Working Equitation seems to be growing in popularity in this area, though so far most clinics and shows I've heard about were a few hours away. When I heard about an Ease of Handling (the obstacle phase) clinic an hour away I jumped on on the opportunity to try something new with Cupid. It was a lot of fun, and a new way for Cupid and I to play and work together.
The trainer had a very patient approach, and taught us a lot about the rules of the sport as well as practice tips. There are a lot of technical rules to keep track of! Some of them don't make sense to me - not only do you lose points for talking to your horse (same as in dressage), but you also lose points for touching/patting the horse's neck! That's going to be hard for me, to go through the entire course without being able to praise Cupid. For the intro level you need to trot between obstacles, but most of the obstacles can be done at a walk. You are not timed, but get points for how well you execute each obstacle.
There were four other pairs in my group, all of us new to the sport. We started out by showing the horses the obstacles in hand. There is a lot going on in the arena - cones, poles, barrels, etc, but Cupid didn't seem worried about any of them. Some horses snorted at the bull cut out, but Cupid didn't bat an eye. The trainer suggested we walk with the garocha (long bamboo-type pole we use to spear rings) along the horse's right side, which Cupid was also fine with.
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| Busy arena |
Then we mounted up and started going through the obstacles one by one. The first one was easy; a figure-8 around two barrels. Always starting to the right. You want to show a nice bend, and make each half the same size. We did it at the trot, but you can walk.
The second obstacle was two cones side by side about 3 feet apart with poles stuck in them, and a cup on the pole on the right. You had to trot in, halt between the cones (can do a few walk steps), and with your right hand lift the cup off the pole and put it on the other pole. This looked like it would be one of the easiest obstacles but surprisingly Cupid would not stop and stand still between the cones! The trainer had me just walk through a few times until Cupid relaxed. Then pause for a moment before the cones and walk through. Then stop for a moment between the cones, but walk on right away without touching the cup. Eventually we were able to halt and move the cup. (I may have given Cupid a treat or two to help...) We went back a few times while waiting for other obstacles just to make sure it was no big deal.
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| Cupid's least favorite obstacle |
The next obstacle was a little wooden bridge. We trotted up to it, and walked over no problem. Next up was a line of poles that we weave through. Again it's not about speed, just showing a steady pace, even size loops, and nice change of bend between each. This is the only obstacle you have to do at the trot.
The next obstacle was a gate, which I thought would be one of the harder ones. Luckily for me it was a rope between two standards, which I find easier than a solid gate. You want to approach it straight before angling to the opening side, use your right hand to open, go through, swing the horse's haunches and back up, then close it behind you. And Cupid executed it really well!
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| Gate - went really well! |
The next obstacle was very simple - a plastic pitcher (empty) on a barrel. You had to trot up, halt next to it, and lift the pitcher over your head. Our down transitions were a little sloppy, and Cupid sniffed the barrel and pitcher which I learned you also lose points for. So again it was a seemingly easy obstacle we struggled with.
Up next was a donut shape created with poles and caveletti blocks, and ours had plastic flamingos in the middle. You had to go through between the poles first going to the right side so with a left bend, come out and do a turn on the haunches and go back the other direction. None of the horses had trouble with this, though most of us (myself included) could use some work on the turn on the haunches.
Following was the quintessential working equitation obstacle, where you had to take a garocha out of a barrel, ride to the bull cut out and spear the ring on top, then ride to the second barrel and deposit the pole with the ring. You hold the pole in your right hand, are are supposed to kind of toss it up a little so you're holding it higher, then tuck it under your arm to get the ring. If you miss the ring you lose points but keep going. If you drop the pole, at the intro level my understanding is you stay on the horse and someone will hand it back to you. But if you put it in the barrel upside down then maybe that's an elimination? Cupid was very good at this obstacle, we did it at the walk without halting. Some of the horses didn't like the pole being dropped back in the barrel, but Cupid ignored it.
#9 had you walk between two parallel poles on the ground, halt (again a nice square halt for maximum points) and ring a bell, then back straight out. Cupid often tends to swing a little to the right backing up, but we managed to stay between the poles.
The final obstacle was three barrels we trotted a cloverleaf-type pattern around: first a right turn around the barrel on the right; then change of bend around the furthest out barrel; then a right turn around the third barrel. Then through the finish cones, halt and salute.
Overall I was super happy with how Cupid did, though I was surprised at which obstacles we had the most trouble with. Even the trainer said she'd never seen a horse not like just the cups, usually if they have trouble with that they have problems throughout. But I guess I already knew Cupid was a little bit special :p
We are signed up for the working equitation schooling show in a week and half. It will be in the same arena, hopefully with mostly the same props so that will help. I still need to learn the dressage test. For the intro level it is walk/trot only, but unlike the straight dressage tests you need to halt from the trot, back up, and do a 5 meter half circle at the walk.
