What is the cones phase and how do I prepare for it?

The cones phase is the concluding element of a combined driving competition in which horse and driver navigate a course of cone pairs driven against the clock with penalties for each ball knocked and for exceeding the optimum time. The cones phase tests the precision, obedience, and pace management that the preceding phases' physical demands have tested in different contexts, and it requires a horse that remains obedient and responsive after the effort of the marathon. The technical demand of cones driving is primarily one of accuracy — the ability to position the vehicle precisely enough through each cone pair that neither cone is contacted while maintaining the pace that avoids time penalties. A horse that is responsive to directional aids, maintains a consistent pace without rushing or slowing, and does not drift outward through turns gives the driver the controllable platform that accurate cones driving requires. The course walk for the cones phase serves the same function as the marathon course walk — identifying the most efficient lines through the course, planning the approach angles for the tighter pairs and the more technically demanding combinations, and developing the spatial memory of the complete course that allows accurate navigation. Physical condition after the marathon matters significantly for cones performance. A horse that has been driven at maximum effort through the marathon and then required to produce precision cones work immediately afterward will perform differently than one whose marathon pace and recovery have been managed to leave adequate energy and responsiveness. Marathon pace management is therefore partly a cones preparation strategy as much as a marathon time strategy.