Illustration by Navah Rae Adams

1. True or false: Mounted shooting is an equestrian activity where you ride with a local mounted patrol group to track down suspected lawbreakers.

T / F

2. Equicaching is a sport where you…

A) compete to be the first to catch a loose horse.

B) compete to create the largest stockpile of horse equipment.

C) go looking for buried treasure, on horseback.

3. What sport do you get when you combine Western dressage, a speed event, a trail class, and good ol’ working-ranch chores?

A) Extreme Cowboy Racing

B) Working Equitation

C) Equine Agility

4. What event combines simple objects and natural formations to create challenging obstacles for trail riders?

A) Select Trail

B) Endurance Racing

C) Extreme Mountain Trail

HOW’D YOU DO? (Answers below.)

1. F is correct, of course! The sport of mounted shooting combines elements of barrel racing, pole bending, and reining together with target shooting. Competitors race against the clock as they execute patterns and shoot blanks at balloon targets. Click here to learn more about mounted shooting.

2. C is correct. Equicaching is a variation of geocaching, where enthusiasts use GPS units to follow coordinates that lead to a hidden treasure. Equicaching can be done on your own or in groups. Click here to learn more about equicaching.

3. B is correct. Working equitation is the sport that incorporates all those elements. Hugely popular in Europe, “WE” is rapidly gaining adherents in the U.S. Click here to learn more about working equitation.

4. C is correct. Extreme mountain trail has been described as an arena trail class on steroids, with the production value of a Disneyland ride. Instead of ground poles, cones, and rope gates, there’s an elaborate, manmade landscape of realistic trail obstacles, complete with log crossings, streams, trees, and boulders. Click here to learn more about extreme mountain trail.

[MORE? Click here to read about these and other interesting new sports.]

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