Ex Racer Schooling Questions

[AshleighEmma]

I've recently bought a new exracer. Her schooling is pretty basic. She was sent away for re-schooling by her previous owner but then on return wasn't asked much, purely used for hacking and messing about in the arena. Not asked to work in any sort of shape or direction for a couple of years - lots of schooling forgotten.

So when she came to me and I started to ask her to work, there is evidence that she's done bits before but she's quite out of practise!

I'm starting from the basic, asking for bend on a walk and trot circle because typical exracer, she will go on a circle with her nose pointing outwards and her bend almost backwards... she's getting bette<script id="gpt-impl-0.20366854191787986" src="https://partner.googleadservices.com/gpt/pubads_impl_81.js"></script>r and accepting more of an inwards bend however its a learning curve!!

I've asked her for a contact and she started with long and low and does bring her head in and lift herself however gets bored quick and either over bends or resists the contact... this also we're working on.

Lots of people talk about an outline and being on the bit.. Was just wondering if some one could clarify the difference if there is one?

Any exercises I can do to improve the bend and also get her softer in front.

Also any exercises to lighten her to my leg as she's very dead to my aids. I suspect lots of 'pony club' kicks in the past may be to blame.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Charlie007]

Congratulations on your new girl!! I'm currently reschooling my ex racer and loving it!! My advice would be don't rush. Ask for neck out and keep everything forward. Keep sessions short, 20 mins or so . Lots of transitions, forward and back within the pace. Keep it easy and praise alot. Mine is so quick to learn its unreal! The softness will come as she gets stronger and is able to carry herself. Pole work inhand and ridden is also very beneficial.

 

[Charlie007]

O and carry on with a light aid, if no response then a good pony club kick. They soon catch on!

 

[smja]

I've asked her for a contact and she started with long and low and does bring her head in and lift herself however gets bored quick and either over bends or resists the contact...s

It's unlikely that this happens because she's bored - if she's been out of work for a long time, she won't have the muscles to balance herself and work consistently. Breaks would help; not long, just enough for her to stretch out and take a few strides, but give them regularly.

Don't worry about the front too much, concentrate on the back end. Consistency is key in getting her more responsive to the leg - light aid, stronger aid, tap. You must give her time to respond between them though. Pony club kicks, as one-offs, don't deaden the horse to the aids. Ongoing nagging or big kicks every stride do.

Good luck - ex-racers are fab to work with.

 

[be positive]

O and carry on with a light aid, if no response then a good pony club kick. They soon catch on!

I would avoid what is known as the pony club kick, it is a crude method and in the long run will make many horses more reluctant to move from a light aid, far better to tap behind the leg with a schooling whip.

She is probably not getting bored when she resists, more likely she is struggling to maintain the way of going for any length of time her muscles will be weak and overbending is a common way of trying to release the pressure, if she starts to do this it is better to allow her to stretch down into a long low frame while keeping her actively going forward, gradually she will become stronger and manage to work for longer.

For now forget about bringing her head in, concentrate on a longer frame, or outline, and her staying straight with a slight bend around your inside leg, only once she can remain in balance, in a rhythm, straight or bend when asked will she be ready to come up into a more "mature" frame, then you should be able to put her where you want her, not just the head and neck but any part of her, then she will be working with you, be in an outline or on the bit, it takes months, if not years, to develop a physically strong horse that is in self carriage.

I prefer to think of frame rather than outline as it sounds as if you are looking at more than just the front end, I spend more time when teaching looking at what the back end is doing, on the bit is whatever you want it to be, working a young green horse it can be on the aids while working long and low, a more advanced horse will be more in self carriage, it really depends on the stage of training the horse is at, a lot of it is them being relaxed, soft and working with you rather than having their head in a "correct" position.

 

[AshleighEmma]

Thank you for your replies - all very helpful!!

Definitely makes sense about her lack of muscle when maintaining her outline, I'd not thought of that.

Bearing in mind she's not a baby however, she's a 14 year old exracer that raced for too many years. Shen went to a trecking yard to be leant out to people (no schooling involved) then to this hacking home where there was also no schooling involved so she's 14 with the head and schooling of a green 4 year old! Because I'm asking her to do things she's not familiar with is getting a new lease of life however is fairly seasoned so takes a little more persuasion!!

I'll work more with her without asking for an outline focusing on getting her moving round the circle correctly and coming off my aids quicker as its hard to maintain impulsion to ask for an outline when she's practically ignoring my legs!!