Want to Try Something New with your Horse?

Why not try Horse Agility?

This sport helps build a close relationship with your horse and engages your horse’s mind. It benefits your horse both physically and emotionally.

A new course is released at the beginning of each month. You simply build the course at home, practice, film your entry and submit the video. Entries are judged, scored, and points awarded base on scores. As you accumulate points you move up the levels and courses become more complicated. Score sheets and comments are emailed from the club founder.

The International Horse Agility Club was founded 9 years ago by Vanessa Bee as a worldwide standardized competition. It now has over 500 members, with 40 registered instructors and over 800 horses involved in the sport.

American Haflinger Registry member, Kim Gieseke, won the 2017 World Champion – On Line Horse Agility and 2017 Reserve World Champion & North American Champion – Liberty Cup Trophy with her Haflinger, Miss Mary of OLF. Kim and her husband Jerry, own Promenade Horsemanship Academy, in Brighton, Colorado. She has been involved with International Horse Agility Club for the past 8 years and has become a certified instructor & is certified to conduct clinics and judge live competitions. She appreciates the variety of different challenges within the obstacles and the large language developed with the horse from competing in agility.

Kim has built a partnership with her horse and enjoys teaching skills that can be applied to many different situations. At the 2018 Colorado Horse Expo, Kim was a selected clinician and she & Mary performed during the Mane Event evening programs. Congratulations Kim & Mary on your World Agility Titles!

There are 4 main divisions with various levels of competition within each division. They are further divided into Adult & Youth Divisions: • On Line: using a lead line & halter (Levels: Starter, First, Medium, Advanced, Advanced 1 Star, Advanced 2 Star) • Liberty: using no lead or halter, no whips or crops (Bronze, Silver, Gold & Platinum levels) • Walking Only Online: same levels as online but horse and handler walk entire course. • Walking Only Liberty: same levels as Liberty but horse and handler walk entire course.

Last year, the International Horse Agility Club introduced a walking only league to broaden the program for those members & their horses who cannot run, due to health issues or injury, so they can continue competing.

There is also a division called Equagility where exhibitors complete five obstacles on the ground and then ride the five obstacles. Lowest levels use two reins up while the highest level is at liberty. Contestants can pick which level they compete in and are allowed to go up or down levels as they wish.

Obstacles include Tunnel, Seesaw, Jump, Passing through a Curtain, Weaving poles/cones, Hoop, Water, Crossing a Tarpaulin (Tarp), Roll ball, Passing through a trailer, Carry a light load, Pick up feet, Step onto a podium, Stand still in circle, Pass through a narrow gap, Back through two poles, Back over poles, Walk through labyrinth, Climb through branches/poles, Crossing a bridge, Passing through a gateway, Picking up feet, Crossing over an A frame. Each obstacle is given a score based on effectively negotiating the obstacle and good horsemanship shown while negotiating the obstacle. A total of up to 10 points for each of the 10 obstacles.

There are 3 membership options to choose from on thehorseagilityclub. com website. You can sign up and get started today! Visit haflingerhorse.com/ agility.pdf to read more about “How to get started with Horse Agility.”