Pole Bending

Pole bending is a timed event that features a horse and a mounted rider, running a serpentine path around six poles in a line.

The rider will run past all of the poles at a gallop. At the last pole, the horse and rider team will turn around and weave a serpentine path through the poles, passing on alternating hands and leads through the poles. When the last pole is reached, the horse and rider continue in a mirror pattern through the poles back to the first one. When the pattern is completed the horse and rider then gallop back past the poles and through the timer. If a pole is knocked over, the rider will be penalized, resulting in either disqualification from the event or a 5-second penalty (per pole).