Using 4 ground poles: how many exercises can I do?

Added: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]If you take trot poles and stagger them like this, you'll have trot poles in the center and canter poles on the outside.

[00:00:07]But what else can we do with this setup?

[00:00:08]Let's start slow. We can use the poles to improve our backing by backing through and around them. Also, side passing is a great thing to do with poles. This is a back and then a forehand turn into a side pass. If your horse is more advanced, you can use one of the poles for a straddle, which is when the right and left legs are on different sides of the pole. Here is a back straddle. Moving up to the trot, all the poles will actually work as trot poles. But you can also come through them like this to improve your steering.

[00:00:38]Bonus points if you have a loose Zinger in the arena that you have to go around.

[00:00:42]Now let's do the same steering exercise at the canter and see how it goes there.

[00:00:46]Then like I mentioned earlier, these are canter poles on the outside. Sorry, just have to give me a sec. Zinger was blocking the camera again. Okay, now I'm going to use the poles for a lead change. Oh, and Zinger's rolling in the background. [laughter]