An equestrian drill team is essentially the same as a drill team on foot except that all performances are arranged on horseback. Complex, synchronized movements are choreographed to music ranging from country/western to rock and roll.
The benefits of an equestrian drill team are numerous. Not only do they promote better communication between individual riders and their horses, but they also encourage riders to work as a team toward a common goal. It takes leadership, stamina and precision to organize such a team.
Horses and Riders
In order to organize an equestrian drill team, you will need both horses and riders to participate. An ideal drill team will have between six and twelve riders on horseback, plus a flag duo if you are interested in showing patriotic spirit. Ideal horses will embody several important qualities.
- Ability to walk, trot, canter and gallop on command.
- Similar appearances: height, weight, breed, color.
- Easy upward and downward transitions.
- Comfortable moving within a pack.
- Not prone to kicking and biting other horses in close proximity.
Riders, similarly, should be capable of riding at all gaits and should not have problems steering or following directions. It helps when you have a leader on the ground to organize an equestrian drill team, as well, to make observations and call commands.
Equipment
You will also need equipment for practices and performances if you are ready to organize an equestrian drill team. Bridles, saddles, saddle pads, polo wraps, flags (U.S. and state), uniforms and more will make your drill team more professional. If you are low on funds, you might hold a fundraiser in your community or ask local tack shops to donate equipment for your use.
Ideally, all of your equipment will match, and should bear the colors you've chosen for your equestrian drill team. Some teams prefer to use red, white and blue to promote the U.S., while others choose other colors that represent them as a whole.
Practices
An equestrian drill team needs to meet a minimum of once per week to maintain showmanship and accuracy. Practices allow riders to get used to moving in sync with one another and provide time to practice routines for your performances.
You should allocate one or two hours for every practice, and make sure that all the horses are rested and sound before you begin. Start each practice by pairing up the riders and issuing commands for gait transitions so they can synchronize the gaits of their horses.
Practices should then progress into individual movements. You might start by splitting up the movements of a routine into smaller subsections so riders don't feel overwhelmed.
Music
The cornerstone of an equestrian drill team is the music to which it performs. Even when you aren't practicing a particular routine, make sure that up-beat, rhythmic music is playing near the arena. You will notice that the horses will get used to the music and start measuring their gaits to the beat.
An equestrian drill team is a great way to bring a group of people together. You might do this at a lesson stable or with a bunch of boarders who are interested in participating in a group activity. Just make sure that everyone understands the rules before you begin.
As for performances, you will want at least a year to practice before you take routines in front of an audience. This acclimates both horses and riders to working on an equestrian drill team. When you are ready to perform, seek out local venues where you might be welcome. These include rodeos, football games and equine competitions.
There are also equestrian drill team competitions throughout the country. If you think that you have an excellent team, a few awards will encourage your riders and affirm your talent.
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