We Ride Sport and Trail Magazine June 2019 | Page 32

Strategizing Your Course... Or Not

Little did I know or expect that this particular event would change the next year of my life.

Check out our Host and Judges section of our web site or get out and have some fun with your equine. Check out the calendar on the Equine Trail Sports website (www.equinetrailsports.com/events) for an event in your area, or contact us to host your own event. We are here to support you!

32 / Sport and Trail Magazine

When you register online for an Equine Trail Sports (ETS) event, you simply select the event, the rider, and the equine. You don’t register for a specific skill level such as Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced. Your skill level is determined by the choices you make during your course.

ETS events are constructed to include the beginner level to the advanced level, the horse and rider that are just getting started in their relationship to the very advanced horse and rider team. No matter where you are with your relationship with your equine, you can participate in an ETS event.

You can choose to compete in an event as the most casual competitor or as the fiercest competitor. You can strategize your placement, or not. Each rider is given their obstacle course sheet at the Riders’ Meeting where the course is discussed with all of the competitors.

The Level Is Your Choice

Each obstacle is shown with 3 levels of execution for the rider to choose from, level 1 being the least difficult level, and level 3 being the most difficult level. If a rider plans to strategize for their placement for the event, they can use the obstacle course chart shown on the course sheet to determine their overall placement of the event. The rider chooses which level they will execute for each obstacle. The sum of the level choices (1, 2 or 3) determines the placement in the Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced bracket.