Pinwheels
A pinwheel is like a circle + comb alignment; it is a multispoke circle with a curved comb alignment.
It is considered to be one of, if not the most, difficult dressage move.
Why is it Hard
A pinwheel is difficult because of the insane amount of precision the alignment takes.
Not only are you thinking about your perfect circle curve, but you're also thinking about comb alignment and screen delay.
All of that put together makes a pinwheel so difficult.
Types of Pinwheels
4 Spoke Pinwheel
Delayed Pinwheel
2 Spoke Pinwheel
Slant Aligned Pinwheel
Center Anchored Pinwheel
Clock/ Collapsing Pinwheel
Anchors
In a pinwheel you have anchors.
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The anchors in most cases are those on the smallest meter point in the pinwheel.
(This can also be the person in the very center of the pinwheel in a center-anchored pinwheel).
The anchors are the most important part of the pinwheel, they literally anchor all those moving around them.
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The anchors follow regular circle alignment, so following the horse spacing guide.
Every other person based there gaps and alignment of the anchor.
Alignment
As briefly described above, the alignment of a pinwheel is like a stacked curved comb alignment.
You are comb-aligned with the person next to you.
STANDARD ALIGNMENT
The anchor (walking) is aligned with the person on the other side of the circle.
The second person (trotting) is one horse ahead of the anchor.
The third person (cantering) is one horse ahead of the second person, and two horses head the anchor
(If you add a third person) The fourth person (extended cantering) is one horse ahead of the third person, and 3 horses ahead of the anchor.
This whole pattern can be repeated in any direction.
SLANT ALIGNED PINWHEEL
For a slant-aligned pinwheel, you follow the standard alignment but add an extra half a horse.
The alignments listed above make you look directly beside each other, adding a half horse onto each alignment will cause a forward slant.
DELAYED PINWHEEL
For a delayed pinwheel, you follow the standard alignment but subtract an extra half a horse. The alignments listed above make you look directly beside each other, subtracting a half horse of each alignment you took a look behind and delayed.
CLOCK/ COLLAPSING PINWHEEL
For a collapsing pinwheel, you begin with a regular pinwheel and then slowly have your designed spoke move up one more gait tab, and move onto the circle spacers.
So slowly, your second line will fall into the gaps of the first line, when you reach saddle to saddle with the second spoke, you can fall into comb alignment.
What a simple pinwheel looks like on your screen
What a simple pinwheel looks like on your commander's screen