When it’s trail time, who do you call? Why Tim “The Trail Man” Kimura of Reedley, California, of course.

“Tails to the wall, tails to the wall,” Tim called out as the clinic began in the afternoon of Tuesday, July 8. Youth World Cup riders lined up in the main show arena where Tim had a complete pattern set up.

The notoriously fast-talking clinician made an effort to make his English slower to help out the bilingual riders. He went through the process of walking a pattern (see tips below) and had T. Joe Jeane of Team USA ride it once to demonstrate.

Then the teams broke into groups and worked on the pattern in parts under the guidance of participating clinicians and/or Pro Horsemen: Nancy Cahill of Madisonville, Texas, Robin Frid of Denton, Texas, Suzy Jeane of Valley View, Texas, Sandy Arledge of Rancho Santa Fe, California, and Vonda O’Donnell of Delaware, Ontario.

Tim also gave away one of his trail videos to each team.

Here are his tried and true tips on properly studyng a trail pattern:

1. Read the words first.
2. Read the words AND follow the line of travel.
3. Highlight your pattern (according to the gait called for). For today's clinic, yellow was walk, blue was jog and red was lope.
4. Walk the course.
5. Memorize it and be able to recite the words of the pattern to someone. "Not your horse or to yourself, but to someone who knows the pattern."