g
pattern and shoot out all ten balloons along the way at the fastest time. Time penalties are imposed for missing balloons, going off course, committing rule infractions and knocking over barrels or target stands. The speed event typically requires two Old West-
style single action .45 caliber revolvers, each loaded with five black powder blank brass cartridges. But what about the “bang, bang?” What about the
chaotic warm up with riders getting their horses up to speed, fast and furious? What about the dressage mindset seeking quiet, focus and collection? What about the dressage mantra of “calm, forward and straight?”
Calm G draws considerable attention at both dressage and shooting competitions. At dressage shows, the young horse is so clearly relaxed in the warm up and in the competition arena that competitors take notice. Might he have been that way without his training in CMS and his experience with the activity at a shooting competition? “Not much that goes on at a dressage show is going to
faze my horse,” says Gretchen, 56. “Dressage shows want everything calm and quiet, with only a few horses in the warm up. Riders and horses are in a bubble, controlled and disciplined. Horses that are broke to gun shot, loud music and being around a bunch of horses don’t care. My horse is pretty darn broke.” While the bay dressage horse is the only Warmblood at these shooting competitions, G is also a standout because of his muscular development and how elegantly he runs the course. Invariably, at every competition, someone will ask her how she trained him to move so beautifully. When she responds ‘dressage,’ they say, ‘of course.’ Gretchen says the top shooting riders are smooth and
consistent, allowing for fast times and accuracy. “There is a lot of good horsemanship involved. G is smooth and consis- tent. That is where the dressage fits in. That is what makes the shooting better,” she explains.
A horse running at a full gallop needs the calm to react
obediently, quickly and precisely if the rider is going to hit the target and stay on course, all at top speed. The rider runs the horse toward each balloon on the prescribed course, rating speed as necessary to shoot each balloon. Instilling in her horses the responsiveness, suppleness and balance to collect and extend in all three gaits has been a major part of Gretchen’s training for dressage—and CMS. “There is an optimal place you need to be to hit the
balloon. Sometimes you don’t have time to set up and there may be communication problems. You wanted to turn sooner and the horse didn’t turn. Or he turned faster than you antici- pated. It happens,” she says.
Forward “Shooting is so forward. G can tend to be lazy and I tend to be conservative, riding him slower with less energy,” says Gretchen, the clinical director of inpatient units at California’s Sonora Regional Medical Center. “These arenas are huge. On a course, you’re running from balloon to balloon as fast as you can. In a dressage arena, it’s kind of tiny and you can get yourself bunched up. You tend to ride conservatively rather than powerfully. From my shooting experience, I’ve learned
Warmbloods Today 17
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Bruce Shoji
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