Photography by Kris Lamb
he new discipline of Mountain Trail has grown across the globe. This discipline is a cross between reining, three-day eventing and dressage. Much of the discipline involves navigating obstacles in a timely manner. As the discipline has evolved the obstacles and Mountain Trail courses have grown in complexity. many mistakes I have seen made yet the horse is still so forgiving. This goes back to the fact that the horse is a natural born follower. Yes, we need to be clear and consistent, yet the horse is constantly giving us a break, so we can lead.
Before I even think about tackling obstacles on horseback, I get my horse solid and steady from the ground, and I let him think through those obstacles on his own. To do that, I start with groundwork. Whether the horse is twenty or two, that’s where I start.
In this sport, you need a partner. For success on the trails or in an IMTCA Challenge, you don’t want to be a dictator to your horse, but you also don’t want to let your horse walk all over you. Consider yourself the alpha mare.
be prepared, but that doesn’t have to be difficult or scary. You just need to train on trail obstacles and here’s how you can do it.
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eventing and dressage. Much of the discipline involves navigating obstacles in a timely manner. As the discipline has evolved the obstacles and Mountain Trail courses have grown in complexity.
In this sport, you need a partner. For success on the trails or in an IMTCA Challenge, you don’t want to be a dictator to your horse, but you also don’t want to let your horse walk all over you. Consider yourself the alpha mare.
BUILDING A COURSE
Functional Art
By Mark Bolender
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In the beginning it was all about getting through the obstacles but now, everyone is getting through the obstacles, so finesse and patterns are becoming more critical to the sport. With the sport evolving and maturing, patterns and designed courses are becoming a big part of the new discipline.
Building a trail course is more like an art project than a construction project. The course is built to the site and evolves depending on what we find when we start moving dirt. Is it rocky, sandy, wet or just plain dirt? At first is seems chaotic since the only plans are for the obstacles but not where they will go, or the sculpture of the course. The sculpture is where the art work comes in and determines the beauty of the finished course. This is what separates a Mountain Trail Course from an obstacle course.
to discipline the horse by
the art work comes in and determines the beauty of the finished course. This is what separates a Mountain Trail Course from an obstacle course.
When I design and build a course any place in the globe these factors along with many others are all part of the design process. There are seventeen factors which I look at in order to insure a course that will offer something for everyone, from the most advanced rider to the beginner.
The number one factor is, how do I access vehicles for many reasons from emergency to service. The next stage is to look at how can I run three classes at once on the course and where will the judges stand. The judges need good visual access and so do the spectators.
When I showed up at Creek Side Horse Park in Canton, Ohio in May of 2018 to design and oversee the construction of a new Mountain Trail course I had some real positives to the site and some challenges to overcome. The site offered the potential to be one of the most spectacular courses that I had ever constructed if I could overcome a large wet area. This was not wetlands but an area where the water flowed from the entire site.