CHECKING
THE MAIL
By SUSAN
DUDASIK
Checking
the mailbox is one of those tiny, routine activities we all
take for granted. There’s nothing difficult or exciting
about it unless you’re trying to do it from the back of
a 1,200 pound horse in the middle of a showring while under
the eagle-eye of a judge and all your peers. Then, the mailbox
suddenly turns into a horse-eating monster.
One of
my most enjoyable parts of working with 4-H youth is that I
have a large variety of riders and horses to observe. And, by
observing them I learn a lot about rider/equine relationships,
especially how they work obstacles like the mailbox. One of
my most common observations is that most often, it’s not
the equine that goofs up, but the rider. We all get nervous
when showing so we must learn how to recognize and counteract
that nervousness. How often does your horse do perfectly when
practicing the mail box, then fall apart in the ring? This isn’t
uncommon. Often when you have to stop and stand to work an obstacle,
you worry that your horse might not stand or he‘ll move
around. The more you worry about this, the better chance there
is of it happening. So, to counteract this, you need to change
your focus from the mailbox to standing. Remember, break all
obstacles down to individual moves. Step one is stopping, then
standing. If you focus on standing for about a minute at a time
next to all kinds of things, standing next to a stick with a
box on it will be no problem.
Working
on this will also help you conquer the second problem, going
too fast. Contrary to what some think, Trail is not a speed
class. You can stand and settle your horse for a few seconds
before working the mailbox, this applies to gates and other
obstacles as well. Once you’re lined up next to the mailbox,
ask your horse to stand, then take a deep breath before reaching
for the mail. This will only take a few seconds and has a calming
effect on you and your horse as well as giving a smooth, relaxed
look to your performance. While you’re settling, you can
also switch your reins to the other hand so you don’t end
up reaching across your horse and your reins to open the mailbox.
Just remember to switch rein hands again before you ride off,
since you must have the reins in the same hand that you had
them in when you entered the arena. This is a common mistake
among novice showers. They think they can’t change hands
to work an obstacle. You can, as long as they are back in the
original hand before you ride off. Another common novice mistake
is to drop the reins completely or wrap them around the saddle
horn. This is a definite no-no. Keep hold of the reins at all
times!
Another
common problem riders have on the mailbox obstacle occurs before
they even get to the obstacle. It happens on the approach. The
pattern says “trot to mailbox, check for mail. Walk to
next obstacle.” Let’s do this with two different riders,
both on the same horse. Rider A stares at the mailbox as she
approaches it. Then, realizing she’s there, jerks the horse
to a stop about two feet from the mailbox. Before he’s
completely stopped, she leans out to reach the mailbox. As she
does, she’s unaware that because she’s leaning so
far, she’s actually cueing her horse to move away from
the obstacle. Frustrated she tries to pull him back in position
and is eventually able to grab the mail. She then takes the
mail and wildly flaps it in the air and right between the horse’s
ears. By now, the horse is getting up set, rider is getting
angry at the horse and obstacle is about to be demolished!
Now, rider
B on the same horse. As she’s trotting toward the mailbox,
she’s looking forward and judging her distance. About five
strides from the obstacle, she gives a light squeeze on the
reins, slightly slowing her horse and letting him know he’s
about to stop. Three strides from the obstacle she closes her
hands on the reins, braces her back and asks her horse to stop.
He does, right next to the mailbox. The rider stops for a second
and while taking a deep breath, checks her position to the box.
Noticing she’s a bit too far away, she quietly cues her
horse for a few sidesteps. When the horse’s in a position
that allows the rider to sit fairly straight and still reach
the mailbox, she bends from the waist, keeping her legs balanced
on the horse’s sides, and opens the box. She then calmly
takes the mail out, holding it for the judge to see. After replacing
the mail, she remains standing still for a second, gathers her
reins then lightly cues her horse to walk forward.
Both riders
are riding the same horse and doing the same obstacle but have
very different out comes. Why? Because rider A was nervous and
in too much of a hurry. Remember, horses don’t like to
be rushed or forced. Rider B used this to her advantage. She
gave the horse plenty of notice that he was to slow down. She
gave him a second to realize the mailbox wasn’t going to
eat him so he was willing to sidestep closer to it. She trusted
he would stand and didn’t give him mixed cues when she
leaned over to get the mail. She was working with the horse
and they were a team.
Showing,
especially in trail events, should be a fun, relaxed experience
for you and your horse. If he’s acting really different
at the show than he does during your training sessions at home,
you might want to slow down and review what you are doing. At
your next show, have someone video or even take still shots
of you working each obstacle. Study the pictures and see if
maybe it’s something you’re unknowingly doing that’s
causing your horse to react differently. Often it’s just
making a little change like sitting for a few seconds before
starting the obstacle or not leaning so far over to do something
that can mean the difference between placing or leaving empty-handed.
archives
Susan Dudasik
Shadow Rider Equine News
srider@salmoninternet.com
Member: Idaho Press Club
North American Saddle Mule Association
