If you were lucky enough to grow up with horses, you probably know what fun it was to hang out, play games with your friends, and bond with your horse over long days in the saddle. As we get older, our "adult" tendencies are to slow down, let the kids have the fun, and watch longingly at the county fair as the 4-Hers do their games on horseback.
Thousands of riders across the country, young and old, are saying "phooey" to letting the kids have all the fun. They're going back to the basics with their horses, remembering what it's like to laugh and cheer on horseback while playing mounted games.
Mara Trudgen, a 20-year-old Michigan State University student, started playing mounted games in the late 1990s as a member of the United States Pony Clubs. She remembers it as a fun way to have a good time with her pony. As she progressed with her riding, she competed in dressage, eventing, and show jumping, but even today she continues to return to mounted games.
"I really like mounted games, because it's that time when you can have fun," she says. "You don't have to worry if everything is perfect and everything is right."
All you need to participate in mounted games are a willing horse and a few friends who are looking for fun.
There are several organizations dedicated to promoting mounted games and providing educational and competitive opportunities: U.S. Pony Clubs (USPC), Mounted Games Across America (MGAA), and the U.S. Mounted Games Association (USMGA).
Not Just for Kids
- Mounted games are gaining popularity all across the United States and even internationally.
- Different competitive levels offer a place on the team for every horse and rider, regardless of skill level.
- Both horse and rider build skills as they progress-especially in the areas of balance and control.
The USPC is the only one with age limitations. The other groups are open to all ages, all breeds, and all levels of riders. All these associations can assist you with organizing teams, learning the rules, and making or finding the equipment you need to play the games.
Safety First
If you just want to have some fun in your backyard, you don't need to memorize all of the rules, but be aware of safety issues. Helmets and riding boots are required by the organizations, but casual clothing is acceptable. At competitions, many teams even wear team colors.
English tack is preferred, and many competitions require it in the upper-level divisions. With a lot of bending over from the saddle and quick dismounts, there's some concern that a Western saddle horn can get in the way or get caught.
Out-of-control horses are quickly removed, and people aren't allowed to ride in a division above their skill level.
"In the upper divisions, you'll have people running 20 to 30 feet apart at full speed and not coming into contact with each other," so safety and well-matched horses and riders are at the forefront, says Liz Englert, a member of the USMGA board of directors.
Even in riding mounted games for fun rather than competition, common sense is the best safety rule.
