# How to prepare for Trail class at the Fair?



## luvmyqh (Dec 10, 2009)

put the polls in the L shape and back it. do some side passing over the polls. go to you tube and watch the classes!!


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

luvmyqh said:


> put the polls in the L shape and back it. do some side passing over the polls. go to you tube and watch the classes!!


I've been watching classes on Youtube all day lol. What do you mean by side passing? And backing the poles?


----------



## luvmyqh (Dec 10, 2009)

google trail class patterns!!

Google Image Result for http://www.yourhorse.co.uk/upload/18895/images/Western%20Riding%20with%20David%20Deptford%20-%20Trail%20Class_still.jpg


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

luvmyqh said:


> google trail class patterns!!
> 
> Google Image Result for http://www.yourhorse.co.uk/upload/18895/images/Western%20Riding%20with%20David%20Deptford%20-%20Trail%20Class_still.jpg


Oh, okay. Thanks. And with the opening the gate....do you have to get through it a certain way, or can you just get through the gate any way that you can?


----------



## Gidji (Dec 19, 2008)

Trail classes are fun! I always do them. Don't worry too much about jumping, I've never done, seen or heard a class with a jumping obstacle. But I do live in Australia, so I don't know if you have jumps obstacles in your trail classes. 

If you've never opened a gate before, practice! It takes a while to get used to opening them from horseback. Gates in trail classes can vary. Some can be rope gates, or metal full gates.







I find rope gates are probably the hardest although they look simple. Most trail class patterns should say how to go through the gate, just do what it says.

Every trail class has a bridge (I think). Make sure your horse is familiar with them. Also, put plants, ribbons, bright colours around a bridge at home. I went to Nationals and they had all of these brightly coloured flowers around the bridge and a lot of horses spooked at them.

Most trail classes will have a back through or an L thing. Set up an L shape of poles and back through them and side pass them. Then set up a square, stand in it and make your horse turn 360 without knocking any of the poles or stepping out.

Practice jogging poles, walking poles and jogging in and out of cones. Make sure you've got your transitions nice and smooth. Trail classes are all about how obedient, responsive and alert they are. Trail classes don't expect you to do them fast. Its all about how you and your horse negiotate the obstacles, and how responsive and alert he is. If he wants to sniff the bridge when you approach it, let him! It shows he is interested. But don't let him sniff it forever make him walk on.

If you're horse has never encountered an obstacle, try and introduce it to him on the ground. And if you get stuck on an obstacle, try and if you can't do it, look at the judge and nod or give a gesture. Most judges will nod at you and you can just move onto the next obstacle.

I'll try and find some good trail class videos that you can watch.

Follow the pattern, smile and don't rush it. You will do fine.


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Thank you! How would I practice with the rope gates? I have only tube gates at home


----------



## luvmyqh (Dec 10, 2009)

like in the pic put a rope across the top of your jumps!! and no there is no jumping here eather!! just like troting over polls.

i just got first in my trail class the show was in november i had to do the open the mail box take out the bag and put it back in and then go over the bridge and trot over 4 polls and back the L and then raven had to kick a ball and then take a jacket and put it from one barrel to another then trot though polls like you do in the speed class poll bending!! i won i was so proud lol


----------



## Gidji (Dec 19, 2008)

I will try and explain the best I can on how I go through gates. Sorry if it turns out a bit confused.

Walk up right next to it, or side pass right next to it. Put your reins in your right hand, lean over and pick up the rope off the hook with your left hand. Use your left leg to move his butt over, keep a hold of the rope and walk through. Use your right leg again to move his butt over once you're through and put the rope back on the hook. Remember to keep your reins in one hand whilst performing the gate.

Sorry if I've explained that wrong or confusingly . Just practice. I'm fairly sure I've explained it right. I've also seen some trail patterns that say you must back through the gate, instead of walking through, so I'd practice walking through, and backing through.


----------



## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

We don't compete, but we practice trail class patterns with our trail mares. As you can see from the patterns and videos, there is a lot of leg/hind end work and that is the place to practice the most from my experience. It's easy to practice that anywhere, even without setting up the 'L'. We practice using the rows in our neighbor's gardens making sure we don't step on their veggies.
It's a lot of fun and teaches patience, too.


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Can there be English and Western rides in the same trail class? I ride Western, but I'm just wondering.
PS-Thanks for the advice!


----------



## Gidji (Dec 19, 2008)

I've never actually seen anyone do a trail class in an english saddle. I believe there are trail classes for english riders at some shows as well.


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Okay, I've worked a little with Arthur. Yesterday I put the bareback pad on and got him to walk over a tarp, because my one friend said she had to in a Trail class once, and he's fine with that. We also walked over some poles on the ground, but he sometimes hits them with his second foreleg....Are they perhaps too far apart from each other? We did some small figure eights around trees to substitute for cones. I have him going forward in the 'L' without knocking over anything or stepping outside the lines, but we need more practice backing into the 'L', as he's confused and steps outside the line at the turn. Arthur was pretty rusty with backing up, so I retaught him that and we're getting there. Any tips on teaching him how to back up from the saddle without pulling the reins really tight? I currently pull back on the reins and put my feet forward and out, and when he backs up a step or too I imediately release the pressure on the reins. That's his cue now....I can't get him to back up on a loose rein, though. I also need to teach him to side pass. Any tips there? Thanks!


----------



## PaintingMissy (Nov 9, 2009)

I’ve seen lots of different obstacles in different trail patterns. I have seen jumping but it was only over a flower box. 

To do well in trail you HAVE to know how to open and close a gait without taking your hand off of it. To properly open a gate you start by walking up the side of the gait with your horse’s head toward the opening. Next lift the latch or pick up the rope and back up three or four steps until the gate is opened completely. Walk through the gate and close it by doing a forehand turn and backing along the gate until you can latch it. Your horse will be facing opposite direction you began (butt facing the latch). You can easily make a rope gate by taking a long line tying one end to a jumping standard, making a loop in the other, and hanging it on the other standard. 

Back the L and a cloverleaf pattern around either cones or barrels. Go over poles at all three gaits changing distance of poles once you have mastered one length. Trail patterns typically have tight poles so gradually move us as you get better. Remember to squeeze your horse up as you go over poles also to get your horse over it. 

Side passing is also very important. Make sure you can side pass up to the mail box, over poles, and in and L shape (use the same poles from the backing L). 

Going over Bridges is also really important. If you don’t have a bridge or can’t make one a piece of plywood on the ground would suffice. Just add more to it as your horse becomes for comfortable with it. Place tarps over it and flowers around it. As your horse gets better at going over bridges don’t let him smell it anymore and just send him over it. Always remember to keep your eyes up and looking through the bridge, you look down you will make your horse look down and become worried. 

Weave cones at the jog or trot like a manic to. As your horse becomes better tighten your cones and make your horse really work at it. Remember if the cones are a good distance apart to hug the cones and if they are close really swing out in a serpentine form. 

Once you have mastered the basics then start adding frills to your obstacles and adding new ones. But the ones you will ALWAYS find in a pattern are the bridge, backing, cones, gate, and poles. The most important being the gate. Remember to be patient while training all obstacles and never expect perfection the first hundred times. 

I would agree with putting your poles tighter for the walk and if he is continuing to hit them to wrap his legs for protection. On the backing thing roll on your crotch (as crude as that sounds) to signal the back. Squeeze with your legs and use the pull and release method. For side passing I would start on the ground with your horse. On our horses we pull our leg back slightly and rub up and down to while leaning INTO the way we want to go and rub the heel up and down. We start on the ground by putting our thumb in their sides and doing the rub and down to get them to move away. If your horse moves forward a lot like I’m sure he will put his nose against a fence or wall and make him move away from you. Once you can do it one ground good then move to the saddle. This applies to all the obstacles if you have an especially hard time with one. 

One final thing to really work on is getting your horse to move their fore and hind end where you want it to go. So spend some serious time training this and it will pay off. If your horse cannot to a forehand or hind end pivot practice on the ground before moving to the saddle. 

Hope this helps. If you have any questions you are welcome to PM me 

Happy Training
PaintingMissy

PS Here is my video of me at the state 4-H show doing trail with my horse. The state course it very challenging so don’t expect to see this level of difficulty at the county level. This is by far not a perfect pattern but you can see some of the things I described above.


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Thanks for the advice! I also have another question....When I try to back Arthur up with a steady pressure on the reins, he tucks his head and turns it to the side to sniff my boot and/or have me rub his forehead. Is he trying to tell me he's confused?


----------



## xEquestrianx (Aug 30, 2009)

It will usually consist of mailboxes, gates, backing and going over poles, carry a slicker, show w/t/c gaits, sometimes bridges and smaller jumps, also piviot boxes. But I've never heard that they sprayed them with a hose?


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

xEquestrianx said:


> But I've never heard that they sprayed them with a hose?


Yea, that's what my one friend said


----------



## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

I think he is confused as to what you are asking him. Do you use a verbal command to back up form the ground? Try using that to back him up in the saddle, or have someone back him from the ground while you are on him, using the cue to back up.....


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Honeysuga said:


> I think he is confused as to what you are asking him. Do you use a verbal command to back up form the ground? Try using that to back him up in the saddle, or have someone back him from the ground while you are on him, using the cue to back up.....


I use a verbal command from the ground along with pressure below his ne ck. I use the same verbal command from the saddle, along with pressure on the reins and putting my feet out and forward.

I have an Imus Confort Gait bit, which has two places to put the curb chain, and I moved the chain to the other rings today and Arthur seemed to understand a lot more. He still tucked his head and sniffed my boot, but he was backing up as soon as I gave the command today.


----------



## Tasia (Aug 17, 2009)

Trail classes are a little complicated. Your horse needs to be controlled and rounded threw the whole class. There is usally gates, poles tarps,cones mail boxes\buckets and bridges. Personally I take my time its not a class to be rushed.


----------



## SouthCreekPaints (Dec 26, 2009)

As for the pond. Dig a shallow (6inches deep) area out that is5ft by 5ft or larger. set a tarp inside it and theres your pond. You can buy cones at the store...like ace, walmart,tractor supply,atwoods etc. 

In these trail classes they might be looking for these "Show trail" horses like at the breed shows...QH, APPY,APHA etc. Something professional and that what the horse does for a living....ride these darn trail patterns and go win world titles in pleasure etc. Look on youtube..look up trail classes and you will see what i mean. But this might be more of a fun fair in which case you're in luck. they dont care who you are as long as you can ride the trail!! Thats what I miss about the horse world. now its all political and crap.oh well


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

SouthCreekPaints said:


> In these trail classes they might be looking for these "Show trail" horses like at the breed shows...QH, APPY,APHA etc. Something professional and that what the horse does for a living....ride these darn trail patterns and go win world titles in pleasure etc. Look on youtube..look up trail classes and you will see what i mean. But this might be more of a fun fair in which case you're in luck. they dont care who you are as long as you can ride the trail!! Thats what I miss about the horse world. now its all political and crap.oh well


Yea, It's not to competetive. If you're a minor you have to be in a 4-H group, so my friend and I are going to look around for one with teens our age. Arthur's a grade Paso Fino, so it's probably a good thing our fair isn't that competetive for minors!


----------



## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

equiniphile said:


> Oh, okay. Thanks. And with the opening the gate....do you have to get through it a certain way, or can you just get through the gate any way that you can?


you need to know how to side pass and how to back through poles. they are a given as is gates.

This is how to do gates with a perfect score

I am sure alot of you don't know how or what a judge is looking for in any trial when it comes to opening and closing gates.
This is a run down on how to score a perfect 10

My dominate hand for controlling my horse is my RIGHT hand so at no time will my left hand be used to controlling my horse.

The left hand must never leave the gate accept to latch and unlatch.
The horse must never make me stetch to do anything.
The horse must block the opening to prevent livestock from suddenly rushing through the opening.
This the means the gate must at all times be under your control, the horse needs to move through a small opening and you must never open the gate too wide to allow another animal to escape.

Since I am right handed, controlling the horse with the right hand , every gate I do the horse must swing his LEFT side to the gate.
He must position his body so the latch is by my left leg, a simple bend over slight to the left and the latch is right there.
With his body blocking the latch I bend over and undo the latch.

NOw the position of the hinges determines a ride through or a back through.
If the horse is facing the hinges he must back through. This means a slight side pass and I do this to his right opening the gate rather then pushing it through.
A slight side pass to my right and at the same time a slight back and rotate around the end of the gate, keeping the opening small and his body in it at all times.
So while he is side passing he is also backing and pivoting around the end of the gate putting you on the other side and facing the opposite direction. He then side passes agian to his left closing the gate. The minute the gate is closed he takes a step forward putting the latch once again at your left knee.
At no time did your left hand leave the gate, it did slide along the top to accomodate the horses movement but it never left the gate.

Done properly it is a smooth flow of motion and suprisingly horse quickly learn it. 2 or 3 days doing a few gates a ride seems to give them the idea if IF you have a strong side passer and obedient horse.


We did the hindges facing the horse.. Now have the hindges behind the horse.
In this case with the horse placing your left knee beside the latch you reach down , undo the latch, place your hand on the top of the gate and slightly side pass to your left while the horse backs slightly to prevent colliding with the latch post pushing the gate open and ride through the gap but BUT the horse needs to rotate again around the end of the gate putting you back facing the hindges on the other side. He again side passes to his left closing the gate and backs slight to put your left leg beside the latch.. You now release the gate and fasten the latch.

Once the gate is latched I side pass the horse away from the gate 2 steps and then pivot and ride away.

If you are going to do anything do it right, don't accept sloppy behavior just because you are on the trail and this is not difficult to teach if IF you have it firmly in your mind


----------



## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

^^ Very good advice, I would write this down and take it with me when I practice if I were you equiniphile.


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

RiosDad said:


> you need to know how to side pass and how to back through poles. they are a given as is gates.
> 
> This is how to do gates with a perfect score
> 
> ...


Wow, that helped a lot. Thanks! I'm going to go print this out


----------



## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

Honeysuga said:


> ^^ Very good advice, I would write this down and take it with me when I practice if I were you equiniphile.


 
Any horse I start learns to back and side pass within the first month or two. Once I start gates they already know the basics but I just have to put them together.. I can pattern a horse in less then a week to do a gate almost on his own. That is not a good thing but they know what you are going to ask for next. I do 2 gates per ride and within 3 days they are flowing around the gate. 
It is not hard to teach IF the horse knows how to side pass.
Sidepassing is also the basis for leads later on so teach it early and teach it well.


----------

