What is equifun?

When people talk about riding, they usually mean show jumping, dressage or another sport such as cross-country. Yet there are plenty of other disciplines, including Equifun, which a great many professionals are passionate about. So what is Equifun? We look at it in this article.

What does equifun actually involve?

Literally, "equifun" could be translated as "having fun on horseback". But equifun is much more than that. It is a discipline that combines dressage, concentration and handiness, and it is mainly ridden on a pony.

The aim is to tackle a series of challenges on the same course as quickly as possible. In other words, you might circle around objects, jump small fences or weave between cones against the clock.

Since we learn better when we are enjoying ourselves, equifun gives riding schools a way to teach young riders how to handle their horses properly and to feel more comfortable with them, without feeling that they have to work on themselves or ask themselves a thousand questions.

Although equifun is generally ridden by children on ponies, it is a discipline that plenty of adults enjoy too. Ponies or horses, adults or children, everyone can have a go at it.

What equipment do you need to get started in equifun?

You do not need any special equipment to take up equifun. The riding kit you normally use will be enough. You will, however, need to be able to set up obstacles for your training sessions.

You will need poles, wings and cones, for example. Most livery yards and riding schools are very well equipped. Likewise, if you want to buy the equipment you need for yourself, you will find it at La Sellerie Française.

Which horse for equifun?

A horse for equifun needs to be very well schooled. In other words, he must be responsive and happy both physically and mentally. He must not be afraid of wings or ground poles. He will also have to jump some of the obstacles.

He therefore needs to be calm and sufficiently prepared. That said, the effort required of him will not necessarily match that of a jumping course. In short, equifun is the ideal discipline for a leisure rider and their horse.

How does an equifun competition work?

In an equifun class, the rider has to complete all the obstacles as quickly as possible. Every penalty and fault on the course adds seconds to the rider's time.

The winner is the rider who goes fastest with the fewest faults. There are several types of penalty in an equifun class.

The first is a fault at an obstacle. This adds 20 seconds to the competitor's course time. In addition, from the second fault onwards at the same obstacle, 5 seconds are added for each fault committed.