Obstacles

Affiliates must choose from this menu of obstacles. They may combine elements of the obstacles to create an obstacle. If an affiliate wants to use an obstacle that is not on this list, they may do so with ACTHA approval.

Affiliates may use their imagination in creating interesting situations that may occur on trail using these obstacles. An example would be when judging the mount obstacle, the competitor may be asked to pick up a ‘wounded animal’, place the ‘wounded animal’ on their saddle, remount, and ride off. This is actually a mount obstacle. However, the situation with the ‘injured animal’ is an imagined scenario that shows how this obstacle applies to a real life situation.

Another example would be placing a ‘fake snake’ on a log and having the horses stop before crossing the log and side pass around the obstacle. This obstacle is the combination of a stop and a side pass. The snake demonstrates the real life situation that could cause the use of these skills.

Judges are given individual discretion in deducting points for their obstacle, depending on the severity of the terrain and the obstacle. Judges score their obstacle consistently, albeit some judges are more lenient, and some judges are more severe. As long as they are consistent for every competitor, the judging is considered impartial.

Check the obstacle list often, as the obstacles may be updated from time to time.

To get an idea of what your obstacle sheet will look like at a CTC event click on one of the following examples (example obstacle sheet 1, example obstacle sheet 2)

For video and more information select from the following obstacles: