Extreme Equine Sports

If “extreme” can be defined as “unusual, extraordinary, and unexpected,” then cowboy mounted shooting, ski joring, and mounted orienteering would have to rank high on the list of horse sports that are just a little bit different. Like other disciplines, these pastimes require training and cooperation between horse and rider. What seems to set these horse sports apart is the fact that, in each case, the horse is asked to move far beyond his instinctive comfort zone, placing his trust in his human companion.

For a horse in the wild, safety involves staying with the herd, running to escape a predator, and keeping a comfortable distance away from perceived dangers. Mounted orienteering puts horse and rider alone in a remote setting. Ski joring asks the horse to stay focused while something close behind him makes alarming sounds and occasionally flies through the air. Cowboy mounted shooting is a mixture of loud noises, sudden clouds of smoke, and balloons that explode virtually in the horse’s face. Obviously it takes a special horse to participate, let alone excel, in any of these activities.

Ski Joring-A Wild Ride

In ski joring, a horse and rider use a towrope to pull a person on skis along a straight or oval course. The sport grew out of a Nordic mode of transportation where reindeer provided the go-power. Sled dogs and even camels have since been trained to pull skiers, and the lure of greater speed and strength has brought horses into the activity in the past decades.

Skiing behind a horse isn’t a new idea—records show the sport had a few participants as early as the 1930s but standardization has taken place more recently. Motivated by the desire for a formal organization, representatives of regional groups met in 1999 to set up the North American Ski Joring Association (www.nasja.com). This governing body establishes competition guidelines and keeps a record of results so an annual national champion can be named. Sanctioned events are set up in the Rocky Mountain states of Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado.

A weekend of ski joring might include different events that are judged on pure speed, accuracy (the skier must negotiate a series of turns and gates), or athletic ability (the skier must fly over jumps, grab rings, or perform other tricks). Thoroughbreds are favored for speed races, while Quarter Horses are thought to have an advantage where agility is required. Screw-in studs or borium patches applied to the horseshoes help the horses gain traction on the snowy raceways.

Old West with a New Twist

Like ski joring, cowboy mounted shooting combines fast, accurate riding with potentially frightening stimuli such as noise and flying objects. In a typical competition, a rider guides his horse through one of more than 50 standardized patterns. For each pattern, five balloons are scattered at various points in the arena, and five more are placed in a straight line. Riding as fast as possible, the rider draws one of two black-powder pistols loaded with ground walnut shells and shoots the first set of balloons, trying to maneuver to within ten feet of each balloon for the best chance of breaking it. He then holsters that pistol, draws the other one, and rides down the straight line to shoot the final set of balloons. The best time with fewest penalties wins. Penalties may be small (5 points for missing a balloon or dropping a pistol) or large (60 points for a voluntary or involuntary dismount in the arena). With many rides completed in less than 30 seconds, even a small penalty can move a competitor out of contention for a top finish. Participants agree that having the right horse is of paramount importance. While many Quarter Horses compete (often those with a background in barrel racing or roping), mules and horses of any breed or type may be used.

Starting with a calm-tempered animal is helpful, and a slow introduction to the sights and sounds of the sport is suggested. Even a horse that doesn’t seem to mind loud gunfire may be spooked when a balloon bursts beside his head or a cloud of smoke suddenly appears right in front of him. While some horses quickly realize these things are not truly threatening, other animals take months before they behave reliably during a competition. Excellent suggestions on training a horse for this activity are available from the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association at www.cowboymountedshooting.com.

With an emphasis on clothing, equipment, and firearms typical of the late 1800s, cowboy mounted shooting has considerable spectator appeal. It’s also a sport for the whole family, with the youngest entrants carrying a cap gun through the riding pattern and then dismounting to shoot blank cartridges at a row of ground-mounted balloons under close parental supervision.

This-a-Way, That-a-Way, Which Way Home?

Adventurous riders who don’t see the appeal of gunshots, smoke, and cheering crowds might find their niche in mounted orienteering. In this sport, horse and rider can expect to spend the better part of a day without seeing another competitor. The objective is to use a compass and topographic map to find a number of stations (possibly as small as a paper plate) in an area of open country (possibly as large as several square miles) and return to the starting point in the shortest time.

After learning to read the compass and relate it to the map, getting from one target to another might appear to be a simple chore, but rugged terrain and dense vegetation often necessitate a roundabout approach. The perfect horse for this sport is one that will cross water, push through areas where there are no established trails, stand quietly for mounting and dismounting, and stay relaxed when no other horses are in sight.

Mounted orienteering clubs offer a compass and map workshop to introduce new participants to the basics of route-finding. As soon as the rider feels comfortable with the ability to navigate between points, he or she can start on either a practice or a competitive ride. Practice rides are shorter, with targets placed on or near roads or trails. Divisions are available for beginners, teams, or families. On the more challenging competitive rides, which definitely deserve the “extreme” label, horse and rider might cover a distance of up to 25 miles, with each participant planning the best way to negotiate country that might include cliffs, swamps, rivers, and dense forest.

Information on mounted orienteering is available from the National Association of Competitive Mounted Orienteering at www.nacmo.org.