In the next installment of our highly popular “Finesse Your Patterns” series, judges, trainers, and non-pros share the strategy and feel that separates a winning Trail run from the rest.
Trail is the class that keeps even seasoned exhibitors humble. One tiny tick over a log can cost a half-point. Break a pole, and the penalty feels loud. Unlike rail classes, where warm-up often tells the story, Trail is a different kind of test, because every course is different, every obstacle is judged, and you’re navigating it all on a 1,200-pound partner with their own opinions.
In Part 1 of our “Finesse Your Patterns” series, we took a deep dive into Showmanship and in Part 2, we explored the finer points of Horsemanship. For Part 3, we asked respected trainers, judges, and accomplished riders to share their best Trail advice. Their message is clear: clean matters, but real finesse comes from planning, patience, and staying present…one obstacle at a time.
Take the Pattern Apart
World & Congress Champion trainer Ashley Dunbar-Clock is the first to tell you that Trail can be streaky. “Each obstacle is judged separately,” she reminds her clients, “so, if you make a mistake on one obstacle, tell yourself the next obstacle needs to be so good as to try to make up for it. You can’t give up just because you had a mess up on one obstacle.”
Her biggest warning is the mental spiral that starts when riders get ahead of themselves. “I never think about the next obstacle until I’m complete on the one before it,” she says. When you rush, your horse feels it, and suddenly you’re stacking mistakes everywhere. Trail rewards riders who can reset fast, focus narrowly, and keep building plus scores as the pattern unfolds.
Transitions Create the Flow
In today’s Trail, “smooth and put together” wins, and that starts before you ever step over a pole.
“To me, having good transitions in the Trail is important,” Clock explains. “A good or bad transition can make or break an obstacle.” Riders often hurry a lope departure or rush a downward transition because they’re afraid they’ll miss a spot. But a frantic transition is exactly what causes you to miss it. Clock prefers riders get a couple of correct steps, then find their spot, and let the obstacle happen.
Walk the Course Like It’s Your GPS
If there’s one tip nearly everyone agrees on, it’s this – walk your course. Trainer and judge Brent Maxwell puts it simply: “It doesn’t matter if it’s your first Trail class or your 100th, make sure you walk the course.” Walking lets you map your path, plan your transitions, and visualize where to put your horse for the best advantage.
Michigan trainer Christa Baldwin adds the piece many newcomers miss: learn what you’re being judged on. “Know your rules,” she says, then learn the score sheet, what’s a penalty versus a maneuver score, and why. When you understand the system, you start riding with intention instead of hoping for luck.
Slow Work Wins Classes
Trail has evolved into a grid of logs, pinwheels, and technical pole work, but many penalties happen in the “slow” moments: the gate, bridge, sidepass, box, and back-through. World Champion trainer Ryan Cottingim says slow maneuvers are where horses get anxious, anticipate, or go on autopilot, so they deserve just as much practice as poles.
His solution is to make slow work feel like quiet time. When a horse gets tense, he’ll take them elsewhere, like over poles, then return to the slow maneuver and let the horse rest until they release a big breath. That exhale is the tell. Relaxed, listening, ready.
On the gate, Cottingim’s philosophy is defensive riding. Stop in the right place so you never have to reach. He likes to break the maneuver into distinct moments, with soft stops and soft steps, so the horse stays connected instead of hurried. Over walkovers, he reminds riders not to “quit riding” on the last pole; that late tick is often the one that stings.
Pole Work: Plan the Runway
Master Trail pattern designer Tim Kimura has a blunt reminder: without poles at home, you’ll feel under the gun at the show. You don’t need forty logs to start, but you do need repetition to build eye and timing. His emphasis is the runway, also known as the approach. If you don’t start with the right line, speed, and distance, it’s hard for your horse to recover inside a technical line.
Kimura also stresses body position. Be engaged without collapsing onto the horse’s shoulder. And remember, the higher the pole, the less you need to lean. Balance and rhythm should come from the plan, not from throwing your body.
Warm-Up Etiquette: Be Predictable
A Trail warm-up pen is Horsemanship traffic plus obstacles. Trainer Torey Roderick says etiquette is what keeps it safe and useful. Her basics? Know your pattern before you enter, look up as much as Trail allows, and before you stop or back up, know what’s behind you.
She also encourages riders to yield to exhibitors committed to a line or sequence, someone may be counting strides, and stopping them mid-run can rattle confidence. If you need to exit an obstacle, try to stay in the same direction and gear, regroup, then re-enter when there’s a window. And remember, warm-up is rehearsal, not training. If it’s too crowded to build confidence, it’s okay to opt out and show your homework. Remember, a thinking horse beats an anticipating horse every time. If you feel rushed, take a breath, soften hand, and reset your rhythm.
Anthony Montes of Vickery Performance Horses expands on this thought, advising to use the warm-up to check your buttons, not cram. “You want to make sure that your horse is responsive and thinking about you and your cues,” he says. “Are your buttons working? Is your horse distracted? This is your time to get them in the zone and make sure they’re tuned into to the task.” His practical twist is to remind your horse to be careful right before you go in. Something as simple as walking over slightly elevated poles can sharpen focus without drilling your horse, which may rattle them.
Keep Showing…Unless It’s Tragic
Trail rewards composure and Montes urges riders to keep showing through small mistakes. Tick a pole, regroup, ride the next obstacle like it’s the first. But, he offers a smart caveat. If the pattern truly isn’t salvageable and you need to fix something for the next trip, don’t panic. School it, correct it, and move on. Horses are creatures of habit, and what you allow in the show pen can become tomorrow’s pattern problem.
The Takeaway
Finessing a Trail pattern isn’t about surviving the obstacles, it’s about riding the space between them with intention. Break the course into pieces. Make transitions a priority. Walk the course until it’s automatic. Practice slow work until it becomes a quiet, confident time. And in the warm-up, be predictable and courteous.
At its best, Trail shows a partnership that’s sharp, patient, and present. When your plan is clear, and your horse trusts your cues, the pattern doesn’t just look clean, it looks effortless. And that’s the kind of finesse judges remember.
In case you missed the first two installments of our highly popular “Finesse Your Patterns” series, be sure to check out Part 1 on Showmanship and Part 2 on Horsemanship. And tay tuned for the final class in our series – Equitation.
