Mounted Games is a branch of equestrian sport in which very fast races, exciting for participants and spectators alike, are performed by excellent riders on well-trained ponies.

They require a high degree of athletic ability, good riding skills, hand-to-eye coordination, general determination to see things through to the end no matter what, and a competitive spirit which nevertheless requires an ability to work together with other riders and a willingness to help one another.

Mounted Games were the inspiration of H.R.H. Prince Philip. When Col. Sir Mike Ansell was Director of the Horse of the Year Show, Prince Philip asked if he could devise a competition for children who could not afford an expensive, well-bred pony, and in 1957 the Horse of the Year Show, then at Harringay Arena in North London, England, staged the first Mounted Games Championship for the Prince Philip Cup - it was an immediate box office success.

The sport of Mounted Games as it exists today was founded by Norman Patrick. His aim was to extend the sport, previously age-restricted by Pony Club, for wider participation, and for this reason, in 1984, he established the Mounted Games Association of Great Britain. In the years which followed this landmark his continued support and patronage ensured that the sport spread across Great Britain and beyond.

At the time of his death in 2002, the sport which he had established was being enjoyed by countless riders on four continents across the world, and the International Mounted Games Association now has members in 20 countries.

The original format of Mounted Games was Team Competitions, but the games are now also played by Pairs of riders, and Individuals.

• Team Competitions A team consists of five riders and ponies. In each game four out of the five take part, leaving the team trainer the flexibility to select the four best for any particular game.

• Pairs Competitions In pairs the responsibility is shared between only two riders, and it is often easier for two friends to train and compete together, instead of assembling a team of five.

• Individual Competitions Obviously, in an individual competition, the rider is competing without any shared responsibility, and if any mistakes are made the fault is clearly identified (the rider, not the pony - he's only following orders !)

Whichever format is chosen, the same general rules apply : no whips, no spurs, no bad or un-sporting behaviour.

Each format of competition has its own repertory of about 20 different games, with some being common to all formats.

One of the best known and most exciting of the games is Speed Weavers , or Bending Race, because of its simplicity and speed. The rider weaves and bends, tracing a slalom path, between five poles along the length of the arena.

The Flag Flyers, with flags being put into and retrieved from quite small containers, at high speed, is another very popular game.

Even faster is Sword Lancers, particularly in its individual variation (look away for a moment and you can miss it !), where rings are collected from the tops of poles with a wooden sword.

The Agility Aces, or Stepping Stones race, wherein the rider dismounts, runs nimbly across a set of upturned buckets (stepping stones), and vaults back into the saddle to complete the race, is another game of exquisite skill and control.

Ride and Lead and Pony Pairs , are for riders with compatible ponies who will willingly work together. There's also the Bottle Shuttle for those with very good hand-to-eye coordination; that tormentor, Litter Lifters , possibly the most difficult game of all; and the list goes on and on, and regularly increases.

A complete set of games rules is available from the International Mounted Games Association.

Until relatively recently there was an upper age limit of 21 years but this was progressively relaxed until it was completely removed, and now there are also "veterans" classes.

At different levels the sport can be enjoyed by competitors of all age groups and all levels of ability. The only limits are those imposed by competition organisers to ensure that each event has participants of roughly equal abilities.

It remains, however, essentially a sport for young people because of the athletic ability and agility required.

As with all sports, Mounted Games are played at many levels of ability, and although top players and teams now prefer particular types of ponies, any child or youngster with any pony, whatever its breeding, can get started and have a lot of fun doing so.

A highly-priced aristocratic pony is not necessary to learn the games.
That can come later if the rider chooses to persevere to a higher level.

Any pony will learn the tricks of the trade quite quickly, and many really good Mounted Games ponies are "rejects" from other branches of equestrian sport. In order for these ponies to succeed, however, the rider must be an experienced games rider and be able to teach the pony exactly what is required.