By Dan Roark
As you may recall, if you’re a regular reader, the two man(person) drill team won second place and the four man(person) drill team won first place at Chisholm Challenge. I also mentioned that Susan takes great pride and pain to come up with two winning routines each Chisholm Challenge – comprising humor, entertainment, and the talent of riders and horses.
The work begins – as seen in the picture – in September 
during regular lessons – as it does for those who are going to ride trail or barrels. However, we’re concerned at this point with the drill teams. First, Susan picks the riders she thinks are most capable of being able to work with a horse in tandem with other riders and horses. Then the work begins of seeing which riders work best with which horses. Horses you see in these pictures are not necessarily the horses ridden in the competition.
After the riders have worked with the horses a couple of months or so, the teams begin to work with the music, all the while putting together the costumes they will wear in the competition. Then, in December and January, even though there are no lessons, Susan calls for special drill team practices for riders, horses, and side-walkers (for the two person drill team).
Following are pictures representing the end result of four and a half months’ work. Congratulations to Susan, the girls, the side-walkers, and the horses! Great job!
Ride on and ride for hope.
The post The Road to Chisholm Challenge for the Drill Teams first appeared on New Hope Therapeutic Riding.