Behind their horsebox, a dedicated mother puts the finishing touches to her daughter's hair at a gymkhana in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Wearing regulation jodhpurs, tie and hairnet, the young girl is almost ready to mount her pony and hopefully earn winning rosettes. The word gymkhana is an Indian Raj term that referred to a place where sporting events took place to test the skill of the competitors. In the UK and east coast of the US, the term gymkhana now almost always refers to an equestrian event for riders on horses, often with the emphasis on children's participation (such as those organised here by the Pony Club). Gymkhana classes include timed speed events such as barrel racing, keyhole, keg race (also known as "down and back"), flag race, and pole bending.
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