Hobbies And Interests
The Race
Set up a race starting line by drawing a straight line on the ground with diatomaceous earth or aerosol chalk used for marking baseball lines. Draw a second line 50 yards away, then reduce or extend the distance depending on the ages of the players. Tell the jockeys to mount up, then blow a whistle to get them started racing. If any part of a rider touches the ground, he must stop and remount before moving forward again to finish the race. The first pair to cross the finish line mounted wins.
Relay Races
To add to the fun, set up two teams of players. Provide the riders with batons or funny top hats to wear during the race. The team just starting out cannot cross the starting line before receiving the baton or they must go back across the line before running down the race course. With many players, station pairs at either end of the field so one pair runs one way and passes the baton to the waiting team members, and the other pair runs back.
Role Reversal
Have the contestants run the first leg as normal, but when they reach the far end, the rider will dismount and become the horse. Make the course shorter for this race because the average weight of the riders is much greater. Partners of about equal size may have an advantage here, but surprise winners provide half the fun.
Spice It Up
Add an activity to the race to make it more fun. Have the rider carry a hard-boiled egg with a spoon. Each time the egg drops, the pair stops and a referee will replace the egg with a fresh one. Or set up basketball hoops on poles at the turnaround point of the relay, and require the rider to make three baskets before turning around and running back. Another possibility involves making the run short but requiring the rider to carry a small plastic bucket full of water. The team will run back and forth collecting water buckets from assistants at one end of the course and pouring the water into a larger container at the other end of the course until a referee declares the container full.