Question about trotting course at tiny local schooling show

[VA_Hunter_Aside]

I’m taking my friend/“student” to her first english hunter show this weekend (she’s only shown western). It’s a teeny weeny local circuit, very low key (half chaps are allowed), and she’ll be doing the green hunter division which allows trotting the course. We’ve decided she should trot because she hasn’t been able to reliably pick up her right lead when jumping.

My question is, does she have to trot every jump, or can she canter in between the jumps in a line and just trot between the lines? I’ve never trotted a course at a show, I’ve always cantered, so I’m not sure what the rule is and the prizelist doesn’t specify.

Thank you!

[ybiaw]

Hmm. Good question. I think whatever the decision, it needs to be consistent.

If it were me, I would trot in/canter out of lines. So trot in to the first jump, canter down the line and canter the 2nd jump. Then come back to a trot in the corner, trot in/canter out next line, come back to a trot at the corner, etc.

OR she could try cantering the whole course and only come back to a trot for simple lead changes. But if the horse is super green and wiggly and likes to rush, I’d do the aforementioned trot in/canter out.

[trubandloki]

[QUOTE=ybiaw;8128265]
Hmm. Good question. I think whatever the decision, it needs to be consistent.

If it were me, I would trot in/canter out of lines. So trot in to the first jump, canter down the line and canter the 2nd jump. Then come back to a trot in the corner, trot in/canter out next line, come back to a trot at the canter, etc.

OR she could try cantering the whole course and only come back to a trot for simple lead changes. But if the horse is super green and wiggly and likes to rush, I’d do the aforementioned trot in/canter out.[/QUOTE]
I agree with this.

Just be consistent.

Trot in and canter out of lines is the most common way to do it.

[EmJ628]

I second ybiaw. Trot in/Canter out with a nice transition back down to the canter after the lines. I’ve seen this done before at the level of show you are talking about. Have fun!

[french_fry]

I think trotting to the second jump in a line could be harder than cantering the course! I would do as ybiaw suggested and trot in/canter out of lines then come back to a trot before the next jump.

[ybiaw]

yb, FTW!

[beau159]

I would think that trotting would be acceptable, throughout the whole course. My instructor actually recommends I do that with my horse for our first show, since we are both green.

[trubandloki]

[QUOTE=beau159;8128303]
I would think that trotting would be acceptable, throughout the whole course. My instructor actually recommends I do that with my horse for our first show, since we are both green.[/QUOTE]
Agreed, it is probably allowed for the whole course.
The reason most people trot in and canter out then come back to the trot on the ends for the next line is that getting a trot in the line is not always easy so the whole course runs much smoother with the trot in and canter out of the line theory.

[VA_Hunter_Aside]

Thanks for all the replies! I agree trotting in and cantering out is the best way and looks the smoothest. I was worried that they’d expect riders to trot every single fence and that would be difficult with this horse, plus it would not look very nice.

ybiaw - I would prefer for her to canter but the issue is she has trouble picking up the correct lead to the right (horse prefers the left lead) even when doing a simple change. It’s something we’re working on but won’t be fixed before Saturday.

[ybiaw]

[QUOTE=VA_Hunter_Aside;8128330]
Thanks for all the replies! I agree trotting in and cantering out is the best way and looks the smoothest. I was worried that they’d expect riders to trot every single fence and that would be difficult with this horse, plus it would not look very nice.

ybiaw - I would prefer for her to canter but the issue is she has trouble picking up the correct lead to the right (horse prefers the left lead) even when doing a simple change. It’s something we’re working on but won’t be fixed before Saturday. ;)[/QUOTE]

Yep! Then trot in canter out trot in the corners. So nice that your show has a class like this!!

[VA_Hunter_Aside]

[QUOTE=ybiaw;8128343]
Yep! So nice that your show has a class like this!![/QUOTE]

Yeah this particular show has two divisions like this, Green Hunter and Student Equitation, both are 18" height. I live in an area where there a lots of little local hunter circuits and many of them offer trotting courses in the lower divisions. It’s a really nice atmosphere for people starting out or who are nervous about showing. And the classes are CHEAP! $7 a class if you’re a member $10 for non-members. I’m moving to Texas in June and I can only hope they have a similar horse culture in the hunters. Although I guess it doesn’t matter since I won’t have a student any longer!

[PaintPony]

[QUOTE=VA_Hunter_Aside;8128362]
Yeah this particular show has two divisions like this, Green Hunter and Student Equitation, both are 18" height. I live in an area where there a lots of little local hunter circuits and many of them offer trotting courses in the lower divisions. It’s a really nice atmosphere for people starting out or who are nervous about showing. And the classes are CHEAP! $7 a class if you’re a member $10 for non-members. I’m moving to Texas in June and I can only hope they have a similar horse culture in the hunters. Although I guess it doesn’t matter since I won’t have a student any longer! :-([/QUOTE]

What show are you going to? We certainly do have an abundance of schooling shows around here!

I agree with others about trot in/canter out, and have actually done the same thing with a green horse before. It’s going to look much better than having to get the horse back to a trot between fences. I’ve seen green divisions like that in the area, and the smoother looking round will pin better. Good luck!

[vxf111]

I think if this is more about getting out for the first time, she should do whatever feels most comfortable for her. The way I’ve seen it handled is typically trot the entire thing (old slow half-dead school pony that knows the drill and WON’T canter along the way) or trot into the lines, canter out, return to a nice trot by the corner (green horse learning the ropes).

[Midge]

No matter what happens, your student should feel free to do whatever will make her the most comfortable. Trot in, canter out should be the plan. It looks the smoothest. But don’t let her get locked into the idea that it is what she MUST do. It sounds like she’s there for the experience for her and her greenie, so make it a good one.

[OveroHunter]

Trot in, canter out, and make sure you come back to a trot before the corners would be my expectation.

[poltroon]

It’s a schooling show. Do what’s right for the horse and the student to have a good round.

I personally would want to trot the jump, and canter after, possibly cantering out of lines. I would not care about consistency (that you trot every jump) as much as I’d care that it was a smooth, pleasant round. Ideally one would have smooth transitions from canter back to trot whenever they were done, and ideally transitions would occur in such a way that the horse is not cantering corners on the wrong lead. IE: exactly what you’d want her to do at home in a lesson.

If she just needs to trot for the lead change and would like to canter the actual jumps, I would consider that also. Whatever is best for developing confidence and competence for the horse and the rider is the right answer.

[Jumper_girl221]

Our local circuit has a baby green class over 18" or 2’ that is trot or canter. If the horse trots (and trotting in cantering out is fine) they must come back to the trot prior to the corner and trot the next line. Whatever they do, they need to do the entire course as.

[french_fry]

[QUOTE=poltroon;8128646]
It’s a schooling show. Do what’s right for the horse and the student to have a good round.

I personally would want to trot the jump, and canter after, possibly cantering out of lines. I would not care about consistency (that you trot every jump) as much as I’d care that it was a smooth, pleasant round. Ideally one would have smooth transitions from canter back to trot whenever they were done, and ideally transitions would occur in such a way that the horse is not cantering corners on the wrong lead. IE: exactly what you’d want her to do at home in a lesson.

If she just needs to trot for the lead change and would like to canter the actual jumps, I would consider that also. Whatever is best for developing confidence and competence for the horse and the rider is the right answer.[/QUOTE]

This is a really good point. If your friend is going for show miles vs. ribbons it doesn’t really matter what the judge is looking for and I’d suggest doing whatever feels most comfortable in the moment - which may be keeping the canter out of the line and to the next jump if the horse lands smoothly on the correct lead and it all feels good.

That said, in my experience nervous first timers usually like to have a plan and don’t want to fully rely on making decisions in the moment. From what you’ve written here, my proposed plan would be, “The official game plan is to trot in, canter out of the lines, get the smooth downward transition back to the trot before the corner and trot the next jump. If the canter feels good, though, don’t feel like you have to come back to the trot right away - you can keep cantering until you feel like you need to trot or to get a simple change.”

And honestly, even though it’s not about the ribbons, at this level the judge is often looking for the smoothest round overall, which may be accomplished with the more thoughtful (if less consistent) ride.

TL;DR anything goes, do whatever feels right in the moment.

[findeight]

It’s OK if she takes part of the corner to return to the trot, it’s hard for a novice and/or greenie to come immediately back to a trot after even a little jump at the canter. She doesn’t have to hit the brakes (or try) right away after the jump. Likewise trotting the whole line on something that’s not half dead is not really a beginner exercise

But she needs to be trotting before she get around to face the next line.

That’s actually what she should be polishing, take her mind off the actual jumps to. Trot in, canter out slow back to trot before exiting the corner. Have her circle in the corner if she cannot get the trot, no way let her continue down that next line at a building canter. That’s the biggest and very common mistake I see with nervous riders at first shows, letting the canter build and build it does. She’ll mark down if she does (refusal) but it’s better to build a foundation and confidence then scaring everybody including the horse.

[french_fry]

findeight, I got the impression that the OP’s student is fine with cantering a course, it’s just the lead that can be a little sticky.

If that’s the case and the rider has a good head on her shoulders, I think if the canter she lands in feels good it’s fine to keep cantering out of the corner, jump the next one from a canter, and only trot when/if she needs to trot. The goal is ultimately to canter a whole course, after all.

If it’s a green horse/green rider/first show nerves combo situation I definitely agree with going in with a plan (trotting after every line) and sticking to it.