Pickup & Putdown Tips

Games players must learn to pickup and put down a variety of items.  Players can pickup items from and place them back down on  barrels, cones, poles, flag holders, and the ground.  Games players can practice these skills by themselves with items they have made at home. 

See the list of tips to help you with these skills.

• Practice picking up and putting down different items such as socks, flags, bottles, mugs, tennis balls, etc.

• When picking up flags from containers or balls from cones, use a windmill motion with your arm. This will allow you to pick up the flag or ball at speed without knocking over the container.

• When picking up items from an oil drum, make sure your pony is not afraid of the drum before starting. Get him used to riding up to the drum. If he is afraid of the drum, try placing his feed on the oil drum at feeding times.

• When picking up and placing the mugs down in 3-mug, make sure that you have your eyes on the pole and the mug until you are sure you have done it correctly. Do not let go of the mug until you are sure it is firmly in place.

• When playing ball & cone, do NOT let go of the ball until you are sure the ball is not going to roll off. It takes less time to try again, than have the ball roll off and have to dismount and start over.

• When playing castle, make sure that the turret or orb is firmly in place before letting go of the object. It takes less time to try again, then have the item fall off and have to dismount and start over.

• When placing a flag in a container, hold the flag near the flag, place your index finger along the flagstaff, and almost point the flag into the container. Make the flag an extension of your arm.