By Pam Gamble
The Memphis area carriage driving community was treated to a schooling show on September 15, 2012 at Bob Martin's Split Tree Farm in Moscow, TN.
The schooling show had been billed as a mini ADT or Arena Driving Trial, so participants knew there would be a dressage test, a cones test, and a marathon course (aka cross country course in eventing).
The drivers had the opportunity to work on the dressage test on which they would be judged at the upcoming ADS rated Nashoba Carriage Classic. Members were pleased that dressage judge Kathryn Meistrell was on hand to score the test with helpful comments.
The cones course was a series of twenty gates set on rolling hills at Bob's farm. The hills gave the Navigators more of a challenge as they shifted their weight while negotiating up and down the hills. Susan Walker, MFH and Huntsman for Longreen Foxhounds, volunteered to run the stopwatch and keep the time for the cones and marathon course.
The marathon course was a true cross country course involving a series of hazards, both man-made and natural. At one point the course went over a gradually-descending hill and zig-zagged through a stand of trees. The course took more than ten minutes for most and was considered quite challenging and a lot of fun!
Afterwards, participants served a sumptuous potluck lunch. Nashoba members are renowned for their generous and delicious potlucks!
After lunch, the members hitched up again to practice their Super Reinsmanship pattern, which was set up in Bob's covered arena. Reinsmanship focuses on the drivers’ skill and finesse as they negotiate a predetermined pattern.
Finally, drivers practiced the rail class. This gave the young horses and green drivers a chance to feel what it is like to pass and be passed in a rail class.
Drivers and their ponies left tired and happy with their goals firmly in mind for the upcoming Nashoba Carriage Classic, October 26-28 at the Germantown Charity Horse Show Arena.
(Photos by Sandra Saylor)
The Memphis area carriage driving community was treated to a schooling show on September 15, 2012 at Bob Martin's Split Tree Farm in Moscow, TN.
The schooling show had been billed as a mini ADT or Arena Driving Trial, so participants knew there would be a dressage test, a cones test, and a marathon course (aka cross country course in eventing).
The drivers had the opportunity to work on the dressage test on which they would be judged at the upcoming ADS rated Nashoba Carriage Classic. Members were pleased that dressage judge Kathryn Meistrell was on hand to score the test with helpful comments.
The cones course was a series of twenty gates set on rolling hills at Bob's farm. The hills gave the Navigators more of a challenge as they shifted their weight while negotiating up and down the hills. Susan Walker, MFH and Huntsman for Longreen Foxhounds, volunteered to run the stopwatch and keep the time for the cones and marathon course.
The marathon course was a true cross country course involving a series of hazards, both man-made and natural. At one point the course went over a gradually-descending hill and zig-zagged through a stand of trees. The course took more than ten minutes for most and was considered quite challenging and a lot of fun!
Afterwards, participants served a sumptuous potluck lunch. Nashoba members are renowned for their generous and delicious potlucks!
After lunch, the members hitched up again to practice their Super Reinsmanship pattern, which was set up in Bob's covered arena. Reinsmanship focuses on the drivers’ skill and finesse as they negotiate a predetermined pattern.
Finally, drivers practiced the rail class. This gave the young horses and green drivers a chance to feel what it is like to pass and be passed in a rail class.
Drivers and their ponies left tired and happy with their goals firmly in mind for the upcoming Nashoba Carriage Classic, October 26-28 at the Germantown Charity Horse Show Arena.
(Photos by Sandra Saylor)
