With the introduction of our new “DIY Obstacle” series, our team will endeavour to share some of the custom obstacles which have proven to be successful in our training regime and can easily be recreated at your own facility.
When training and working with horses it is important to introduce them to new sights, sounds and challenges. This approach will not only aid in their desensitization training (check out our previous article – Desensitization Training And Its Positive Benefits) but can also provide variety in their arena work which in turn can help reduce the risk of your horse becoming sour due to boredom.
It is important to remember that safety is of the utmost priority when training your horse and introducing them to new obstacles. We always advise starting your horses’ exposure to new obstacles on the ground before attempting them under saddle. Set yourself up for success, take your time and remember to have fun.
Water Hazards
To kick off this series let’s talk about water hazards. There are many disciplines that utilize water hazards including Show jumping, eventing, and even Western Trail courses. But short of paying $300 – $500 for a plastic water tray for your arena, there is a quick and easy fix to begin introducing your horse to a water obstacle.
Materials you will need:
12ft heavy-duty tarp
4x wood boards/posts (rectangle or square preferred to prevent the obstacle rolling)
Water to fill your obstacle once it is completed
Putting it together:
Firstly decide how big you would like your water obstacle to be. This is best done by grabbing your tarp, laying it on the arena floor then folding it until you find the size suitable for your purpose (remember to keep an allowance of tarp along all four sides as you will need to wrap it around the wooden frame you will create out of your boards/posts).
Once you have cut and arranged your boards/posts to suit your desired water tray size, it is time to screw them securely together.
You will now be able to lay your tarp over the frame lining the inside space, covering the outer wooden frame, and tucking neatly under the outer edge of the frame. At this point you are ready to add the water and begin introducing your horse to the new obstacle.
Looking for more DIY obstacle ideas? Check out our article DIY Obstacles: Make Your Own Arena-Ready Curtain.