✨ Try the next set of obstacles for refining your skills leading up to competition #15 ✨

Exercise #2 compiled by Maree McAteer is based on:

• Switch Cup/ Cup Reinback
• Livestock Pen
• Halt over pole/Side pass pole

Use what you have on hand to replicate the obstacles.

Switch Cup/ Cup Reinback

This first obstacle consists of the Switch Cup for riders at Introductory and Preparatory level with Preliminary and up doing Cup Rein back.

Obstacle Setup

Switch Cup: 2 poles approx 2m high at 1.2 to 1.5m apart. Height/width can be reduced for small children on ponies.

Rein back Cup:

• Preliminary: 4 poles making a channel each side. Length of obstacle 3m. Width 1.5m. (Please note shorter length used on VWE course for this level).
• Novice & above: 6 poles making a channel (3 per side evenly spaced) Length of obstacle 6 m. Width 1.5m.

Place cup on the side you will pick up from. Pole at the furtherest from entrance into the channel for Cup Rein back.

Introductory Level – Switch Cup

Goal: Emotional acceptance

Entering between the poles at walk, position the halt so the rider is exactly between the poles.

While maintaining immobility – put the reins in one hand and take the cup from right pole to left pole (for a right-handed rider), return reins to two hands then depart obstacle at walk.

While maintaining immobility – put the reins in one hand and take the cup from right pole to left pole (for a right-handed rider), return reins to two hands then depart obstacle at walk.

Things to pay attention to:

• Can you get clearly one halt that is positioned so the rider is between the poles. (Not having to move up or stop abruptly late)
• Is the horse straight in halt.
• Is poll the highest point, nose in front of vertical.
• Is immobility reliable.
• Are you and your horse calm.
• Is it just as easy to go as it is to whoa.

Preparatory Level – Switch Cup

Goal: Acceptance of the Aids

Enter at walk or trot. Good time to practice trot, halt, trot transitions and putting them in an obstacle.

Halt immobile, reins in one hand, move cup from one side to other, reins in two hands and depart in walk if you entered in walk, or depart in trot if that’s how you entered.

Things to pay attention to:

• Same as Intro plus responsiveness to seat, leg and rein aids.
• Is your horse carrying himself between the aids?

Preliminary Level – Cup Rein Back

Goal: Developing Balance

Enter in at walk or trot, halting person between cup poles, reins in one hand pick up cup and one-handed rein back to entry poles, halt and replace cup, rein back out of obstacle and depart.

Things to pay attention to:

• Same as above plus developing rein back.
• In momentary preparation for rein back does your horse feel up/forward or down?
• When you take the little up/forward feeling to rein back is he pause-able at any time?
• Is rein back straight?
• If not, can you pause, fix then resume straight. (fixing on the go is a different skill)
• Is the halt at cup replace poll high and in a nice up forward feeling?

Novice Level – Cup Rein Back

Goal: Developing Uphill Balance

Enter in walk or canter. Halt, reins in one hand, pick up cup, rein back straight to entry, halt, replace cup, depart.

Things to pay attention to:

• All of the above but for a longer distance in rein back.

Gaits for Rein Back Cup

Intro	Prep	Prelim	Novice	Elem	Med
NA	NA	Walk or Trot	Walk or Canter	Canter	Canter

Livestock Pen

The most basic setup for practicing is to use a rope on the ground. Diameter is approx 8m. Any other barrier can be used from items on hand (given they hold up if it’s windy) to create a more solid stock pen,including an inner circle (track should be at least 1.5m wide within the pen).

Introductory Level

Enter in walk, complete a full circle, exit, make a turn to the left or right, reenter and complete a circle the other direction.

Things to pay attention to:

• With the help of fences on both sides can you develop an up forward marching walk with lighter steering aids in both directions.
• For the turn outside can you gradually, effectively slow-up a little in the turn then march forward back into the pen?

Preparatory and Preliminary Levels

Enter in walk or trot, complete a full circle, exit, make a turn to the left or right, reenter and complete a circle the other direction.

Things to pay attention to:

• Same as above and in the turn outside can you feel more slowing up with a little head in and hindquarters in on the turn.
• When you are ready add sideways off the outside leg to the head-in, hindquarters-in position.

Novice Level

Enter in walk or canter, complete full circle, exit, make a half pirouette left or right, reenter and complete a circle the other direction.

Things to pay attention to:

• All the above and now you are developing your pirouette does your horse have an uphill/forward feeling in his body as he moves sideways in the turn. Little bit by little bit.

Halt over pole/ Side pass over pole

When practising this obstacle, it is worthwhile to have the transition markers as I see many people get pinged in competitions for not exiting through the transition marker after completing the obstacle.

Introductory Level

Enter through transition markers, halt with pole between front and hind legs, stay immobile for 5 seconds, exit through markers.

Things to pay attention to:

• Does your horse understand the task, or does he have to be coerced or made to do it?
• Does he stand balanced, attentive and happily immobile?
• Does he feel square and balanced in the halt?
• When stepping over and off does he know where his feet are and to lift them and be careful?
• In the depart does he go straight or a little to one side first?

Preparatory Level

Enter through transition markers, halt over pole for 5 secs then sidepass off to left or right, exit through markers.

Things to pay attention to:

• All the above with special attention to being calm about what is being asked.
• When you gather up to move sideways is the progressive, systematic presentation by you of the aids for side pass just right for your horse to understand on this day at this moment?
• Be sure to move completely off the pole before heading for the transition markers so no danger of hind legs hitting the pole.

Preliminary Level

Enter through transition markers, sidepass pole off prescribed leg or leg of choice if not prescribed by course designer or judge. Exit.

Things to pay attention to:

• All the above.
• In this level we develop a half-pass idea in side pass (bend in direction of travel) If you have taught side pass through leg yield (bend on the side of pushing leg) then keep bit by bit getting it less bent, then straight, then bent away from the pushing leg (bent in direction of travel) as in half-pass and pirouettes.

Novice Level

Enter obstacle and pass one pole off one leg (left or right) and the other pole off the other leg. Poles will be side by side (parallel poles). Exit.

Things to pay attention to:

All the above but now you keep developing the half pass in both directions.

• Give attention to how centered you are in the saddle (not falling/pushing off to the side as an aid) remember canter side pass is the dream so very centered rider on vertical balanced horse is needed in sideways movement.

Exercise Submissions

📹 If submitting for panel feedback, you may film all three parts as one video or submit them as 3 separate videos (per obstacle). Ensure filming is not too far and not too close! The setup of all the marked lines should be visible in order to help us give you accurate feedback.

💰 Exercise submission fee: $30 per horse/rider or handler combination
(No charge until your video is submitted)

📅 Exercises are judged as they are received.
📥 Submissions open June 2026
🎥 You may submit Exercise 1 (June) and Exercise 2 together

🖥️ Submission details are available on our website.
🎉 Discount available for competition #15 entry with each exercise June/July/August submission!