Another one for people with no school...

[Megibo]

what do you do riding wise when the ground is too wet/slippy? And likewise what do you do when the ground is rock hard due to constant sun! Any thoughts welcome as stuck for riding ideas year round with no school...

currently hacking out as she's in v.early stages of fitness!

 

[Lolo]

Hacking mostly, although they have weekly lessons with someone who does have a school. Out hacking, he's expected to work properly to try and keep the expectation that when ridden he goes between hand and leg nicely. He has 23 hours a day to relax, slob along and have a look around (and the last 10 minutes of the hack) so it's not doing him any great injustice. As he also adores Al beyond anything else, so the hard work hasn't soured his view of her or of her riding him!

 

[rolsterlady]

All i can do is hack out when the ground is too wet or too hard! I don't have transport so can't get out to hire sandschools etc. I do try to school whilst out hacking but there is only so much you can do! Would like to hear what everyone else has to say

 

[coss]

lots and lots of lateral work when the ground is not particularly rideable- means you can do most work in walk and trot if its safe. helps with suppleness and consistency in the contact. also do hacking for a change of scenery.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Hack mostly when the grass school is rock hard or wet/slippery. This summer was very difficult with hard ground everywhere, but TBH, sometimes people ride on menage surfaces that I wouldn't even turn a horse out in, so, the limitations of not having a school, is not always such as much of loss as you might think.

 

[Janette]

Lots of hacking, interval work between markers on the route. Transitions within and between paces at markers ( road grates, trees etc). Lateral work, straightness using the kerb as a guide, Working into a contact alternated with stretching down in walk and trot.... Loads of stuff

 

[LaurenM]

School while hacking normally. I have got the use of a manege but can only use it when its dry (which is only summer really). I use the quieter roads for leg yielding & the forestry routes for maintaining fitness (short bursts of trot/canter/gallop followed by a cooling off period & then repeated).

 

[5horses2dogsandacat]

I just work on fitness, others may disagree but I think you can only school on a hack with a certain type if horse, mine are all young so a trying to ask for any type of concentration out hacking is fruitless... I hate not having a school and tirelessly campaign for one xxx

 

[Garfield1537]

Schooling whilst hacking is fab and keeps my boy on his toe and in tip top condition. Can't beat a but of haunches in down a path ; )

 

[shadowboy]

School whilst hacking, or ride over to one of the three nearby arenas. If I'm short of time a little lateral work in walk in summer on hard ground. So leg yield, shoulder in, turn on the forehand rein back etc etc. Work on Straightness and suppleness which can be done wherever you are.

 

[mystiandsunny]

When it's a bit wet and slippy: studs.
When it's really really wet: hack out on the roads; hack to local woods where they have surfaced tracks.
When it's hard: school in walk with limited amounts of trot (as for road work) OR hack to a school we can hire OR if not too hard, the woods are more shaded and their unsurfaced tracks stay fairly soft. Also the long grass areas of the field stay ok until there's been no rain for about 3/4 weeks in the summer.

 

[AndiK]

I school a bit when we are hacking. Leg yield ect when on really quiet roads. We have a school we can hire though which is within hacking distance so we are quite lucky.

 

[Megibo]

Interesting, thanks.

 

[JFTDWS]

hacking, schooling while out with the youngster, lateral work in walk and trot (if possible) or neck rein / liberty work in walk / trot - mounted or unmounted in the field, or trick training.

Can't do anything very much in the field when it's this muddy though