The Horse Agility Handbook
A Step-by-Step Introduction to the Sport
Vanessa Bee
Founder of the International Horse Agility Club
Foreword by Robyn Hood, Tellington TTouch® Training
Photographs by Bob Atkins
First published in 2012 by
Trafalgar Square Books
North Pomfret, Vermont 05053
Printed in China
Copyright © 2012 Vanessa Bee
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, by any means, without written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer quoting brief excerpts for a review in a magazine, newspaper, or website.
disclaimer of liability
The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book. While the book is as accurate as the author can make it, there may be errors, omissions, and inaccuracies.
Trafalgar Square Books encourages the use of approved safety helmets in all equestrian sports.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Book design by Andrew Stock
Cover design by RM Didier
Typefaces: Chaparral Pro, Liberator
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is dedicated to all the horses—and their people—who just want to have fun!
Contents
1 Cover
2 Title
5 Foreword
7 Introduction to Horse Agility
8 Chapter 1: What Is Horse Agility?
9 Chapter 2: General Equipment
10 Chapter 3: Horse and Handler Attitude and Suitability
11 Chapter 4: Catching and Releasing
13 Chapter 6: Leading the Horse
14 Chapter 7: Understanding Softness and Acceptance in the Horse
15 Chapter 8: How Your Horse Knows What You Want
16 Chapter 9: Working the Horse “Free”
17 Chapter 10: Coping with Unwanted Behaviors
18 Chapter 11: Introducing Agility Obstacles
20 Chapter 13: Constructing Safe Obstacles
21 Chapter 14: Organizing Play Days and Competitions
23 Want to Start a Horse Agility Club or Find One Near You?
25 Index
Foreword
Having been involved with Tellington TTouch Training (www.ttouch.com) for 30 years, the use of various kinds of groundwork and obstacles when working with horses is not a new concept for me. I, my sister Linda Tellington-Jones, and the thousands of practitioners who use the Tellington Method frequently work with horses around and through obstacles, often without a halter, and so the concept of “Horse Agility” makes perfect sense to me.
When I heard about Vanessa Bee and what she was doing with Horse Agility, I made a point of contacting her when I was in England. As it turned out, she was doing an agility demonstration at a local horse event, so I had the opportunity to see her concepts in action. Later, as I approached her information booth, she was talking to someone about Horse Agility—and horse handling in general. I was impressed with her attitude towards horses and the relationship that she was encouraging people to build with their horse as they were doing agility.
Her attitude and belief in nurturing a relationship with your horse comes through in the pages of The Horse Agility Handbook. She explains a step-by-step process: first, developing your relationship with your horse
so it can be a win-win for both of you, and then continuing in your work together to build confidence and cooperation.
Horse Agility as an activity and a sport provides a venue for those people and horses who may not wish to, or be able to, work under saddle, but who still want to compete—or maybe just find a social circle with like-minded people.
In addition, the competitive nature of Horse Agility is framed with the horse in mind. Obstacles are scored not only on how the horse does them but also how the handler responds to the horse in situations that might be challenging or unfamiliar. This is a rather unique concept in most areas of equestrian competition.
I think Vanessa Bee’s book will give people many ideas about exploring new ways to work with horses, in and out of the competitive arena, while further developing their relationship.
Robyn Hood
Senior Instructor, Tellington TTouch Training
Editor, TTEAM Connections Newsletter
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