Gymkhana equipment / mounted games stuff

Shysmum

Shysmum

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I am really keen to get some of the above to liven up our schooling sessions, and to have LOTS of fun :D BUT it all seems so expensive.... any suggestions of a reasonable supplier ?

Thanks muchly x
 
From DIY stores buy some cheap plastic pipe from the plumbing section. You can either get one long one and cut it or shorter ones already cut to size, a can of expanding foam and large plant pots.
Push the pipe into the plant pot to required height and fill with expanding foam.
When set you have poles you can weave around, use as lane markers, hang/balance things on to pick up while on the horse etc etc.

Nip down to your local carpet supplier and ask for the cardboard tubes out of the middle of the rolls. Obviously you can't leave them in the rain but they can be painted any colour you want and you can use them as lane dividers, starting lines, trotting poles, zig zag steering tests, or if you fill with sand and seal the end you can use as cheap jumping poles.

Go to the market and buy cheap fabric or use old clothes. Cut into rectangles, fold in half and do a basic running stich along the edge leaving one end open. Put rice or dried chick peas in a food/sandwich bag and slide inside your fabric pocket. Seal the end and you have a cheap bean bag to use in races.
 
Make your own, we always used to before things were available to buy. Bending poles = Bean canes stuck in the ground with a bit of fabric stuck to the top. Potatoes and buckets, everyone's got them. Sack races, everyone's got sacks. Flower pots along the ground for running along, everyone's got them as well. simple really and would cost pennies probably.

Have fun.
 
FANTASTIC, thankyou soooo much - going to be shopping tomorrow. We've been practising stand to canter and things, and are ready to have a go :)
 
Traffic cones as poles to weave in & out of round etc. Good height to balance tennis balls on for kids ponies, nice challenge for bigger horses. Most yards seem to have quite a lot of the bigger cones around anyway, if yours doesn't you should get them easily enough.
Bottle crates for walking on while leading horse.
Tennis balls from pound shop & large cooking spoons from pound shop for egg & spoon.
Plastic planter on plastic stand for dropping stuff into. Ours came from car boot but seen them in cheap shops for a few pounds too. Or hook bucket handle on cone.
Flags on sticks from pound shop, imagine there's lots of jubilee ones on sale.
Old beach towels sewn up as sacks ( we folded in half for kids, maybe two for an adult)
Done a game with old paint rollers too, dip into water then 'paint' the top of an upturned bucket at the opposite end.
One of those long handled ball throwers they make for dogs (also poundland, are you getting a theme here lol?) Fab for fishing a ball from a bucket. Can do a relay race with it too where you have to transfer it to next riders ball thrower. Have used the velcro ball catcher things they make for kids for relays too, have to touch hands to swop.
Really just look at the equipment you want to buy then find the equivalent in poundland or other cheap shop.
 
we used to use old gravy powder tins on alternate poles so you have to pick one up and move to next pole visa versa, cut the tops of old lemonade bottles to do the anti litter race (ie pick it up with a garden cane and put it in the bucket) broom handles make great bending poles!
 
Don't forget the messy but fun jelly baby race...

One end of the school put a paper plate on the floor with a jelly baby (or other sweet) in the middle of the plate, pour a generous heap of icing sugar (or if feeling cruel flour!!) over the top.
Start mounted at the other end and canter towards the plate, jump off (get someone to hold your pony) whip your hat off or for speed and as long as your peak isn't too long then leave it on and using your teeth only (no hands) get the sweet from the sugar.
Lead your pony as fast as you can back to the start...cheep and fun

Bucket and ball race - pick ball from cone and drop the ball in a bucket the other end. If your ball comes out the bucket then you have to get off, put it in and get back on.

Musical Mats - Lay towels, rip a sheet or fabric in to large squares (large enough to stand on) spread them around your school, get a radio or ipod and a bit like musical chairs lead your horse around the mats and when the music stops lead your pony as fast as you can to a mat. Each time a mat is removed and the last one on the last mat is the winner...cheap as chips.
 
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