A lone rider enters the ring as the strumming of a guitar echoes over the loud speakers. He rides one handed, leaving his right hand free to grasp the 13-foot wooden pole. The music rises and the horse and rider begin their dance, with elegant and flowing movements that take them under the pole and around it. There is a partnership between the three: horse, rider, and garrocha pole, that is reminiscent of the Spanish tradition and the old vaqueros.
The aforementioned scenario hopefully paints a picture for you of what modern La Garrocha looks like, when done well. The word itself when translated to English literally means: “the pole.” You may be wondering however, where the strange idea of riding with a long stick came from. The tradition originated in Spain and was used by the vaqueros to work cattle. The length of the pole, generally 12 to 13 feet, and its inflexible nature was important in working wild bulls and testing their suitability for bull fighting. As you likely can imagine, it took a skilled horse and rider to manage the pole and work the cattle properly.
While not many people use the garrocha pole for this purpose anymore, it has over the years developed into an art form. It is often used in performances, a way of showing off the skill of a horse and rider in an elegant way. In Cowboy Dressage, La Garrocha is welcomed in the freestyle classes. Because the original purpose of La Garrocha has somewhat faded, many do not see an importance in using the pole, or incorrectly assume you must be an expert in order to handle it. However, it can have benefits for every horse and rider combo, whether you plan on showing off with it or not.
La Garrocha is not so difficult as it is awkward in the beginning. Being able to ride your horse one handed is a prerequisite to picking up the pole. Always begin on a horse who has been properly desensitized to the pole in order to keep yourself safe. You will likely drop the pole, or bonk the horse with it accidentally until you get a feel for managing it. Having a helper on the ground can be good in the beginning, if you need to hand the pole off or end up dropping it.
One of the simplest maneuvers you can do with the garrocha pole is a circle, but it is surprisingly helpful. By placing the end of the pole in the arena dirt and tracking around to the left or right with your hand in a fixed position, you must keep your circle perfectly round or you’ll start moving the pole. You are now working on setting a perfect circle and without two reins to pull on. This means you must rely on your seat and legs to do the primary directing of your horse. Working with the garrocha pole will sensitize you to little errors in you or your horse’s position you might otherwise never have noticed.
When you have got the feel for a circle one direction, you will likely want to reverse yourself, enabling you to practice a turn on the forehand or turn on the haunches towards or away from the pole. It’s usually sticky the first time you attempt to switch the pole from one side to the other, but it quickly gets easier with a little practice. This helps you develop better turns and prevents you from being able to simply pull your horse around, once again you must rely on your legs and your seat more than your hands.
La Garrocha is something you can try on your own, but I recommend having a lesson or two with a professional familiar with using the pole to have the most positive and productive experience. The great thing about La Garrocha is you can go as far with it as you would like. You can simply use the pole to improve your balance and posture, or you can have some fun with it and create a dance with your horse. It’s a training tool and an art form, all depending on how you choose to use it.
If you fall in love with La Garrocha and want to have your own pole at home, there are a couple of options available to you. The cheapest route is to go to your local Home Depot and have them cut a closet rod to your desired length and sand it down for you. This will work just as good as anything and won’t cost a fortune. The fancy sort of poles that unscrew into smaller pieces for ease of travel and are often ornamental with silver or carved wood, are going to cost you somewhere between $300 and $400 dollars. Personally, I find the closet rod works just fine.
I hope this short article inspires you to give La Garrocha a try. It may surprise you just how much fun it can be!
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