“A versatile horse used to handling all types of situations calmly makes for a better horse in all disciplines no matter what the focus.”
– Cathy Drumm
What do I mean by a discipline?
A discipline is a style of riding and training that has evolved usually over many years, sometimes millenia, as in dressage and working equitation. Disciplines usually draw their requirements from historical roots of varied horse activities that used to be jobs (ie cavalry, carriage driving, cattle work, farm work etc.) and provide a training map towards expertise in that field.
Nowadays disciplines are not training towards a certain job, but instead each discipline has turned to competition in order to maintain the skill sets.
There are many different disciplines, and through my long career with horses I have tried and participated in a fair number.
- Eventing: When I was a kid on a very successful Pony Club team
- Hunter/Jumpers: When my kids were young and competing to National Levels
- Traditional Dressage: It’s the basis of everything
- Western Dressage: A lighter more relaxed version of Classical Dressage
- Working Equitation: My newest interest
- Mountain Trail: Honestly the most FUN
Of these I find that Western Dressage, Working Equitation, and Mountain Trail fit the best into my Kindful Training program. I focus on them for competition and consistency.
Whenever if I feel a horse or rider is better suited to any other discipline I encourage them in that direction.
Working Equitation
Working Equitation is a little like Eventing in that there are different phases or trials to compete in and your results from all the phases are combined to give an overall score.
- Trial 1 Dressage: Judged on you and your horse’s ability to perform the tests with relaxation, suppleness, strength, harmony.
- Trial 2 Obstacles/Ease of Handling: Judged on how perfectly you and your horse can complete a course of obstacles showing all of the same requirements as dressage. Relaxation, suppleness, strength, harmony.
- Trial 3 Obstacles/Speed: How fast can you complete the course without mistakes.
- Trial 4 Cattle Trial: During the Cattle trial, a team of three or four riders work together as each rider separates a designated cow from the herd and moves it across the enclosure to a holding pen.
The Cattle trial is not always offered at Working Equitation competitions, but it is a crowd and competitor favorite when it is available. Riders use the same tack/attire for this trial as they did for Dressage, Ease of Handling, and Speed.
Western and Classical Dressage
Western Dressage provides a foundation through Classical Dressage for anything you wish to do with your horse. Classical and Western Dressage provide the best training map to guide your journey through a series of “test” that ascend through increasingly difficult levels. The governing body is the Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA) and is now a USEF rated discipline.
As you work your way up the levels you and your horse become stronger, suppler, more coordinated, and better able to understand each other clearly. This produces a partnership with your horse that includes the ability to perform complicated moves that allow you both to thrive in potentially challenging situations.
There are online shows as well as live shows that you can enter and get excellent feedback from certified Western Dressage Association of America judges.
Whether reining, ranch, cow work, games, trail riding, or simple enjoyment, Western Dressage teaches your horse to carry himself properly and helps you create a lasting partnership.
Mountain Trail
This involves big solid obstacles that are designed to mimic the types of terrain and structures that you might encounter on a trail ride.
- Hills
- Rough Ground
- Water
- Ice
- Bridges
- Narrow paths
- Logs
- Steps
Mountain Trail allows you to experiment and learn with your horse in a safe environment with help at hand rather than encountering these things out in the middle of nowhere for the first time.
As I get older I find that my absolute favorite activity with my horse is to go to beautiful places that I wouldn’t be able to get to without her. I also need to feel safe, and practice on a Mountain Trail course is the best preparation for that.
Clinics
Cathy travels all over New England teaching her popular clinics on a regular basis. She also ventures farther afield to the mid-west and has toured as far away as Australia.
There are two basic formats though Cathy is very flexible and can tailor clinics to meet specific requirements.
Clinics can range from half-day (for New England facilities) to two or three day affairs.
There are two basic formats, the Lesson format, a mix of privates, semi-privates (2-3 people) and small groups (4 people), or the full day Group format. The full day Group format starts with a 2 hour group session in the morning (usually between 4 and 8 people) followed by a lunch break and then individual half-hour sessions in the afternoon. This gives riders the opportunity to work on individual goals or ride through tests.
“Cathy is incredibly patient, kind, knowledgeable about many equine disciplines, and understanding. She is also extremely insightful into what is easy, possible, and challenging for any horse and rider combination. I’m an older rider and I can be a bit nervous. Knowing that Cathy would never push beyond what I could do safely—and yet would continue to challenge me to learn more was liberating. One of the best teachers I’ve had over more than 40 years.”