Tent Pegging​

The sport of Tentpegging, formerly known as Gymkhana, involves swords and lances, with which the rider has to strike an object at a full gallop.  The bond of trust between horse and rider has no boundaries.  To successfully strike an object that is driven  into the ground or hanging from an overhead gallows construction, calls for the rider to focus on the object and to strike it without having to distract his concentration by shifting his attention to his horse.

 

Once a rider commences an event, the emphasis is on the object and not on his horses.  Tentpegging calls for a well-schooled horse that will respond to commands instantaneously and have no fear of noise or sudden movements.

 

A high standard of riding skill is required to gallop a horse at full speed and maintain posture as judges award points for the style and accuracy with which objects are struck or retrieved.