"Just got a schedule through for a local show, and there's a 'Handy Pony' competition. 'Horses and ponies to complete a
course of obstacles against the clock' Now I am sure the trend of the tasks will have changed since I was a teenager, so aside from popping a few jumps, stopping to pick up a few items, collecting and carrying some water, and opening and shutting a gate (so long ago I can't remember really!), what else can my daughter expect these days?"
www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?264614-Handy-...

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_tack_room/1252601-Gymkhana-g...
"DD likes to have a go at handy pony if she can (dpony not really convinced...). It seems to be about making the pony as unflappable as possible, so walking under bunting, opening and shutting gates, walking around with the rider carrying a fishing net, scooping stuff up with the net and moving from one place to another, bending, beanbags, egg and spoon and so on.

There appears to be some sort of competition round here to make handy pony as inventive as possible so there's been bursting balloons, walking pony across a bridge that made weird noises and other stuff that I don't imagine you'd be able to recreate at home...It's been intriguing to see what our 5 year old pony will put up with. Balloons were ok but toy frogs ribbiting were terrifying!"