Old, in with the New

As you will see in the posts that follow this one (on Classical Dressage and Trail Venturing), I'm very much an avid rider. Lest you start to think I'm ready to throw away thousands of years of equestrian tradition and most people's favorite horse activities, let me tell you that my favorite thing about all this new Horse Agility thinking is the way that it strengthens all of the other equestrian disciplines.

To my mind, great horsemanship boils down to clear communication and creative thinking from both the horse and the rider. I see it in everything from jumping to cutting and driving to husbandry.

Though Horse Agility opens the door for us to take groundwork to places it has never been before, that's not all it does. It also strengthens the role of groundwork as a solid foundation for any equestrian activity.

My Practice

Horse Agility work has been a part of my horsemanship practice since the very beginning - there's just wasn't a fancy term for what we were doing then! From working with ranch-raised colts to rehabilitating rescues to training performance horses, I've found nothing more powerfully life changing for both horses and humans than the development of solid groundwork and communication using obstacles.

Your Practice

More than likely, you already have some kind of groundwork practice with your horse. Perhaps now is the time to get involved with Horse Agility and take that practice to the next level? To learn more, the Equuality Agility page is a great place to start. There you will find more information about Horse Agility as well as links to the International Horse Agility Club and monthly OLHA! online Horse Agility shows.

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