TRAIN FOR TRAIL CLASS By Cathy Hanson Lesson Five Trot Overs, Lope Overs and The Wheel TROT OVERS           Trot overs – Trot over poles must be set to the three-foot step distance.  (Do not use the “pick-up sticks” poles for trotting or loping.)           When riding through the six-foot box at the trot, your horse will place each front foot once in the box (two steps).  When trotting through the 12-foot box your horse will place each front foot in the box twice (four steps).

Trot over the three poles placed six-feet apart.  The horse will take two steps between each pole.           When going over the poles, keep the horse straight before, during and after the obstacle.           As the horse becomes more advanced, we will practice turning in the boxes, but in the beginning the horse needs to learn to be straight.  Keep on counting—one, two, one, two.  Count it silently to yourself.  This will help you create the correct pace and cadence.           When riding over the trot overs, be aware of the horse’s straightness.  It is common for a green horse to drop one or the other shoulder when crossing over a pole.  Instead of crossing over the pole straight, one of the front legs reaches to the right or left when crossing over. The horse is leaning to one side or the other.  Often a horse will do this with the same leg each time. Look up and see the path your horse should be following. It will be easy to see if horse leans one way or the other.           To correct the horse, maintain straightness with support from both of your legs.  Keep your head straight and your hands centered.           ERRORS           The horse’s step is too long.  Shorten the horse’s body and create a more up – down trot instead of a long-stride trot.  This is done by capturing the horse and using your leg in rhythm with the trot to create a march.  The up -- down will happen as the back is lifted and the shoulder is square, so the legs lift up rather than reaching out.           The horse’s step is too short.  The horse needs to lengthen the trot stride.  Lengthen the rein and use your legs in a long squeeze to encourage the horse to lengthen the trot step.  The horse may be lifting the neck and head up when crossing over the pole causing the back to hollow so the legs cannot reach properly.           Lower the head and lift the back, so the horse can drive properly from behind allowing the front legs to lengthen.  The shoulders should be square and balanced.           The horse chips.  This means the cadence is not correct prior to the pole.  Creating cadence and then doing a lot of practice will help the horse’s confidence.  The rider must look up over and ahead of the poles when trotting.  Looking down will cause a horse to chip.  If you are not throwing the horse off balance and onto his forehand, he can adjust his cadence and avoid chipping.            The horse hits the poles.  Don’t worry about this during early training.  The horse will hit poles a lot, but as he practices, learns cadence and becomes more balanced, he’ll improve.  Most horses do not like to hit the poles.  They will make an effort to cross over cleanly.  Use positive reinforcement when the horse is good over the poles.  Stopping and standing with praise, lets him know he has done well.           The horse breaks to the lope.  You may be creating too much lift.  Allow the horse to lengthen the body, creating a slightly longer stride.             As your horse gains confidence and skill, add more poles to challenge him.  You can set some one-step trot over poles (three feet apart), but for the most part, keep to your six-foot increments so you can use the poles for walking or loping.    LOPE OVERS           Lope Over’s - Start with one pole.  Once the horse is comfortable with one pole, begin taking him over the 12-foot box.

Don’t let your horse learn that when faced with a tricky lope over he can avoid it by breaking gait.            Ride strong and maintain the lope – even if a bit ugly.  The horse must learn that he must keep loping.  Once the horse knows he must maintain the lope, he will pay attention better and figure out on his own how to lope over the pole.

Goal – The ultimate goal is to have the horse comfortable and relaxed while loping over the poles.  The horse should be straight over the poles. The cadence should remain the same.           ERRORS           Breaking of gait.  This is the most common error; the horse has a poor spot and doesn’t know what to do, so he breaks to the trot.  The rider’s job is to make sure she has her horse in a good spot to lope the pole.           Cadence and balance as well as proper path (spot) are also factors that will contribute to breaking of gait.  Sometimes the rider will be releasing leg pressure on approach to the pole.  This will cause the horse to break.  Be aware of your riding, trying to be consistent with cues at all times.           Avoid tipping your body forward, raising your hand or removing leg contact.  Any of those rider errors will result in the horse breaking gait.

Breaking gait can occur when loping multiple poles if the horse’s stride is too long or too short.  The horse is not making the correct distance, so he breaks gait.           You must think to yourself, “Breaking gait is not an option”.  “When in the lope – keep loping.”           The horse speeds up through the poles.  Be aware of leaning forward, releasing your reins or clamping your legs while loping over poles.  Look up and maintain your balance.  Counting, one, two, one two will help you feel the horse’s cadence.            The horse elevates the head when crossing poles.  The horse is using his neck and head to lift himself over the poles.  The horse needs to be better balanced.  Keep the horse’s balance point under your seat by driving the horse’s hindquarters under him, creating the lift needed to clear the polls.           Another cause for a lifting of the head is the rider lifting her hand as the horse is crossing the pole.            Here is a good exercise for trot or lope overs which requires a 12-foot box: trot or lope through the box north to south, and then turn right and ride through the box west to east.  Continue with this pattern until you enter on all four sides of the box.  This is a great drill to work on approaching poles and turning.  The goal will be to use the arena and have your horse turned so that he crosses the poles with straightness.

THE WHEEL           Another great trot and lope over obstacle is the wheel, a fantastic training obstacle because it offers so many training opportunities.           A large area will be needed to create a circle of poles.           A sample configuration is: two poles six feet apart, and then have an 18-foot space to four more poles six feet apart.  Then have a 24-foot space to three poles at 12 feet apart.  Now have a six-foot space to four poles six feet apart.            When completed, the measurements must come out correctly in six-foot multiples.           The path should be the center of each pole.  Start this obstacle at the trot. Trot around the outside of the obstacle and then enter the poles in one of the open areas.   Trot around and around the circle.  Count to yourself.  This obstacle will help create cadence very quickly.  Don’t worry if your horse is hitting poles, just keep going forward.           The horse will want to slow down, because he may be a bit intimidated by this obstacle.  Use your legs, count and drive forward.  If your horse is frightened, only do a few of the poles and exit the circle.  Build confidence by going in and out until your horse can go all the way around the circle.

Now work at the lope.  Again, start the lope on the outside of the poles and enter in one of the more open spaces.  Getting into the obstacle is one of the more difficult parts.  Once in, keep your horse going forward and stay on the correct path.  The horse will quickly find a rhythm.

As your horse becomes more advanced, (we are looking at several months of training) the wheel can be used for more advanced work.  Asking for transitions between the poles increases the difficulty. Stopping between poles is an advanced maneuver.  Using blocks to raise the poles increases the difficulty as well.  This obstacle is great for beginners as well as advanced horses.  This obstacle helps riders learn to feel how the horse should be going over poles.           Riders, while riding the circle, raise your free hand up and in front of you, shoulder level.  Hand flat.  Fingertips will be at eye level.  Ride the circle and practice staying balanced and not tipping forward.  Keep your hand centered and use your legs to support the horse and guide them around the circle.           Riders, be aware of leaning to the inside.  Look up and see the correct path.  Placing cones around the circle as a barrier and another visual aid to see the correct path can be helpful.           And now you know about walk, trot and lope overs.

ASSIGNMENT       It may take a month or more to complete the assignment.  Take your time and don’t rush your horse.  Email me if you are having problems.  You can send a video to demonstrate the problem. 1. Send a video of you and your horse trotting through the 12-foot box north to south, and then turn right and ride through the box west to east.  Continue with this pattern until you enter on all four sides of the box.  2. Send a video of you and your horse loping through the 12-foot box north to south, and then turn right and ride through the box west to east.  Continue with this pattern until you enter on all four sides of the box.  3. Send a video of you and your horse negotiating The Wheel at the trot. 4. Send a video of you and your horse negotiating The Wheel at the lope.     Please load your videos to YouTube.  Send the links to cathyhansonqh@gmail.com

Watch this video of riders trotting through a 12-foot box.  Count as they ride into, through and out the box.

Watch this horse and rider attempt the Wheel at the trot for the first time.

Watch this horse and rider attempt the Wheel at the lope for the first time.

Do not feel pressured to ride the complete circle the first day, or the first week. Advance at your horse’s learning pace.  Build his confidence, don’t scare him.

Watch this video of these riders loping through a 12-foot box.  Count strides as they ride into, through and out of the box.