Theresa_F
Well-Known Member
I long reined Chancer from 18 months once a week and did other ground work with him - he has had everything done very slowly and gently. At 2 he wore tack and was being led out off my old horse.
He was sat on at 28 months and every other week did 5 mins walk while I got him used to standing at the mounting block, having a leg up, taking a jacket off - all despooking stuff rather than riding. I stopped after three months and went back to just ground work as he went very bum up and was teething.
Started to do a little trotting and hacking again at 3 - no more than 15 - 20 mins and again mainly at a walk and once or twice a week.
He is nearly 3 1/2 and we have just started a few strides of canter and now ride 15 - 20 minutes in the school doing very light schooling in walk and trot and a 30 min hack mainly at a walk at the weekend.
I have done a little lunging from 2 1/2 - but never on a continuous circle, I work round the whole school with the occasional 15 m circle.
For him this has worked very well - he is a sturdy gypsy cob and the sort that needs to have work that makes him think to keep him from turning into destructo beastie which he does if left in the field.
I plan to do a little more canter after Christmas and our first walk and trot dressage test in March. Jumping will start next year when he is 4 1/2 and again will be taken very slowly. He loves doing small jumps every now and then on the lunge.
He was sat on at 28 months and every other week did 5 mins walk while I got him used to standing at the mounting block, having a leg up, taking a jacket off - all despooking stuff rather than riding. I stopped after three months and went back to just ground work as he went very bum up and was teething.
Started to do a little trotting and hacking again at 3 - no more than 15 - 20 mins and again mainly at a walk and once or twice a week.
He is nearly 3 1/2 and we have just started a few strides of canter and now ride 15 - 20 minutes in the school doing very light schooling in walk and trot and a 30 min hack mainly at a walk at the weekend.
I have done a little lunging from 2 1/2 - but never on a continuous circle, I work round the whole school with the occasional 15 m circle.
For him this has worked very well - he is a sturdy gypsy cob and the sort that needs to have work that makes him think to keep him from turning into destructo beastie which he does if left in the field.
I plan to do a little more canter after Christmas and our first walk and trot dressage test in March. Jumping will start next year when he is 4 1/2 and again will be taken very slowly. He loves doing small jumps every now and then on the lunge.
