Are You Seeing Things? Poles 101
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Poles and Cones for Lateral Work 101. Essential games for essential skills.
Pole and cones are good tools for “look up – sit back – go forward.” Games and challenges are set to teach riders to visualize a correct “line of travel.” The hope is that once the games are removed, the rider is able to continue following the path of accuracy. The idea is to keep the vision of these “markers” in one’s own mind’s eye.
Let’s start with a few pole and cone tests for the rider’s beginning lateral work skills.
Turn on the Forehand + Leg Yield
Set up poles on the P-S and R-V diagonals. You will need 4 poles per diagonal, 2 on either side of each quarter line. It can be helpful to place cones at the ends of each 2 pole section as this is where the turns on the forehand will be performed and the visual of the cones are helpful with this.
Set correctly, there should be room for the horse to perform a turn on the forehand near the track or at the center line. There should also be room for the horse to go down either quarter line between the poles. I also like to set up a “cone gate” on the center line at L and I (or wherever it fits for your diagonal choice.) I may also add “gates” on the quarter lines as well.
Eventually, the gates should not be necessary and the poles may be replaced with cones (be careful to keep the lines STRAIGHT) but more poles and cones in the beginning give a much better visual.
The idea here to teach the horse and rider to leg yield on a forwards and sidewards diagonal line. (You could also set them up on a different diagonal such as F-H or K-M, etc) The horse should be prepared for leg yield (a half halt, slight counter flexion, tempo check) before it reaches the start point (R,S,V, or P) and then leg yield with the front legs traveling along the pole line while it stays parallel to the long sides, quarter lines, and center line.
At walk or trot (and even some canter,) the horse is asked to leg yield to the quarter line, center line, or next long side and then go straight. I like to start out with a few times in one direction (leg yield right to center line, straight then turn right, repeat) and then the same the other way. Then the “world is your oyster” and you can add any variation you can think of.
I base my challenges on tempo. Your leg yield tempo should be steady and the horse should maintain THAT TEMPO the rest of the time. It may seem too slow at first but if that is what it takes for the horse to maintain its line, then so be it. On the other hand, if it is very speedy and the parallel(ness) or line is compromised then slow down (even if it feels labored or unsteady!) Your job is to help the horse with understanding, balance, straightness, and confidence…not just to get it from point A to point B.
At the walk, the leg yield exercise can also include the turn on the forehand. (Turn on the forehand is a fantastic exercise for prepping the walk to canter.) Start the leg yield along the diagonal in walk and leg yield past two poles until you reach the end (cone?) nearest the center line. Here, you will perform a turn on the forehand keeping your horses nose close to the cone (so pretty straight through its body.) It will be a 180 degree turn and then you will leg yield back along the same poles to the same place you started. Obviously, you will now be on the other side of the poles. It is nice to trot on after and once the horse is strong and confident, a transition to canter is nice here as well. This exercise is also fun from the center line and having your turn on the forehand near the track…this is very helpful to check straightness as you will end on the center line!
One more walk exercise is to leg yield along the poles to the centerline and then leg yield back along the line of poles in front of you. Example: R to center line and then center line to P. Naturally, as you do these exercises you will find different configurations that work to help your own horse.
BIG TICKET ITEM These athletic endeavors of forward and sideward are for the HORSE to perform…not you. You need to explain, encourage, and then STAY OUT OF ITS WAY. If you are tight, leaning, or thumping around, it defeats the purpose. Let the horse struggle. Do less. Focus on your own straightness and your own position/weight placement. Keep hands together, hips and lower back soft, BREATHE, and teach the horse to respond to light leg aids (it is okay to use your whip…not okay to demand 15 steps if the horse is only capable of 10)
Poles and cones are a bit time consuming to set up. They are also a big eye opener to those thinking they “have it all” and actually can’t ride a straight line. But isn’t it a good plan to see if you can ride “forward and straight” on these easier exercises BEFORE you figure out at 3rd or 4th level that you are a directional nightmare?? Just do it.