#TBT: Patterns for the Weekend

Schooling sessions feeling a bit stagnant? Check out HN’s “Patterns for the Weekend” to spice up your routine.

Our warm-up exercise this week comes from America’s Horse Daily. This exercise can be done at all three gaits and is a test in steering.  The aim is to keep your circles perfectly round by looking ahead and steering with your legs, not your reins.  Use small adjustments to stay on track.

To up the circle ante, our main workout this week adds a few ground logs. This exercise is provided courtesy of Western Dressage.

Here are the instructions:

Lay four 8-foot ground poles on the ground to make a square, the ends of the ground poles should be touching at each corner.

1. Begin by walking or trotting through the middle of the box, making it the center of an elongated figure of eight.
2. Check your positioning each time you pass through; be sure you are in the center and not sneaking out to the edges.
3. Now, shift your figure of eight, so that you are circling around each corner of the box.
4. Now turn on your creativity and see how many different figures you can make by using the box.  For example, you can ride through the box on a diagonal from corner to corner. Or you could trot into the box, halt, and then turn on the forehand and trot back out of the box. Can you transition between gaits while using a pattern with the box? Have fun, see what you come up with.

For more patterns and lots of other cool stuff, check out Horsenista’s Pinterest.

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Go Riding!