• Trying new things with your horse can be fun.Horse Riding Girl - Horse stopped in front of obstacle image by Kradsmit from Fotolia.com
  
  Just like people, horses tend to get bored doing the same old thing every day. Interactive games and activities give your mount something new to try. These games can also serve as valuable training exercises for both horses and riders, helping riders improve their skills and teaching horses not to be afraid of new things.
  
  

Broom Polo

• Polo has long been a popular equine activity among the upper crust, but chances are you do not have any polo mallets lying around the barn. You can, however, substitute an old broom and use it to bat around some play balls like the ones children use. Soccer balls work well for broom polo games, as do those cheap inflatable balls from the local toy store. Broom polo is an excellent activity for young riders, since it teaches hand eye coordination and allows the kids to have fun with their mounts.
  
  

Homemade Trail Challenge

• Trail classes are popular at both breed shows and open competitions. The goal of the trail class is to demonstrate the horse's ability to move calmly down the trail, negotiating common objects like bridges, gates and logs as he goes. Riders can practice for the next show or just have fun by setting up their own trail challenge at home. A sturdy piece of wood can substitute as a bridge, while a blue tarp can be used as an impromptu water hazard. Riders can use their imaginations when designing a home trail course and creating an ever changing set of challenges is an excellent way to teach young horses to take new experiences in stride.
  
  

Scurry Race

• The scurry race is an excellent interactive game for horses and riders who enjoy going fast and jumping. The scurry race combines three small jumps, generally about a foot tall, with a barrel, drum or cone. Each horse and rider team runs down the arena, jumps each of the three jumps, then spins around the barrel or cone and runs back, again jumping each of the three jumps. The height and spacing of the jumps and the barrel can be adjusted to make the game more or less of a challenge and to accommodate horses and riders with more or less experience.