Horse Games on the Trail

Riding your horse on the trail over scenic landscapes can be a relaxing experience. Trail rides provide a way for those on horseback to feel a connection to both their animals and nature. The rides can also be a chance for riders to practice and learn new skills while developing coordination on the horse. To add an element of competition to your ride, there are several types of games that can be played on the trail. Some are designed just to pass the time, while others are competitive and for experienced riders only.

  1. I-Spy

    • A game of I-Spy is a stress-free activity to help pass the time on a trail ride. It's a good game to build the observation skills of young riders. One horse rider is chosen to start the game. She spots something along the trail that everyone should be able to see, such as a distinctive tree or landmark. The player describes the object using one adjective. For example, she'd say "I spy something tall." Everyone can then shout out what they think the object is. If no one guesses with the first adjective, another one is added. The person to correctly guess then gets a turn to "spy" an object.

    Leaf/Stick Game

    • For more advanced trail riders, play a game that tests their coordination while on horseback. The first person in the row of horses places an object such as a leaf, stick or piece of fabric onto a tree, fence or other landmark that is easily reached by other riders. The person behind them has to grab the object without dropping it and place it on another tree for the rider behind him to grab. If a rider fails to grab the object or gets off his horse to retrieve it, he is out for that round. Several rounds of the game can be played while riding down the trail.

    Competitive Mounted Orienteering

    • Expert horseback riders may still desire to compete in games while on the trail. Competitive Mounted Orienteering is a challenging game that tests skills such as map reading, compass reading and horsemanship. Courses can be as long as 25 miles or as short as eight miles. For riders who are less experienced, teams of riders can participate together. The object of this challenge is to ride out on the trails and find the hidden objective stations along the way using maps and compasses.