Welcome to Trainer Tuesday! Each week we ask trainers a question and gather their answers for you. These trainers have a range of experience, backgrounds, and focus points of their programs, so the answers have as much variation as you would expect and also probably much more similarity.
This week’s question posed is: What are three key elements for productive schooling before showing in the equitation?
Here are their answers:
“First and foremost, be prepared. Be dressed and have the equipment you need with you… this includes a variety of spurs in case you feel your horse needs a downgrade or upgrade in motivation once you have gotten on or a crop available, regardless of whether you normally use one.
Other useful items include supplies for last-minute boot touch-ups, extra gloves/ hairnet, and laundry wipes in the case of an unnoticed stain. Learn and walk your course. Walk with your trainer and come up with a plan specific to your horse. If you are walking with a group, take a minute to re-walk any areas on course where you think you need to pay extra close attention. If you have time, watch some go but be aware that what might be easy or challenging to them may not be applicable to you and your horse, so watch with a grain of salt!
Have your horse at the ring in a timely manner so you are able to accomplish all the things in your flat work that are important for you and your horse to perform at your best. An older horse may benefit from a slower warm-up with more time dedicated to stretching and loosening up. A greener mount may benefit from more transitions both between and within gaits in order to be better tuned in to adjustability questions that present on course. No horse or rider benefits from a rushed warmup!
Bring 100% of your attention into the warm-up. It is time to prepare yourself and your partner for the task at hand. You do yourself a great disservice if you are chatting with friends, riding over to grab water from your parents, or thinking about anything other than the job at hand. Be present and mindful!” -Vanessa Brown
Read more from Vanessa here.
“My three top tips to be productive in the schooling ring for the equitation are:
1. Make sure your horse is properly warmed up and able to listen to your aids softly and attentively–lengthen, shorten, and get them soft in the bridle.
2. Approach jumps from a short and long approach, off both leads so that your horse is prepared for any questions on course, and so you feel the horse off of both scenarios and have a great feel for what the course is asking.
3. If there’s a test, practice it or something similar to it. If you can’t do it exactly–don’t drill the test too much; just be prepared.
Most importantly, the schooling ring is not a lesson–you should be prepared before coming to the show, it is there to warm you up so you can feel your horse once you are ready to jump a course! Horses only have so many jumps in them! So be mindful not to waste the energy or bother the horse! Be ready, physically and mentally before getting on your horse, so as to not waste schooling ring time!” –Dana Hart-Callanan
Read more from Dana here.
“Similar to schooling for other divisions, it is important to:
1) Go forward
2) Maintain balance
3) Promote adjustability
Since the equitation division generally asks for more complex tracks and courses, done in a fluid and workmanlike way, it is important to really define those 3 elements in the schooling ring.
A horse should always first be asked to go forward in order to get him in front of your leg. After the horse is going forward, you are able to define your inside leg to outside rein connection in order to maintain balance and connection within the canter. Finding your own balance around the course is also a key to proper equitation and communication with the horse. Stability in your foundation, specifically in your lower leg, will help you with your own balance. Finally, a horse that can go forward and come back smoothly and efficiently answers the equitation course’s questions well.” -Kathryn Kraft
“It is the same for any class:
1. Clean your horse & your tack
2. Polish your boots and make sure your dark-colored jacket is clean
3. Learn the course before you get on” -Diane Carney
Read more from Diane and listen to her on The Plaidcast here.
