Riding Level 3: Drill Manoeuvres
From Roman cavalry, to mediaeval heavy lance, to early modern light horse, mounted warriors have needed the ability to ride in organized formations, and exercises for training groups of riders have existed since Xenophon. You can still see the modern equivalent in drill team exhibitions and our own RCMP Musical Ride. At level 3 we begin to ask you to demonstrate drill team skills in the following two checklist points.
9. Trot long side in single file; turn across arena in parallel to change direction.
10. Correct spacing and control of canter in a group (max 4 to canter).
The second point is fairly self-explanatory. Maintain a couple of horse lengths between you and other horses by slowing or circling as needed. In other words, don't run into other horses and you'll do fine. The rest of this post will focus on the turn in parallel. 
To start with, review your turn across the school from Level 1. Make sure you can perform it smoothly and accurately at walk and trot before you begin adding other horses to the mix.
To turn in parallel all the horses in a single file must perform this turn simulateoneously.
If you are the lead horse in the file your responsibilities are to:
- know the point on the rail where you will begin your turn,
- maintain a steady pace across the width of the arena, checking your horse if necessary to allow laggards to catch up,
- ride straight across the ring and turn accurately at the rail, keeping the same pace as before the turn.
If you are following in the file your responsibilities are to:
- maintain the required space relative to the horse in front of you (usually one horse length),
- know where the lead horse will turn and prepare your horse in advance with suppling half halts so you can turn promptly when your leader does,
- match your pace to the lead horse across the ring,
- turn at the rail and maintain the same spacing from the horse in front of you.
In some ways the lead rider has the easiest job as the other riders must make their horses speed up or slow down to match her. However, it's the leader's responsibility to initiate movements accurately and to set a pace that the slowest horse in the group can match.
Obviously it is easier to practise this with other riders, and our Prix Fiore workshops are good place to do this. However, when riding on your own you can still improve this skill by working on the accuracy of your turn and your ability to modulate your horse's pace within each gait. Practise lengthening and compressing your horse's stride while maintaining the trot rhythm, as well as changing the speed of the trot to match a predetermined rhythm such as a piece of music.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to the following students who passed their Cavaliere assessments on Sunday.
Horsemanship 1: Michael
Riding 1: Michael, Eugene, Hana
Horsemanship 2: Eugene, Hana
Riding 2: Natalie
Horsemanship 3: Natalie, Allie, Karissa
Green Spur Mounted Combat: Christian, Stephanie
Christian and Stephanie will be presented with their Green Spurs at the next Mounted Combat Playday on June 6th.
Well done everyone!
Upcoming Classes
Mounted Combat
Using the plays you have developed in the Mounted Combat Skills workshop you will practise partner and solo drills and sparring from horseback, as well as mounted games and drill team work.
Sundays 17-31 May, 14 June, 1:00 – 2:30pm
Red Colt Equestrian Farm Co-op, 12320 No 2 Road, Richmond
$200 + gst
Prerequisite: Green Spur or Riding Level 1 + permission of instructor
Intro to Mounted Combat
Here’s the place to get started in the Mounted Combat Program, whether you’re an experienced swordsman new to horses, a proficient rider new to swordplay, or a complete beginner!
Saturday 6 June, 10am – 1pm
Red Colt Equestrian Farm Co-op, 12320 No 2 Road, Richmond
$149 + gst
An opportunity to put your skills to work. Come out for friendly practice and competition with mounted games, combat and archery. Assistants on the ground are needed for these sessions. If you are unable to participate as a rider, come out and be a squire for us to earn credits for future playdays. Spectators welcome!
Saturday 6 June 1pm – 4pm
Red Colt Equestrian Farm Co-op, 12320 No 2 Road, Richmond
$15 + $15 for use of school horse
Prerequisites:
Mounted Games: Riding Level 1
Mounted Sparring: Green Spur
Horseback Archery: Beginner Horseback Archery + Riding Level 1
Beginner Riding & Horsemanship
This six-class course is designed to help the beginning rider achieve Horsemanship and Riding Level 1.
Saturdays 6 June - 11 July, 4:00 - 6:00pm
Red Colt Equestrian Farm Co-op, 12320 No 2 Road, Richmond
$300 + gst
Level 2 Riding & Horsemanship
This six-class course is designed to help the riders achieve Horsemanship and Riding Level 2. The curriculum includes:
Saturdays 6 June - 11 July, 4:00 - 6:00pm
Red Colt Equestrian Farm Co-op, 12320 No 2 Road, Richmond
$300 + gst
Prerequisites: Riding and Horsemanship Level 1
Horsemanship Level 4
This 6-week course will cover the material necessary for Horsemanship 4 in both lecture and practical session
Saturdays 6 June - 11 July, 4:30 - 5:30pm
Red Colt Equestrian Farm Co-op, 12320 No 2 Road, Richmond
$130 + gst
Riding Level 3+
A six-class series for riders working on Level 3 and up. Group lessons consist of up to four riders. Additional time slots are added as needed, and riders grouped by level as much as possible. Riders are expected to arrive at least half an hour before class and have their horses groomed, tacked up, and partially warmed up before the lesson starts.
Saturdays 6 June - 11 July, 6:00 - 7:00pm
Red Colt Equestrian Farm Co-op, 12320 No 2 Road, Richmond
$200 + gst
Prerequisites: Riding level 2 or permission from instructor.
Cavaliere Assessments
Sunday 5 July, 1:30 – 4:30pm
Red Colt Equestrian Farm Co-op, 12320 No 2 Road, Richmond
$50 for partial assessment (Horsemanship, Riding OR Mounted Combat)
$80 for full assessment (2 or 3 of the above elements)
Jennifer Landels heads up Academie Duello's Cavaliere Program. She has been swordfighting since 2008, and riding since before she could walk. She started the program as an excuse to combine those passions. Read more from Jennifer Landels.