Best way to free school?

Paint Me Proud

Paint Me Proud

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I want to free school my mare to get some jumping photos but as we have a 'no free schooling' rule on our menage i have never done it before (i have YM permission to do it this once).

What is the best way to do it as i dont want to just chase her around with a whip as that is unfair on her in my opinion - i want some nice natural fairly relaxed shots.

Any tips?
 
There is no need to chase, you can use your body language to get her going, hopefully she will take the chance to stretch her legs. By opening your arms and walking confidently towards her you can ask her to move away from you. Then use the whip and your voice to back things up :)
 
This is gonna seem a really stupid question as I am sure there is a simple answer, but why is there a no freeschooling rule at your yard?
 
Some yards don't allow loose schooling. When the horses are free they can be more ummm expressive! More bucking, tight turns etc than when being ridden. I know my YO doesn't like it because it can damage the membrane at the very bottom of the school.
When it comes to getting good results I agree with creating a channel towards the jump you want to photograph. I always treat a loose schooling session like a ridden one, so a good warm up. Get your horse moving off your aids (body language, whip, whatever you are using and suits you and your horse) complete your objective ( take your photos) and have a nice cool down (again body language, whip etc).
 
I am noticing alot on here at the momet about no freeschooling allowed, if I couldnt freeschoool, Donovan would get very little excercise and be as fat as a house!
 
thanks for the advice :)

Will share my results with you tomorrow.

As for no free schooling, we can't free school but we can lunge to our hearts content! :D
 
Body language and eye contact. Although it depends how sensitive your horse is. We were getting walk-canter-walk transitions (ok one stride of trot in between) the other day :D

If you want her to speed up, then snap your eyes on her, 45 degree shoulder angle to her head and lift your arms out with hands wide. To slow down round the shoulders, stand still and move your eyes to behind her. Also change the sharpness of your voice with strong commands.

I do reckon you may need the odd flick of the whip though at first, or even just to bring it out as an extention of your arm without flicking it.
 
We set up a small grid (3 jumps, with a stride between them) and then used other jumps to create a channel against the school fence.

OH led them through in trot the first time (hand on head collar, no lead rope) when the jumps were like a foot off the ground. Once they'd been through once or twice both horses got the idea and really enjoyed it, and we started inching the jumps up gradually and got some great pics.

 
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