Pattern 50: Novice

Instructions:

1. Starting with Cone 2, back your horse 2 horse lengths


2. Trot past cone 3, make an arc as drawn.


3. Upon completion of arc stop at cone 3 and complete a 360 degree pivot.


4. Walk to judge and stop.


5. Set up for inspection.


6. Follow ring stewards instruction after dismissal.
   

Findings:

• Beginning with cone 2, back 2 horse lengths (about 10 steps) when my students finished their front feet were at cone 1.


• Trot past cone 3, stopping at cone 3 and being in line with Judge, now this could be problematic if you don't have a good sense of direction, because unless you are tall or have a short horse, you were turning blindly into your horse to line up with the judge.


• Stopping at cone 3, you needed to stop with your nose, the judge in our pattern was VERY CLOSE to cone 3, so if you stopped at the shoulder you were sure to run over the top of the cone during your spin.


• As you are finishing up your spin, be sure to look up and at the judge so that you don't over or under spin.


• Walk off to judge and then stop and set up for inspection.


• Upon dismissal, I instructed my clients a 90 degree turn, look at judge and walk away...