We had our first Play Day of the season this December 4th here at Watts Way Arena. The afternoon started off with some work on the ground. We worked with our horses around the dressage/trail obstacle arena that Jack had marked off in the big arena with cones and letters. The tasks that we did on the ground led into the Western Dressage Tests that we rode in the second half of the day.
One of the obstacles was a bridge.We had to go over forwards and also back our horses onto and off of the bridge. Another task was to circle your horse through the barrels 3 times and then stop your horse midway over a pole first at a walk and then at a trot. These are just a few of the tasks which also included some lateral work down the arena.
All of this prepared the riders and their horses for what they would do while riding the tests. Most of the riders had never ridden a test and they found it helpful and enlightening as well as a lot of fun. Yes there was a little confusion at first but most got the hang of it and are ready for more!
The next Play Day is scheduled for January 8th. There will be a copy of the future tests on the calendar link for each Play Day so if you want to get an idea of what we will be doing before that day it will be available but not all of it! It is supposed to be a little bit of a surprise. There will be more games along with the tests and ground work.
Our goal with the Play Days is to give you a chance to practice practical riding skills you can use on the trail as well as using dressage to help you learn to condition your horse properly. It is a way to have fun yet do something with purpose to help you and your horse focus. Jack is there to guide you and answer questions or offer assistance.It is not an in depth clinic set up for learning new skills but a place to practice and try out new things with a little competition to keep it lively.We are always open to ideas and suggestions so please feel free to email me with your thoughts. Hope to see you soon!
