AHA Challenge
at Aiken Horsemanship Academy/Dragonfly Farm
Liberty * Pattern * Obstacle
A fun, new competition designed to develop refinement, connection and a stronger partnership with your horse.
*4 Phases-Compete in 1 phase, 2 phases, 3 phases, or all 4*
Phase 1: Liberty-From the ground, work with your horse through 5 maneuvers in a round pen.
Phase 2: Pattern-Ride a cowboy dressage inspired pattern in a dressage court.
Phase 3: Obstacle-Ride through 5 obstacles in an open area.
Phase 4: Obstacle on Foot-On foot with horse through 5 Obstacles in an open area.
General Schedule of Events: (exact schedule and ride times for each event will be released the Wednesday evening before competition.)
• Arrive and check in begins at 8:30am
• Walk thru Liberty Course with Judge
• Liberty Phase begins, all riders have assigned times
• Walk thru Patterns in Dressage Court with Judge
• Patterns Phase begins, all riders have assigned times
• Walk thru Obstacle with Judge
• Obstacle Phase begins, all riders have assigned times
Phase 1: Liberty (walk thru with judge prior to first ride time)
100 points possible from a total of 5 maneuvers.
Goal: to show connection and harmony with horse without touching the horse. Horse is loose in round pen. Competitor may use a tool of choice like a stick and string, a lunge or driving whip, a rope, or a lariat, etc.
Task: Complete 4 of the 5 maneuvers and one freestyle maneuver (please bring your own prop if needed). Or complete all 5 maneuvers. If choosing a freestyle, you will declare your 4 obstacles at check-in the day of the show.
5 Maneuvers:
1. Weave 4 cones down and back in harmony walk (walking with horse with your horse in a leading position)
2. Back your horse over a ground pole
3. Send your horse thru two barrels and come back to you
4. Send your horse around you 2 times (any distance) and then hindquarter yield and face you.
5. Figure 8 around two cones
Phase 2: Pattern (inspired by Cowboy Dressage™)
100 percentage points possible from riding Challenge Test One at a walk/trot or walk/trot/canter. (NO extra points given for canter, most points will be earn by accuracy, not speed.)
Goal: to demonstrate precision and refinement by riding a Cowboy Dressage Challenge test. The Cowboy Dressage™ Court has ground poles and cones in for an added challenge.
Task: Ride the Cowboy Dressage™ Challenge Walk Jog Test 1
*For those who want to ride walk, trot (jog), canter (lope) simply ride the 20m circles in the test at a canter instead of a trot (jog).
*Please note: this is not a sanctioned Cowboy Dressage™ Event, this is simply inspired by Cowboy Dressage. Any saddle may be used. The goal is to show harmony and connection through a soft feel, not through collection. Click here for pattern.
Phase 3: Obstacle
100 points possible from a total of 5 obstacles.
Goal: put partnership into practice by navigating different situations together.
Task: Complete 5 of the 6 offered obstacles with harmony and unity with your horse. Please declare your obstacles at the sign-in the day of the show.
Obstacles:
1. Cross bridge
2. Stop on bridge for 5 seconds
3. Walk under horse “car wash” or curtain of noodles.
4. Walk through noodle squeeze.
5. Woodland Walk
6. Walk thru zigzag
7. Stop half way thru zigzag and back out then walk zigzag
8. Water bottle walk
9. Tarp U
10. Pin Wheel
Phase 4: Obstacles on Foot
100 points possible from a total of 5 obstacles.
Goal: put partnership into practice by navigating different situations together.
Task: Complete 5 of the 6 offered obstacles with harmony and unity with your horse. Please declare your obstacles at the sign-in the day of the show.
Obstacles:
1. Cross bridge
2. Stop on bridge for 5 seconds
3. Walk under horse “car wash” or curtain of noodles.
4. Walk through noodle squeeze.
5. Woodland Walk
6. Walk thru zigzag
7. Stop half way thru zigzag and back out then walk zigzag
8. Water bottle walk
9. Tarp U
10. Pin Wheel
The spirit of this competition is to challenge yourself to try new things with your horse. This is an event that promotes continued development of effective communication with your horse and enables stronger partnerships and connectivity, and it’s tons of fun!
Rules and Guidelines for AHAC
- Any saddle may be used, no bareback riding or bareback pads.
- Bits that promote good communication are encouraged. The use of the bit is more important than the bit itself. Twisted wire and bicycle chain bits are not permitted.
- Soft hands and quiet communication will be rewarded. Yanking and pulling on the horse’s mouth will be penalized.
- Excessive roughness with your horse is grounds for disqualification.
- The use of mechanical equipment like draw reins, tie-downs, running or standing martingales, side reins, etc. is not permitted.
- Bitless bridles, sidepulls, and horseman’s hackamore are permitted.
- Halters with lead ropes tied around are not permitted.
- Riders may use a quirt, macate rein as needed, but unnecessary roughness will be penalized.
- Riders may carry a crop or dressage whip but excessive use will be penalized.
- Riders may wear spurs but excessive use will be penalized.
- The goal here is harmonious communication to accomplish outlined tasks, so less can be more.
- Advanced tools like spurs and bits should be used for advanced communication, not forceful requests.
