Pattern Paranoia
Squiggles and lines! Triangles and dots!
Nope, it’s not your kid’s kindergarten drawing, it’s a horse show pattern. On the surface it all appears rather straight forward, but did you really READ it? What about the unwritten markers, the allowances for change of gait, maximizing your arena usage? There are parts of a pattern that are inherent and are to be determined by the rider to best showcase the horse they are on that day.
When you’re memorizing your pattern, you need to have a plan for where each maneuver takes place in relation to the set markers. If cones are indicated, look where the rest of your gait changes happen in relation to the rest of the pattern or other cones set. Are you turning before or after a cone? If you ride past a cone, do you stay past that cone for the rest of the pattern? If you trotted a line down one side and then double back, where is the change of gait indicated? The written words of the pattern will always supersede the image drawn if there is a dispute, but a well-presented pattern will show you exactly where you should be hitting markers and initiating transitions.
Know your horse. If it takes you 3 strides to collect before getting your lope off, you need to have that in mind for your pattern. Don’t wait until you are at the cone to begin asking for that lope off, you need to be in that first lope step when your horse’s nose hits the cone, so prepare before you get there! Likewise, on your down transitions, if your horse is dull breaking from a lope to a jog and it takes him a few strides to check back, then you need to adjust accordingly.
In patterns with minimal or no markers, like ranch riding, it’s absolutely imperative to know how to use your arena. Where does the gait change happen? Is it before the corner or after? How long do you stay in that gait before the next transition? Study how your pattern lays out in the arena, if changes happen before corners or at a halfway point, go look at the arena you will be showing in and pick a stationary object you can mentally orient as the halfway point. Sometimes it’s a joining of two panels or a dirt smudge on the wall. Evaluate if your pattern uses the entire arena for the whole pattern or if you have to turn at, above, or below the halfway mark.
The last thing I tell my riders when they have it all memorized is to visualize. Its one thing to be standing in a line up and watching the riders go before you and solidifying what you think you already know. Its quite another scenario to walk into a freshly worked arena as the solo rider with a jumbotron and bright lights overhead and all eyes on you. Spend the extra minute and envision what walking through that gate is going to feel and look like with an empty arena stretched out before you.
Preparation is key. Being confident will translate into your ride. Even if you make a mistake, never quit showing; you don’t know what will happen to the next rider. Set yourself up for success and let the hard work bring the reward!