Equine agility

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Equine agility or horse agility is a sport similar to dog agility but using horses. Horses are asked to navigate an obstacle course with guidance from a human handler on the ground. At lower levels, the horse may be guided with a lead rope but at higher levels the horse works without a lead and in some cases, without a halter.[1] There also are competition levels where horses compete in the "wild" — outside of an enclosed arena, and competitions where horses are not judged live but rather via video sent in by their handlers.[2] Any equine of any size may compete in agility, including miniature horses, donkeys, mules and draft horses.[3]

In live competition, handlers are required to wear an equestrian helmet and cannot use whips or sticks. The horse is only allowed, at most, to wear a halter, lead rope and may wear leg protection such as splint boots. The lead rope must be loose and the handler cannot pull on it but must remain within a designated position with their horse.[4] Competition usually consists of a course of eight or more obstacles. Examples of obstacles may include tunnels, jumps, a seesaw, passing through a curtain, weaving between poles or cones, passing through or over poles, branches, gates, hoops, water, or tarps; entering a trailer; rolling a ball, backing between two poles, stepping onto an object, standing still, carrying a light load, crossing a bridge, navigating a small maze or labyrinth, crossing over an A-frame, and so on.[1] Courses are often timed, particularly at higher levels.

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  1. ^ a b "The Competition - Federation of International Horse Agility Clubs". Fihac.com. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  2. ^ "Horse Agility World Champion Hawkwell Versuvius | Eventing Nation - Three-Day Eventing News, Results, Videos, and Commentary". Eventing Nation. 2013-01-05. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  3. ^ "FAQ's | Agility For Horses - USA". Agility For Horses. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  4. ^ "Competitive Horse Agility | The International Horse Agility Club". Thehorseagilityclub.com. Retrieved 2014-04-16.

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