A Horsemanship Challenge!

One of my favorite sessions of the Parelli clinic last weekend was the Four Savvys Challenge.  In this one, Linda brought out four different horses and riders and had them go through a set of challenges. It was intriguing to watch and learn.
Here they are for your interest... 4 sets of "can you's".

On Line, or working with a horse on the ground with various lengths of lead.

• Can you back your horse across an arena, quietly and straight?
• Can you send your horse sideways down a fence at a trot?
• Can you put your horse's nose and then their front feet on an object?
• Can you keep your feet still, put your horse on a circle around you, and make 3 trot-walk transitions?

Liberty, or working with a horse on the ground without a halter or lead at all.

• Can you pick up all 4 of your horse's feet from one side (one at a time, of course!)?
• Can you get your horse to stay with you in an open arena and walk, trot, and canter alongside you?
• Can you send your horse sideways over barrels laying down?
• Can you send your horse out and away from you in an arena and then bring her back without moving your feet?  This one is hard!

Freestyle, or riding either without reins or on a completely loose rein.

• Can you, without reins, do a turn/pivot on the forehand, and one on the hindquarters?
• Can you circle the whole arena at the walk, trot, and canter?
• Can you move sideways over a barrel?
• Can you push a big ball across the arena?

Finesse, or the art of riding with a soft touch/connection to the bit.

• Can you jog around the arena on a loose rein and come back to a walk without reins?
• Can you, while walking, pick up a soft touch, stop, and back up 6 steps?
• Can you trot in a large circle with a soft touch, spiral in on the circle and then leg yield back out?
• Can you do a hand gallop around the arena, come across the diagonal and do a flying change? Then loosen reins and come down to a walk/halt?

How many of these can you do successfully?