The equestrian sport of Horse Agility will quite literally have your horse or pony jumping through hoops. Most will have heard of dog agility, where owners and their four-legged friends tackle obstacles, but now a Devon trainer has adapted this for the equine world.

"It's really captured people's imaginations," says Horse Agility GB founder, Vanessa Bee. "It's given owners a whole new appreciation of what a horse and pony can do."

In this fast and exciting sport the horse has to overcome a number of challenging obstacles, sometimes against the clock, being guided by a handler who moves along with him. It tests the horse's physical as well as emotional fitness and tests the handler's ability as a trainer to keep the horse travelling safely over the course effectively and with style.

"It's like dog agility, but with bigger obstacles," adds Vanessa, who runs her busy training yard at Halwill Junction.

The new Horse Agility Club has seen members sign up daily since its launch in February, with 300 to date, and now Vanessa has just signed a contract to write a book for the UK and USA markets.

"It's gone mad! My passion has always been to help people improve their relationship with their horse but this club has now taken over my life.

"What's great about it is that anyone can do it – it's a sport for people who can't or don't want to ride; disabled people who are unable to ride but can move alongside a horse as it completes the obstacle course; horses that are unable to be ridden due to behavioural problems or for physical reasons, and ponies that are too small for an adult rider," explains Vanessa, "but it's also good for young horses that aren't ready to be ridden and greatly improves the trustful relationship needed between horse and handler. It gives everyone the chance to compete without having to ride or spend hours preparing their horse for non-ridden showing classes."

She adds: "It's all about working with your horse and tapping into their potential. I have everyday riders telling me they never knew their horse could do that. "

In short Horse Agility offers riding and non-riding horse lovers a completely new way of being involved in a competitive equestrian sport that is active and exciting which has never been available to them before.

At the higher levels, horses compete at liberty without a lead rope. Competitors can then move on to "wild agility" in which horse and handler travel at least 5km across country against the clock, completing a number of natural obstacles along the way.

Obstacles comprise of simple bending poles and crossing tarpaulins to tunnels, seesaws and A – frames and jumping through hoops.

"People are finding that the Horse Agility competitions and training days, with the emphasis on having fun, are a great way to meet like-minded people who think the same way about their horse's potential other than as a ridden horse," says Vanessa.

"Everyone can join in – children and adults of all ages and ability, the people do the horse training, the horse does most of the energetic bit – everybody wins in this game!"

For more information visit www.horseagilitygb.com

Those keen to find out more or try out Horse Agility should go to the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association's annual Novice Pony and Dog Show on Sunday. As well as the Dartmoor Hill Pony championship qualifier for Devon County 2011, organisers are introducing Horse and Pony agility where visitors can have a go under the watchful eye of the Horse Agility Club. The event takes place at Corndonford Farm, Poundsgate, Newton Abbot and is in aid of Help for Heroes and Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony. For more details call Ann Williams on 01364 631 595.