Horse Riding Games

Try these Horse riding games to hone your skills and have fun.

Red Light / Green Light

This is an adaptation of the old elementary school favorite. It can also be played on horseback. Riders line up on one side of the training ring and the instructor (leader, parent, friend) stands at the other side.

Red light: halt
Yellow light: Walk
Green Light: Trot

The instructor is the traffic light and tells the riders what to do, and the first to cross the finish line wins. This is a great game for novice riders. Instead of walking and trotting around the ring, riders gain control over their horses by practicing and having fun at the same time.

Ride A Buck

You can do this bareback (recommended) or with saddle. All the riders start with either a paper dollar or pieces of paper. Put the paper under the knees and against the horse on either side of you. Riders start out at a trot or canter. The last rider with a dollar bill wins the game.

This teaches the rider to keep his knees snub against the horse’s side, and tests his strength and skill as a bareback rider.

Egg and Spoon

Play it with real eggs! Or golf balls

(Don't cheat and cook the egg!)

The riders are divided into two teams, and are stationed at either side of the ring. The first rider on each team scoops an egg from a bucket with a spoon, and starts off across the arena. If he drops the egg he must return and get another. The first team to have all the riders cross the ring with an unbroken egg wins the race.

This can also be played with individuals slowly making their way across the ring to the finish line. The first one across with the egg still on the spoon wins. Balance is an enormous part of horseback riding and this is a great test of balance.