Filed under Patterns …

Obstacle Course Shapes

Here are some ideas for spicing up your obstacle courses! When deciding which shape to use for your obstacle course, keep in mind: The rider’s balance (shallow or tight turns) The rider’s processing time (able to handle long or short straightaways, aka turns coming up quickly or not) Your ability to see everyone in the … Continue reading →

Trot down center line to Halt at X

This was a fun simple lesson I taught the other day, that I want to share with you, as well as a little breakthrough. This rider  is independent enough to get her horse ready and mount on her own, but consistently gets in the arena late and takes half the lesson to settle in to … Continue reading →

5 Basic Patterns

Here are 5 basic patterns one of our instructors printed up and laminated for us. The orange dots are for markers such as cones or upright poles. You can set up several in the arena at once using different markers. Enjoy! **************** Note: This is not professional advice, this is a blog. I am not liable … Continue reading →

4 Obstacle Course Patterns

Here are 4 new obstacle course patterns that I have seen used at our barn lately. Obstacle Course Patterns #1 #2 #3 #4 (The yellow star marks a convenient place to stand so you can always see everyone.) Bonus: Example Lesson Plan! Lesson Plan for Pattern #4: Direct and Indirect Rein Steering Safety Check Mount … Continue reading →

Ground Pole Patterns

AKA things you can do with poles! For your obstacle course, that is. Here are some things I have seen over the past few weeks that I wanted to share with you, all ways to use ground poles in your lessons. Ground Pole Patterns (Note the nifty blog reference in the image. I am getting fancy!) … Continue reading →

Trotting Pattern

Here is a simple pattern I used today for a rider competent at trotting, working toward steering at trotting and balancing herself and her horse. I liked it a lot! You can incorporate into this pattern: Steering – direct and indirect rein Half halts – to prepare for each element 2 point – over single … Continue reading →

Outside Rein & Diamond Pattern

An instructor at our barn set up the diamond pattern yesterday and this is what I did with it! Lesson Plan for Outside Rein Aid using the Diamond Pattern Arena Setup: 4 cones or poles set in diamond shape Lesson Plan Safety Check Mount Safety Check Warm ups Lower body: ride no stirrups 1 lap … Continue reading →

Special Olympics Trail Pattern 1

This was the trail pattern from the Indiana Special Olympics this year. We had fun practicing it with our students so I thought I’d share! The Key: Orange = walk Green = trot (or they can walk the whole thing) Red X = stop The Pattern: Walk and 2 point over the pole between the … Continue reading →

Patterns and Stations

This is a neat way to do things shared to me by Ashley of NTRC at the Advanced Workshop I attended. Most of her lessons have lots of riders so this is the format she often uses. Arena Setup Set up the arena into 3 stations, each with a pattern and activity Here we have: 1 … Continue reading →