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FUNDAMENTALS OF POLE BENDING
with Wayne Sandberg

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Riders who wish to compete in Pole Bending represent many different levels. Rider level of passion ranges from those who get their fun just by participating to those for whom winning is their main goal in competing. Riders who hold winning as their goal realize that extensive training is required to prepare them for top competition. Those who choose participation as their main goal will obviously require just enough training to match their desire.

We will offer a complete blueprint for those who want to be the best they can be. Each individual will have to match the effort they are willing to apply with the level they wish to attain.

Proficiency in basic horse handling should be achieved before any work with poles is attempted. Shortcuts seldom work. The basic procedures the rider needs to know are:

• Two-handed reining and all its fundamental nuances
• Half-halts, stops and backups
• Stops with the outside rein with the horse in flexion to the inside
• Two tracking procedures such as head out on the fence, lateral march, shoulder in and quarters in
• Spirals using an inside rein and inside leg to move out and an outside rein and leg to move in
• Inside roll backs
• Identify the crookedness in the horse and apply moves in flexion to neutralize that crookedness to make the horse use both sides equally

When horse and rider are competent in these basic procedures, they are then ready to start drills of repetition. We learn much faster by doing something over and over without having to deal with other elements of the pattern.

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SEQUENCE OF DRILLS IN DEVELOPING THE POLE BENDING RUN

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The Pole Bending pattern consists of a run down and a run to the finish, plus three turns and bending eight poles. The success of the run down and the run to the finish are by and large separate from the turns or weaving.

Note that proper footfall in bending the poles is totally dependent on good starts from consistent, accurate turns. An attempted turn that goes by or wide of the turning pole a couple feet or so will usually cause the footfall to be OFF by a couple feet or so. Any deviation of footfall usually results in a down pole or so, somewhere down the line.

This is to point out the importance of developing uniformly accurate turns, which are vital to producing clean runs. We recommend the 4 pole turning drill for developing accurate turns BEFORE starting the weaving process. When the horse and rider can perform the turning drill up to standard, it may be followed with the 4 pole bending drill. When this drill is working well, advance to the 6 pole drill. When horse and rider can run the 6 pole drill three times back and forth clean, it is time to start competition.

Any time a problem comes up troubleshoot it with the appropriate drill. If the problem persists it can always be eliminated by going back to established basic procedures, which will be pointed out and endorsed by the problem itself.

We have given you a blueprint that is about what to do, not about how to do it. For those who are interested in becoming involved in our 'how to' program, we would suggest that you consider attending a scheduled pole bending clinic, or contact Ken Smith at Sunrise West Quarter Horses to arrange one near you. You can find his contact information and detailed clinic information on this Pole Bending Clinics Page >>

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