March 29, 2021 
Many say SmartPhones have no place in a riding lesson.
This exercise relies on one.
The “Hey Siri” drill, from The EquiVault, is a group lesson that is challenging, educational, and fun—and is dictated by the trainer you didn’t know you had in your phone.
For the rider, it teaches adjusting stride count, canter transitions and altering the track. For the horse, it schools canter transitions and bending lines. (And not spooking at your phone.)
For this exercise you will need:
- 4 cavalettis
Set the cavalettis as follows.
Part 1: flatwork
Using the entire arena, go through a series of positions and gaits on the horse. For example, start with the rising trot. Ask Siri to pick a number between 1 and 3. If Siri picks the number 2, have the riders go twice around the arena at the rising trot. (Hold your phone up so all the riders can hear the answer).
Then do this at the sitting trot, no stirrups sitting trot, two-point trot, no stirrups rising trot, one stirrup rising trot, etc.
Part 2: Cavalettis
Have the riders canter fences 1–4 counting their strides in the lines at a medium canter. Now ask Siri for a number between 5 and 12. Have the riders do that number in both lines.
Now get another random number between 5 and 12 and do the lines in the other direction. I recommend doing this twice.
To finish, have Siri pick two numbers between 5 and 12. Ride the first line in the first number and the second line in the second number. Repeat for each rider.
Most importantly, have fun!
Take your trainer home with you and unlock access an extensive library of exercises and tips at varying levels with EquiVault’s Virtual Lesson Subscription Program. For only $8 per lesson, Subscribers receive their weekly Mobile-friendly lesson via email—ready to travel straight to the ring with you. Learn more at thequivault.com.
