What good is TREC?
Written By: Kim Harrison
I work with many young and/or green horses, and I find many of the skills learned competing in the sport of TREC make very good schooling tools. Both ridden and in-hand, training with the obstacles of the PTV develop good body awareness, confidence, and a trusting relationship between horse and rider. This transfers into a better working relationship with your horse in all
sorts of situations, not just TREC competitions.
Here are some ideas to build on with your horse. You can make a bridge out of a couple of pallets (free from lots of places!) and some scraps of plywood. The bridge in this photo is two pallets long, but you can line up 3 or more, of course. If you don’t connect the pallets in any way it makes it easier for one person to move. Although in a real competition you will lose points for a break in forward motion while on the bridge, try stopping in the middle and standing still. Try walking the short way across the bridge, try stopping in the middle of that! Try walking up to the bridge and have your horse stop with just two front feet on the bridge, or stop with both hind feet on it . Walk on and back off. Try these skills in-hand and ridden. Remember if you have trouble with any one of these, it is supposed to be fun! Get a small win, end on a good note and try again some other day. Make up other ways of using the bridge to engage your horse’s brain and teach him to pay attention to what you are asking. You are building a library of learning with your horse, and although you may never have to back off a bridge, knowing that you can is a great confidence builder when faced with other challenges.