Sandbox lesson #2

Sandbox Lesson #2

Follow the wheeltracks starting from the green arrows. Redline is the Center Line thru X (green) down to C, a little foreshortened just due to the illusions of the camera. 

At the green arrows, the turnout is not badly positioned to tack down the Center Line (red line) However, the driver loses concentration and starts watching the horse instead of keeping the "eye on the prize"...keeping C between the horse's ears. The driver loses the way and allows the horse drift to the left. 

When they look up as they halt at X, the horse is off the Center Line and more importantly, the horse is off balance due to the last second correction attempt to get back on the Center Line...TOO LATE! 

As a consequence, the rein back is decidedly not straight. Follow the wheel tracks back from the green dots. The vehicle is not tracking straight back and if we were able to examine the hoof prints of the horse reining back, they would not be straight back either.

The vehicle now is starting forward even more off the Center Line. Walking forward from the last step in the rein back, the driver attempts to steer back to the center line but everything is so cockeyed and out of balance by then that they over do it and compound their error by over compensating and now drive to the right of the Center Line before halting at G. 

This is a prime example of why accuracy is so important. It is reminiscent of the Compulsory Figures that we used to see in the Olympic skating events back in the 50's and 60's: One small error would cause a cascade of subsequent errors that echo in the attempts to rectify that initial mistake. So it is with horses! Balance is your friend.

As my good friend, Larry Poulin, says : "Don't give up the easy points! "  You are given a map...it shows you where to be....so.... Be there!  Use the real estate you are given. There's little excuse  to be inaccurate. Points are easily taken off for inaccuracy....any judge can see it.