TREC is a new sport in Europe. The acronym stands for 'Techniques de
Randonnee Equestre de Competition.' It was developed in France where there is a big equestrian tourist industry.
Initially used to test the expertise of professional equestrian guides, the TREC concept soon began to appeal to the everyday rider, too.
I was unable to find any TREC competitions in the United States and just one in western Canada! There were several enthusiastic TREC clubs in France, England, South Africa, and elsewhere.
The event takes most of the day and involves three phases.
Phase A, known as the Orienteering Phase, involves following a marked route using a map as guidance. It is not a race and the pace is usually a brisk walk with a bit of trotting and a light canter.
Phase B, known as Control of Gaits, involves cantering along a 150 meter lane as slowly as possible, and walking back as quickly as possible, without breaking into a trot.
Phase C, known as the Cross Country Obstacle Course, involves a course of 1-5 kilometers in length, with between 16 and 20 obstacles to tackle. Some of them are jumps, banks, hedges or ditches and others involve loading into a trailer, going through water, immobility tests, bending, reining back and many more exciting challenges.