Welcome to the TRAK Gymkhana Club! Gymkhana is a great way for our current students to test what they have learned in lessons in a fun, group setting!
Friday Night Lights
Friday Night Lights is a two-hour long, group-based event that takes place one Friday evening per month. Current Riding Students are able to practice many different gymkhana patterns and prepare for the Gymkhana Buckle Series competitions under the arena lights. This is a fun way to get to know other riders as well as practice your own skills. Dinner is served during this event.
A few friendly reminders for Friday Night Lights:
All Gymkhana Events, including Friday Night Lights, are for our current Riding Students only!
Horses may not be shared for Friday Night Lights or Barrel Practices.
Those who are leasing a horse have priority and do not need to pay the rental fee. If you are leasing, please contact Chelsea Menke to reserve your spot.
Horse rental is on a first-come, first-served basis and horses are reserved at the time of payment.
Friday Night Lights fee is $60.00, (Event fee is $40 and Horse Rental fee is $20)
FNL Spring 2022 Schedule
May 13, 2022 ~ 6 – 8 PM
FNL Summer 2022 Schedule
Coming Soon!
Ready to participate in Friday Night Lights? Great! Sign up here!
Barrel Practice
Our Barrel Practice is a great way to really test your skills on the Barrels! This hour and a half lesson helps riders work specifically on barrel pattern techniques to prepare for the Gymkhana Buckle Series.
A few friendly reminders for Barrel Practice:
– All Gymkhana Events, including Barrel Practice, are for our current Riding Students only!
– Horses may not be shared for Friday Night Lights or Barrel Practices.
– Those who are leasing a horse have priority. If you are leasing, please contact Chelsea Menke to reserve your spot.
– Horse rental fee is $20 on a first-come, first-served basis, and horses are reserved at the time of payment.
Our Gymkhana Buckles Series is a great, fun, competitive way for our current Riding Students to showcase their skills! Our Gymkhana Buckle Series consists of three Gymkhana competitions, held once a month, where students must compete in all three to qualify for the final buckle series. We host two Buckle Series per year, one in the Fall and one in the Spring.
– Riders are allowed to share horses for Gymkhana Buckle Series events. The horse rental fee will be split in half.
– You must be a current Riding Student to participate in all Gymkhana Club events.
– Gymkhana fees are $75.00 ($50 Event Fee and $25 Horse Rental)
Gymkhana Spring 2022 Schedule
Sunday, March 27th, 1 PM
Sunday, April 24th, 1 PM
Gymkhana Finals – May 22nd, 1 PM
Gymkhana Fall 2022 Schedule
Coming Soon!
To register for a Gymkhana event, please go to our Gymkhana Club page or fill out the form below:
Our celebration area is perfect for birthday parties, group events, or any other special occasion! Have a party at the ranch!
Share your child’s birthday with 2 and 4-legged furry and feathered friends at the ranch. The TRAK animals love birthday parties and they are eager to help your child celebrate!
Your TRAK birthday party or special event will include the following amenities:
The MAXIMUM CAPACITY in our birthday party area is 45 GUESTS (kids and adults included). No alcohol is allowed on the property.
ALL guests (children and adults) must wear closed-toed shoes. It is not safe to be on the ranch without proper footwear. Anyone coming to a party without proper shoes will not be allowed to participate in areas with animals.
Researchers at Duchy College, in Cornwall, England, studied horse impact from 50 riders executing 45-minute workouts. Afterward, they came up with the weight limit for horseback riding being no more weight than 20% of the horse’s weight.
This was ascertained by monitoring the release of creatine kinase (CK), an enzyme present in the muscle and released into the blood to restore muscle damage. This enzyme is triggered when an increasing heart rate releases plasma lactate to levels the horse’s body cannot metabolize.
This article will cover the importance of proper saddle fitting, the use of saddle pads, and other helpful recommendations. These will ensure your horseback riding experience is both safe and enjoyable for you and your horse.
What Is the Ideal Weight Limit for Horseback Riding?
How much weight can a horse carry? According to The US Cavalry Manual of Horse Management in 1941, a horse should not carry more than 20% of the horse’s body weight. However, these weight limits were routinely exceeded by soldiers and their equipment.
Just like people, a horse that is too tired or is asked to carry more than it can safely carry can temporarily lose its better nature and forget its training.
A horse that is completely docile under normal conditions may become agitated, frustrated, fatigued, irritable, and even unpredictable when over-stressed by excessive weight. This can lead to situations that are dangerous for both horse and rider.
A horse who is asked to carry heavy riders above the average weight they are used to may experience chronic pain, early arthritis, back pain, slower speeds, and lower skill level, which makes sense for horses who are not meant to carry a heavy load.
Saddle Fit While Horseback Riding
Of course, the scientists noted that the impact on the horses varied greatly. Those with wider loins and thicker cannon bones recovered more quickly. Experienced riders know the fit of the saddle is vital.
A properly fitting saddle is an essential part of having a good ride. An ill-fitting saddle may cause a lack of performance or even physical injury to the horse. Fitting the saddle to your horse is an important skill that must be learned.
A properly fitting saddle for a horse may be likened to a comfortable boot for the rider. If the saddle does not fit, especially in the weight-bearing areas, the horse may exhibit displeasure while being ridden, incur muscle soreness, joint problems, or have a performance that is compromised.
Though it depends on the individual horse, most horses will not bend or collect to their fullest potential under uncomfortable or extra weight. In severe cases, actual physical injury may occur with the horse developing saddle sores.
Saddle-Fit Horseback Riding
In order to discuss saddle fit, one must first address proper placement of the saddle. A saddle should ride centered from right to left and positioned so that the bars of the tree are just behind the horse’s scapula. Such placement will prevent interference with the animal’s shoulders.
The saddle should not rock up excessively in the hind end but should pull down evenly on the horse’s back. The angle and the rocker of the saddle trees bars should follow the lines of the horse’s back.
If the saddle does not make contact with the back in the middle of the bars, it is referred to as “bridging.” Such a saddle will cause excessive pressure on the withers and in the loin area.
One must be aware that some horses may carry more muscle or fat on one wither side or the other. Bar contact changes with the addition of the rider’s weight.
Saddle Pads
Saddle pads offer protection for the horse and the saddle. They should also help the saddle form-fit to the horse, provide shock absorption and help dissipate heat and sweat. In this saddle maker’s opinion, no material accomplishes this as efficiently as wool.
Real wool felt and woven wool develop a memory when used on the same horse with the same saddle. This memory allows the pad to conform to the horse and compress where needed, thereby filling voids and allowing more even pressure distribution.
Wool also is second to none in wicking away moisture from a sweaty horse’s back. Caution should be exercised when using synthetic foam and gel pads as some of these trap heat against a horse.
This is perhaps not a factor for a horse ridden only an hour but may be a problem for the horse in harder work. Additionally, some gel pads actually concentrate pressure rather than spread it.
It should also be stated that more is not always better. Most western horses get along fine with five-eighths-inch to 1-inch total padding. Rope horses and jumping horses may require more for additional shock absorption.
Donkey vs Draft Horse
A draft horse is generally a large, heavy horse suitable for farm labor. While most draft horses are used for driving, they can be ridden as well. And some of the lighter draft horse breeds are capable performers under the saddle.
There is a popular misconception that bigger people should ride bigger horses. The reality is that when it comes to horse breed, smaller horses may be able to carry more weight, as they can carry a higher proportion of their own weight than bigger horses.
In the trench warfare of World War 1, Connemara ponies reportedly carried half their body weight. Mules and donkeys do the same today.
Draft Horse Accommodations
However, as more trail ride operations aim to provide a heavy rider who wants to ride a horse, many have added draft horses to be able to accompany heavier loads. The added weight of the rider and equipment necessary may, however, come with an extra charge.
Other riding operations may have weight limits or weight restrictions set on who can partake in trail rides. Even a well-muscled horse may begin to struggle under a rider’s weight, especially if the riding facilities have a set-in-stone weight limit that their equipment is built to accommodate.
It’s important to find the right horse to carry the extra weight. Many institutions have a set weight limit to ensure their individual horses are paired with the right rider and weight. Whether it be for riding lessons, trail rides, rugged terrain, and more.
Riding Horses
Every horse has its strengths and limitations, and as a horse owner, it is your job to consider both. As a result, you can get the maximum benefit out of your horse while ensuring that it stays in the best health. However, 20% of body weight is a safe, research-based estimate.
Horses are strong, spirited animals and are well suited to support an average rider’s weight. But when you add in the weight of horse-riding gear and a huge person, the overall load may exceed the safe weight a horse can carry.
According to research conducted in January 2008, a horse can safely carry 20% of its body weight. So, if your own horse is 1000 lbs. horse, it can easily carry 200 lbs. of weight.
TRAK Tucson
TRAK is a Therapeutic Ranch for Animals and Kids. It is a one-of-a-kind ranch in the city of Tucson, offering children with and without special medical or developmental needs the opportunity to serve their community through the joy of animal interaction.
Each person is given the chance to reach their fullest potential in a loving and accepting environment where Western values and the Cowboy Code of Conduct are alive and well in the 21st century.
Lessons at TRAK involve more than just riding. We believe in order to be safe around horses it is very important to understand the “nature of a horse”. Lessons start with children 8 or older working side by side with the horses learning about their nature, how to approach, halter and lead them. Once mounted, students will learn the methods and practices set forth by the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA).
Are you ready to become a TRAK Riding Student?
We take prospective students eight years old through adults at all ability levels.
Our Riding Students must have a TRAK Family Membership to participate.
To get started, sign up for our riding waitlist Here!
Location
3250 E. Allen Rd. Tucson, AZ 85718
NOTICE: When you come to TRAK, you MUST only park along Edith Blvd. Parking is not permitted anywhere else.