TRAIN FOR TRAIL CLASS By Cathy Hanson Lesson Eight Boxes and Side Passing

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 doing a slow 360 degree turn in the box, after entering at the walk.  You may turn in either direction. Be sure to include stepping out of the box. 2. Send a video of you and your horse entering the box at a jog and then doing a 90 degree turn in either direction. Be sure to include stepping out of the box. 3.  Send a video of you and your horse doing a simple side pass in both directions without any poles. 4.  Send a video of you and your horse side passing over two poles set in an "L" formation.  You may sidepass in either direction.     Please load your videos to YouTube.  Send the links to cathyhansonqh@gmail.com

BOXES       A common obstacle in trail classes is a six-foot box.  Horses may walk, jog or lope through a six-foot box.  A horse will also be asked to stop inside the box and turn around (left or right, 90 degrees to 360 degrees or more) inside the box without touching the sides, and then step out.       When a box calls for a turn, it does not mean a pivot.  The horse will actually be making a very small circle inside of the box.  The horse should arc his body into the direction of the turn.  The turn should be a forward maneuver.  This means the horse should step with the front feet first and step around in the direction requested.  The horse must stay between the reins. For more plus points add speed to the turn.

When first starting to step into the box and teach the turn, begin your lessons at the walk.  It is a bit easier for the horse if the box is entered off center either the left or right side.  Step into the box off center to the left and maintain the forward motion, guiding the horse around to the right and stepping out.  Maintaining the forward motion helps teach the horse how to cross his legs and bend around a small circle.

Once you have mastered the turn around, the next step is to increase the speed of your turn. The horse should be able to turn a complete circle comfortably before adding more speed.        It is more difficult to do a turn around in the box if the horse has stopped and is standing. Step into the box and stop.  Stopping your horse with your voice and leg will add plus points to your performance.  Now if you look down to the inside of the turn you will help your horse in the stop as well as set him up for the correct way to turn.        Let the horse know you are ready to turn by using your inside leg in the direction of the turn.  (When you apply light leg pressure at the girth, your horse should have mastered the cue to tip his nose into the direction of the pressure…your left leg asks the horse to tip his nose to the left, the direction you are expecting him to travel.)  Direct your hand slightly into the turn.  Apply the inside and outside leg pressure to increase energy and guide the horse around the turn.

As your horse progresses, he should be able to step into the center of the box and turn either way, stop and step out.  In more difficult courses, the horse will be asked to jog in or even lope into a box and stop.  The trick for jogging in is for the horse to maintain a good two beat gait and to have a really good stop from your leg, voice and seat.  The other part is timing and practice.

When jogging, count to yourself one, two, one, two.  Jog into the box and count one, two – whoa.  If your horse stops well off of your voice and leg, the back legs will jog in and stop.  If you have to pull on the reins to stop, you’ll cause the horse’s hind legs to stop jogging before they enter the box.  You’ll be penalized if your horse walks in with the hind feet, or worse, leaves a hind foot outside of the box.

The error of walking into the box behind or leaving a foot out is caused when the rider stops riding because she is anticipating the stop.  Count to yourself to maintain a good rhythm.        You will also be penalized if your horse steps a front foot out of the box when stopping.  Practice your timing to avoid this mistake.

Loping into a six-foot box should only be done on an experienced trail horse.  The same procedure is followed as with the jog, except count one and whoa.

Riding a horse up to barriers can help prepare the horse for the stop in a box.  This could be jogging or loping into a back thru with a barrier at the end, or stopping at a gate with a barrier, or some other obstacle you create.

When turning in the box to the right – communicate with the horse that a turn is coming by using your right leg near the girth to tip the nose to the right.  Open the door for a right turn by allowing your right rein to move slightly away from the horse’s neck, While you apply light pressure with the left rein to the left side of the horse’s neck.  Your horse should then search for the center of the reins by moving away from the left rein pressure and into the open area vacated by the right rein.  Create some energy with your legs by using the right leg slightly forward and the left leg slightly back.         The horse should cross the left front leg in front of his right.  As the forelegs move to the right, the hind legs will also step around.  To add speed to the turn increase your leg aids--- do not try to use more rein pressure.          The rider’s body should stay exactly in the center of the box.  This is a good visual to maintain, so that the rider is aware of the horse’s position. I recommend you look down into the center of your box or directly behind your inside leg.  Keep looking down throughout the turn.         A horse will go where the rider is looking, so if a rider looks out of the box, the horse may step out.         When the turn is complete – stop.  Make sure the horse is balanced in his stop.  Both front feet should be square under him.  Avoid stopping with a front leg still swinging around, this will increase the chance for a bad departure.

Stepping out of the box is a walkover obstacle, so ride it as such.

A training tip:  As you enter the box, actually look down at the center of the box.  Looking down at the center helps tell your horse it is time to stop.  When a rider looks ahead with her focus outside the box the horse wants to keep moving forward, and may step outside the box.

Errors Made When Turning In The Box         Too much rein – dragging the rein across the neck will cause the horse to bend in a counter arc.  Then the horse will be unbalanced for the turn.          Moving only the forehand or only the hindquarters – this will cause the horse to bump the sides of the box, as the box is not large enough for a pivot.  The front legs and the back legs need to keep moving.         Looking out of the box –both horse and rider need to focus inside the box.  If the horse looks up and out, or the rider looks up and out – that is where you will go.        Asking for speed before a good balanced turn is mastered.  Do not sacrifice a correct turn for speed.  It is better to turn correctly and penalty free, than to ask for speed and hit poles, etc.

SIDE PASSING         Side passing defined: the horse moves his body directly sideways without moving forward or backward.        A trail horse may be asked to side pass while straddling a pole, or side pass with a barrier in front or behind him – or both.        The side pass can be used to work a gate, or sometimes comes into play in back through obstacles.

Begin teaching the side pass using a fence as a barrier.  The leg is used to create energy and some horses are a bit confused at first, because they want to move forward when they feel the leg pressure.  The fence is a good way to block forward movement.       Walk your horse parallel with the fence and begin to move the hips away from the fence by applying leg at the middle of the rib cage.  This will push the hindquarters away from the fence, creating a two-track maneuver.       Continue pushing until the horse is side passing.  Having a light contact with the rein away from the fence will slow the forehand movement.  Your leg away from the fence will be a support leg, helping to prevent the horse from moving the forehand.       The rider should have light contact on the mouth to provide another barrier to forward movement.       The horse’s head will be relatively straight, with the horse’s eye looking in the direction of the side pass.        Avoid pulling the head toward the fence.  This counter bends the horse and causes the hip to move due to imbalance rather than as a response to your leg pressure.

Once the horse has learned to side pass upon request, you can walk the horse over a pole and stop while straddling the pole.  I suggest starting at the center or three quarter mark on the pole.  Ask the horse to side pass so that he is no longer straddling the pole.       Side pass only short distances in early attempts.  Increase the distances as the horse begins to master the side pass.       The rider should apply a small weight shift to the seat bone when side passing.  When side passing left, sit down on the right seat bone.  When side passing to the right, sit on your left seat bone.  Applying slight weight shift pressure on the side opposite the direction of travel is in effect “pushing’’ your horse in the direction you wish to travel.       Direct the eyes down just behind where your leg hangs and in the direction of the side pass.  If the rider is looking down at the pole just behind the rider’s leg, then the pole is centered under the horse.

SIDE PASSING A CORNER        To side pass around a corner, the horse’s front feet will be making the turn.  Side pass so the hind feet are in as close to the corner as is safe without touching a pole.  Stop.  Now guide the front legs around the corner by using your rein.  Some outside leg can be used to push the forehand.       This maneuver is a pivot, so the hind feet have to stay in position or they will hit the pole.       After making the corner, allow your leg opposite the direction of travel to push the horse’s ribs, look down and in the direction of travel and continue side passing.       If you are going to side pass a corner with the hind legs making the turn, side pass so the front legs are in as close to the inside of the corner as is safe.  Apply the outside leg slightly back to push just the hindquarters around the turn.  After completing the turn, allow your leg to come forward to the center of the ribs and continue side passing.

Common Errors Of Side Passing         Horse steps forward and does not side pass – the horse has to understand that you want to side pass.  I step my horse over the pole, stop the horse, and then make a deliberate move with my foot slightly back, so the horse is clear that I want a side pass, and not a forward step.        Be sure to look in the direction of the side pass or turn, not forward – your horse will go where you are looking.        For the horse just learning these maneuvers, use some contact with the rein to help set a barrier to forward movement.  As the horse becomes more knowledgeable, the rein can be lengthened.        The horse steps back--the horse has his weight shifted back.  Avoid pulling the reins and shifting the weight back when asking to side pass. To avoid having the horse’s weight on the hindquarters after the stop, give the horse a moment to balance himself.  Don’t try to side pass too soon, or your communication may be misunderstood.  Complete each maneuver, before going to the next.        Not crossing the legs correctly--when side passing correctly the outside front leg will cross over the inside front leg.  (Side passing right – the left crosses over the right) The outside hind leg will cross over the inside hind leg as well.   If the leg is not crossing in front, it is because the horse’s weight is shifted rearward.        If not crossing at all, allow the weight to shift forward very slightly.       When nearing a turn, or if only a few side pass steps are needed in an obstacle, the horse may not cross over at all. I would rather have a few accurate steps without crossover than to hit poles. To cross over, the horse will have to take a bigger step and in tight obstacles that can cause penalties.       When on a side pass pole with distance, crossing over correctly will make your performance correct and is absolutely necessary.