Ride In Sync

Training for Ground Poles

by Terry Myers

Afew months ago, I wrote an article about the body control needed to properly execute a trail pattern. One of the things we did not address is ground poles. Like most things, proper training can set you and your horse up for success. Improper training just creates problems. Here are some of my training techniques.

If you have ever watched a horse properly execute ground poles at the trot or lope, it is a thing of beauty. When done well, the horse floats over the poles with very little change in the cadence of their stride. The horse does not change speeds through the poles, maintaining a consistent rhythm. To get this result takes time and training over countless poles.

Ground Pole Basics

First you need to check with the association you will be showing in, they all differ a little on the distance between the poles. The distances I use to train on poles complies with American Ranch Horse Association and Ohio 4-H. Check your rule book.

I put walk over poles at a distance of 20-24 inches apart. I like to start walk overs using big poles such as railroad ties or telephone poles. The reason I do this is to have the horse get used to picking up their feet when going over the poles. Most horse shows use jump poles or smaller landscape timbers. If your horse becomes accustomed to walking over bigger poles, they should be fine with the smaller poles at the horse show. Before I walk a horse over poles for the first time, I walk them back and forth between the poles until I know they are comfortable. When I get ready to walk over them the first few times, I might start with just a few poles. I give them slack in the reins to allow them to have their head and let them pick their way through the poles. Do not let them stop midway. After the horse has gone over them a few times and seems comfortable, I add more logs until I am eventually up to about 6-7 poles in a row. After working these and the horse is comfortable, I will stop them about 3 feet before the first pole so they can see the pole. Then queue them to move forward over the series of poles, giving them their head. Stop them after they clear the last pole. By doing this, the horse will develop the habit of walking slower over the poles without rushing them. They will usually put their head down and look at the poles while crossing them, showing a great showring ‘expression’ (appearing to look at the poles all the way). The purpose of stopping them once you clear the poles keeps the horse from developing the habit of rushing over the poles.

Trot over poles should be 3-4 feet apart. Given that the average stock horse has a total stride about 12 feet long, I like my trot overs at 3 feet apart. If you have a bigger horse, set your poles at 4 foot. Again, check the rules for the association that you are showing with. You also need to know your horse’s stride, short versus long. If you have a big long strided horse but are showing with an organization

As I always say, “Horses don’t make mistakes, people do.”

that will have their show ring poles at 3 feet apart, you will need to take that into account in your training. When you first start to trot over your poles, I work one pole. When the horse is comfortable, I add a second pole but not at 3 feet apart. Instead I put it 6 feet from the first pole. That lets the horse have a stride between the poles to help them relax and not be fearful as they learn their trot poles. As they get more and more at ease, I may add a third pole three feet from the second pole. The horse learns to pay attention to their feet. I do not use railroad ties or telephone poles for trot or lope overs. Just regular ground poles, preferring the longer jump poles. Don’t force your horse to slow jog over the poles. They call them trot overs for a reason, allow them to extend their stride and reach over the poles.

For lope over poles, I work them at a distance of 6 feet apart. Again, start with one pole. It is the same process as with your trot over poles, except the distance between poles is greater. After the horse develops a comfort level with loping over one pole, add the second pole at 12 feet from the first. When they are loping over that well, add the third pole 6 feet from the second pole. That way they have a stride between pole 1 and 2, with no stride between poles 2 and 3. The goal is to get to them loping over several poles at the 6 foot distance, with your horse being comfortable.

For both trot over and lope over poles, the horse must elevate their shoulders and drive from behind. For the western horse, the rider needs to sit deep in the saddle, pick up lightly (not back) on the reins and use your legs to drive the horse over the poles. Do not lean forward, pull back or take your legs off the horse. All this will accomplish is dumping the horse on their forehand while restricting their forward movement. The rider S