Horse Agility

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Rose


I grew up in a small town and always envied the farm kids, with their 4 H groups and other equine activities.   As a girl, I would ride friend's horses, or horses at camp - so I thought that I knew how to ride!
It wasn't until after I had lived in the city for many years, that I realized that you didn't really need to live on a farm to own a horse! So, in my late 30's, I bought my first horse!
He is a Canadian Horse and has taught me SO much about training, and riding - which of course, contrary to my childhood ideas of grandeur and self confidence - I didn't know much after all.  
I am still learning and will continue to learn more every day when I am around horses.
Several years ago, I went to a Cowboy Trail Clinic - a series of weekly lessons for 6 weeks, and I was immediately hooked on the sport.  Since then, I have built and collected junk to use as obstacles and am continually looking for more challenging things to point my horse at...
And that comes to my interest in equine agility!  I love the idea of the horse wanting to "play" and use his own sense of curiosity and courage to try something new and have a little bit of a challenge mentally and physically. I have seen my horse's courage "blossom" with all of the things I've done so far and this will be another exciting thing to ad to his repertoire.  
I also clicker train my horse and because he is so curious (and food motivated!) - I think he will really excel at agility!
Let the games begin!
"Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value" Albert Einstein

Darla


I am 42 years old. I have had horses all my life. I was born with a natural love for the animal. I have been riding all my life. I was always looking for something new and exciting to do with my horses.

I was away from horses for a long time while life got in the way and decided I wanted to get back to where I belong. On the farm with my animals!! 

About 6 years ago I found a horse through the internet that I just fell in love with. I had no truck no trailer and no place to put him, but that would all come. I had to have him! 

I borrowed a truck, (found Rose on Kijiji (lol) through an ad I posted looking for a trailer to use) and found someplace to board him. 
I drove 3 hours to get him.
Never watched the guy ride him, (just took his word for it that he was broke) 
It took two hours to load him in the trailer,  I finally got him home. I was so happy.. 

I had him for 6 months and never rode him!!! I was terrified. I thought he was crazy! 


Well today, I wish I had that horse back with the knowledge I have now.

I found a horse I could actually ride and re-learned everything I thought I knew. 
I joined Eastgatesaddleclub and started doing gymkhana's and shows. Then I got hooked on penning & sorting. I bought a couple young horses and worked with them and decided I was going to buy some horses at the auction, train them and re home them. Only problem with that is, I wanted to keep them all :) So instead I started training for other people. It has been 3 years now, many horses later, and I have been loving every minute of it. Rose introduced me to cowboy challenges and I loved it. It is great experience for the horse and great fun for the rider. She recently posted a link about this horse agility on Facebook and I was just fascinated.
And as they say. The rest is history! 
I am working towards being an accredited trainer in the field of horse agility!