At the Paws in the Park it is not just all about dogs, we also feature displays showing dogs working with horses.

HORSE & HOUND

Dogs and horses compliment each other well. Many people, although concentrating on one, will have more than a passing inherent in both varieties of our four legged friends. We are therefore very lucky to have Marian and her friends from the Sevenoaks Branch of the Pony Club with us at Paws in the Park.

We introduced Horse and Hound at the 2006 Kent Country Show and it was an instant massive hit with both competitors and spectators alike. It is a relay race consisting of two teams racing head to head on identical courses. Each team consists of an agility dog with handler and a pony and rider. The dog negotiates a tight course consisting of jumps, tunnels and weave poles and only when the dog and handler are both safely back in their pen can their pony and rider set off on a jumping course that takes up the whole length of the main arena. Its great fun but don't be fooled - its very competitive. Just watch the young riders trying to make up some ground if they are behind. The bottom pole turn is normally very important and the brave who take a very tight turn may just pull off a win!