Ease of Handling trial: the importance of walking the course
In the Ease of Handling trial, one of the 4 trials of working equitation, riders are confronted with a series of 10 to 15 obstacles to clear while respecting specific requirements.
Depending on your category, the obstacle course will be made of different obstacles and the requirements to pass each obstacle will also vary.
For instance, the slaloms will be either at a trot or canter, with or without flying changes; more advanced levels will have two sideways rails instead of one, set up in an L-shape instead of a straight line; same thing for the corridor bell, it can be either straight for beginners, or in an L shape for more advanced riders. Some obstacles like the clover leaf or the double slalom are only for the highest category.
Don’t know what all these obstacles are or mean? Find a full overview of Working Equitation course obstacles on this page!
Watch the Video: Hervé Maurel Walking the Obstacle Course
In this video, Hervé Maurel demonstrates to a group of students how to walk an obstacle course before the competition starts. Because let’s face it, once you’re in the riding arena with your horse, facing the judges, there simply isn’t much time to think - let alone to find the best strategies to get past each obstacle, which is why the course walk is essential!
So once you enter the arena, you must know by heart your trajectory and only concentrate on your horse.
In the video you will meet three riders who will go through three different courses at three different proficiency levels: novice for Cynthia, intermediate for Laetitia and Master for Pierre. So Hervé will give them different advice and instructions based on their level since they will each ride a different course.
Walking the obstacle course before the Ease of Handling trial is actually essential to successfully perform this trial. It will enable you to:
Figure out what exact trajectory to take between obstacles
Assess the different obstacles and their difficulty level
Measure how to position or align your horse before, during and after each obstacle
Think about when to halt, walk, or canter through the obstacle course
In this video, it’s not a real competition but only a practice, so the three riders are wearing regular outfits. During a real competition, all riders are required to walk the course fully dressed in their competition outfit, including boots, jacket and hat! Only the competitors and their coaches are allowed in the ring.
Watch the video below to get all the insider tips on running through the Ease of Handling obstacles ahead of time!
What’s in the Video
00:55 - How to correctly greet the judges (without accidentally starting the clock)
00:18 - The start
01:30 - First obstacle: the gate
02:10 - Second obstacle: the poles
02:50 - Third obstacle: the figure eight
03:14 - Fourth obstacle: picking up a garrocha from a barrel
03:55 - Collecting the ring
04:15 - Crossing the bridge
05:05 - Placing the garrocha back in the barrel
05:15 - The parallel slalom (double slalom)
06:15 - The jump
07:50 - The jug
08:30 - The bell corridor
08:55 - The pen
09:55 - The finish line
10:00 - Full overview of the course
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