View source for Pony Flower Dressage Guide updated and reformatted

THE PONY FLOWER 

How to use:

The dressage (*pony flower*) consists of 9 circles that are used in any 
pattern: 8 of them lettered (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H) , one center circle... 
plus the starting and finishing center point and 8 straight lines. 

* Ponies start on command of the trainer with a variety of figures:

* Once a pattern is given the pony must turn towards the first letter ( without tracing the route ) and stomp to show they are ready and wait for the signal to begin from their Trainer

* Once the pattern is finished and has given a correct or incorrect signal the pony should turn and bow to the Trainer

*If the command for any circle means that less than half is walked around then the pony must do a full walk around before going on to the next letter or finish

* They can go around a single circle only, in a clockwise direction (e.g. ommand: A) 

* Around the periphery of two or more circles starting in a clockwise direction and using the inside or outside lines to go from circle to circle (e.g.  A-C-E  ... A-E-C )

    ( A-C-E ... Would see the pony walk clockwise around A, along the outer 
    line to C through B clockwise around C a full rotaion due to the halfway 
    rule then along the outer line to E  though D,then clockwise around E )...

    ( A-E-C ...  would see the pony walk clockwise around A, go through the 
    center from A to E, anti-clockwise around E then along the outer line from 
    E through D and anti-clockwise around C ) ...

* Perform one or more figure eights again starting in a clockwise direction crossing over and changing direction where the circles join (e.g. command AxC or command AxCxE)

    ( AxC... would see the pony walk A clockwise then change to C where it 
    touches A and go anti-clockwise around C ) ...

    ( AxCxE ... Same as AxC but remembering halfway rule on C till the pony 
    gets to where C touches E and would  then walk clockwise around E ) ...

* The smaller circles B,D,F,G are always walked in a clockwise direction when linked with a center line (-) both in the pattern and on the field. 

* The pony may smooth out the entry and exit of the center and smaller circles by using the larger circles from the line to the circle

* The center circle also has the same rules as the outer circles if used in the pattern when entered off a line or -   (eg A-H or A-C-D)

    ( A-H ... would see the pony walk clockwise around A then walk along the 
    line where A touches G then onto and clockwise around H ) ...

    ( A-C-D ... would see the pony walk clockwise around A then along the outer 
    line through B to C then walk clockwise around C then clockwise around the 
    center  and then to and clockwise around D ) ...

* The center circle can also be used to link the pattern or walked through on the center lines (eg ... AxD ... A-D ... A-F ... A-B ... AxB-B ... AxE ... A-F-H ) ...

    ( AxD )... would have the pony walk clockwise around A then onto and walk 
    anti clockwise around the center as x is the link and as the center touches 
    A then it is done the opposite direction to A. Then along the line and 
    clockwise around D as from the center to D is a line on the field and all 
    small circles are clockwise off a center  line or - ) ...

    ( A-D however would have the pony walk clockwise around A then clockwise a 
    full turn around the center as it is entered off the line -  and a 1/4 turn 
    would be made remembering the halfway rule .. then clockwise around D as it 
    also is entered off the line - )...

    ( A-F would see the pony walk clockwise around A then straight through the 
    middle as the next circle is straight ahead and clockwise around  F )...

    ( A-B would see the pony walk clockwise around A then to the center and 
    clockwise around it then clockwise around B )...

    ( AxB-B would see the pony walk clockwise around A anti clockwise around B 
    then to the center and clockwise around it then back to and clockwise 
    around B )...

    (AxE would see the pony walk clockwise around A .. onto the center where it 
    touches A anti clockwise around the center as it is used in the pattern 
    then onto E where it touches the center and clockwise around E )... 

    (A-F-H would have the pony walk clockwise around A ,straight through the 
    center and clockwise around F, back to the center and clockwise around 
    remembering the halfway rule, then clockwise around H ) ...

All 3 rules can be used together to make it harder for the pony eg ... 
    ( AxE-B-D )... the pony would walk clockwise around A ... anticlockwise 
    around E ... straight through the middle to B then clockwise around the 
    middle to D ... remembering the halfway rule works on the center too.

Some patterns will look the same due to the way the center is entered in the 
pattern ..... eg ( AxGxD ) ... ( AxG-D )

    ( AxGxD )... would see the pony walk clockwise around A anti clockwise 
    around G and as the center is touching G  where the turn is made and using 
    an x it is done clockwise around to D then clockwise around D as it is 
    entered off the line from the center.

    ( AXG-D ) ..... would see the pony walk clockwise around A anti clockwise 
    around G and as the center is entered off the - it is clockwise around to 
    D then again D is entered off the line from the center so is clockwise.


2 TO 4 PONIES

More than one pony can train at the same time having different letters and 
different ways to cross from circle to circle ... (eg AxC-FxG and E-GxA-D) ... 
under the command of their trainer.

when doing more than one pony only the Clockwise or Anti-clockwise center rules 
apply as to avoid crashing, ponies should always go Clockwise or Anti-clockwise 
around the center ... but remembering the halfway rule.
  ... (eg pony 1 AxE   pony 2 ExA ) ... would see both ponies going 
        Anti-clockwise around the center, joining where the first letter of 
        their patterns touch it and leaving where it touches their second letter.
        
  ... (eg pony 1 A-E   pony 2 E-A ) ... would see both ponies going Clockwise 
        around the center instead of walking straight through.
        
when 2 or more ponies are doing a pattern, is for the ponies to bow to each other. 
A nice gesture when all finish. To show respect to each other and that they did the 
Flower pattern as a team.

For more patterns, see: 􀀀

Thanks to MB stables and Biatch Adamczyk for capturing this information.

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