Is anyone else appreciating the cooler evenings we are starting to see? I don’t know about you, but I love early sweatshirt weather! For many of us, cooler weather means our competition seasons are winding down. We may be chasing those final points, earnings or just daylight hours for riding. Prepping for the next serious riding date can have a whirlpool effect, pulling you in ever tighter. But being tunnel-visioned and drilling one thing can be counter productive, souring both horse and rider. There has to be some variation in training for everyone’s sake. Wherever you and your horse are; competitive and fit, fresh, bored or confused and struggling, this pattern will help you and your horse improve one way or another.
Today I would like to share with you the four-leaf clover pattern. There are multiple ways to set up a four-leaf clover pattern for a number of purposes. For today’s version all you need is four ground poles arranged into a square box. If you don’t yet have ground poles, get them! I bought several landscaping poles like these.
As always I recommend starting new patterns slow, even walking through for a leisurely introduction. As you become comfortable with the pattern you can increase the pace. Decide which direction you plan to turn; in this example and in the diagram, we are tracking left through all turns. You will ride straight through the box, so you ride across two poles. Once you have fully cleared the poles begin a loop to the left so that you approach the square cross ways from the way you already crossed it. Again, continue straight across the two poles until you clear them, then loop left again. Continue looping to the left and crossing the box making sure to straighten your horse for the poles. Ultimately the path you are riding will resemble a four leaf clover.
You can choose the size of your loops but be sure to come back to the center of the poles each pass through the square. This is a continuous pattern so there are lots of opportunities to correct mistakes and allow your horse to learn.
In building from the last continuous pattern I posted here, this pattern includes 2 ground poles to be ridden in close succession, but not back to back. Meaning you will probably have one or two full strides between poles (at the walk or trot). The number of strides between poles will depend on the length of your poles and the length of the horse’s stride.
Common Challenges
- Horse knocks poles – he is likely either not going forward enough, or is not straight over the poles.
- Horse cuts in on the loops – he is not moving forward enough and/or you are not effectively using your outside rein and inside leg to stabilize him as you ask for the turn.
- Horse drifts too wide on loops – You may be asking for a tighter loop than horse is comfortable. Try riding straight a few strides further after crossing through the box, so the loop is larger. If that does not improve things, then you need to catch him with contact on the outside rein and outside leg to drive him around the turn.
Repetition, repetition, repetition! – But not drilling. Be a thinking rider and pinpoint the biggest issue you are having in the first working pass through the pattern. In the second and third passes try to address that largest issue. Then take a break and do something else or just walk the pattern and allow time for thought. The point is to create variation in training, not just another thing to drill! Allowing breaks not only allows time for thought but gives the horse time to breathe so he can pick back up and try again with his full lungs and better understanding just a few minutes later. Make sure to work both directions pretty equally to a similar level of success.
Ideal goals
When ridden correctly, the horse should be able to maintain the same rhythm throughout the pattern. He will have nice soft contact in both reins, respond to your leg to move out on the loops or straighten up to the ground poles. You should barely notice when he does step over a pole because he won’t have to create energy or organize at the last second to lift his feet.
Advancement
Once you have these things at the walk and trot in both directions, you can progress to a canter. I do recommend that your horse be comfortable cantering single poles before attempting the box in the canter. For a fully educated, able-bodied horse and competent rider, this is a very achievable fitness builder at the canter and there is even room to experiment with raising the ground poles to small jumps for gymnastics. You would of course need to be absolutely certain of your distances between your poles/jumps for this final advancement option. I do not recommend attempting that on a whim or without appropriate prep work.
Final Thoughts
Pole work, lateral work, trail riding, obstacles, groundwork… these are all valuable tools to be used. It is key to choose a wide range of training activities that maintain a core of education which furthers your. Your training with your horse should be well varied, but not haphazard.
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About The Author
Develop a positive mindset. Balance positive reinforcement equally with correction. Don’t nag!
Develop a positive mindset. Balance positive reinforcement equally with correction. Don’t nag!
