Empowered Equestrians

Positive Challenges

Diagram illustrating the progression from foundation to advanced riding skills, including elements like fitness, agility, riding, cooperative care, and tricks and puzzles, with a blue ribbon icon labeled 'Empowered Equines'

Empowered Equestrians Challenge Rules

To ensure fairness, safety, and consistency across all challenge entries, please follow these rules carefully when submitting your videos:

  1. Unedited Video Required

    • You must record your entire challenge session in one continuous take.

    • Do not cut or splice footage between behaviors or training attempts.

    • You can practice as many times as you like until you get one video with your best attempt at each skill, just submit the final attempt.

  2. Positive Reinforcement Only

    • All training must be conducted using positive reinforcement techniques.

    • You may reinforce as frequently as you feel appropriate, using any reinforcer that is effective and appropriate for your horse.

    • You may be marked down if reinforcement is unclear or seems obviously inadequate.

  3. No Use of Aversives

    • The intentional use of aversive tools or techniques (e.g., punishment, pressure-release cues, or coercion) is strictly prohibited.

    • Smooth, flat halters and leads are allowed if they’re not used in the session. Rope halters (with pressure knots), chain lead ropes, etc.. are not allowed.

    • Whips, bits, or other traditionally aversive tools are strongly discouraged, because I can’t know their conditioned history. You’ll be marked down for having them but not using them, but you’ll be disqualified for using them aversively.

  4. Voluntary Participation

    • The horse should appear comfortable, engaged, and willing to participate in the session.

    • Entries where the horse appears shut down, hesitant, or forced will be marked down.

  5. Emotional Well-being Counts

    • Your score may be lowered or disqualified if the horse shows visible signs of fear, stress, or frustration during the session.

  6. Challenge Criteria Must Be Met

    • You must complete all tasks in each challenge as described.

    • Deviations from the challenge instructions may affect your score.

    • If you need special adjustments (like using different targets for blind horses) please let us know in your message, you won’t be marked down for this.