Exercises for new young horse

[I_A_P]

HI
i have ridden Digby for the second time today and he was a very good boy Basically im just wnering if there are any exercises you can recommend for me to start doing with him- from what i ahev worked out so far, his steering is not very good as well as starightness and balanace-pretty much everything.

Im going to do a lot of work on transtitions and did a lot of walk-trot-walk today and the canter needs a lot as well-but thats a matter of being able to do it somewhere.

Please bear in mind i dont have an arena so most of it will be done out hacking as well as hiring the odd school..and i wil get a lesson ASAP.

basically things that are simple...but are really useful and can be easily practised.

Whilst trying to work on getting him straight today-nothing i seemed to try helped (he just doesnt understand) so wondered if anyone has some good advice

i know im rambling but any youngster advice would be appreciated

 

[Sarah_Jane]

Lots os transition walk trot - trot walk and really get him listening. If on very quiet roads do the exercises in the middle so that he doesn't ahng to the edges and just ride him straight down the rein. You will be amazed how a few weeks of just simple exercises will improve him.

 

[Thistle]

To help his steering use a bit with cheeks.

 

[KatB]

Most important thing for babies is learning the basics, stop, go, left right etc! Transitions help with their balance and strength. Also just hacking in itself will help strengthen him up so he will be more capable of harder stuff. Teaching him to move away from the leg on lanes starting leg yield etc helps teach them to engage a bit more and lighten their front end.

 

[I_A_P]

thanks
sarah_jane-thats what i was doing today actaully-amazing how he quickly gets the diea of moving off your leg and then coming back to you by me sitting down and tall in the saddle-he was a very good boy

thistle-thanks-i actually tryed him with a bit with cheeks when i bought him-but while we were there we changed it to a loose ring as it wa sa beter mouthpiece so i think once i have got him in a school i will have a fiddle about.

he was impeccably behaved but the field is just too large of a space for now!! cant wait to get him in a school a few times a week!!

 

[I_A_P]

katB-thanks i think trantsitions is the most important thing then i was asking him to move off my leg today and he kinda got the idea but kinda didnt-i guess it will come with time

 

[Bossanova]

Squares- in every pace until you are sick to death of them!! Diamonds too. Turning with the outside rein.

 

[H-J]

These are very good, someone tought me these on Fitz and he was very onward bound so these helped to slow the rythym a bit too. Actually might try them with Dext!

 

[vhf]

I also spend my time trying to bring on youngsters with no school.
A lot of the wandering does go with stamina and experience, but I use a cheeked french and I'm pretty sure it helps.
Apart from that I actually introduce leg yielding quite quickly (partly because I need them to move away from the leg pronto when I'm out on the roads!) and that with the impulsion from transitions will help too.
I found that I had to think of my hacks as "schooling rides" rather more than "hacks" when I restarted riding with no facilities. Everything has to be more "aware" and premeditated, and I can't enjoy the scenery quite so much, but I eventually found I only need the school for half what I thought I did!

 

[saskia295]

To be honest, I think the best schooling you can do is out on hacks. Think about it for a second and you will find that it's very rare to have a perfectly flat and uncomplicated warm up area when you go to competitions so I always find it helpful to school when out on hacks on all sorts of terrain and up and down hills. It really helps babies think about where they're putting their feet and how to balance themselves.

I also agree with trying to ride straight down roads and doing LOADS of transitions. Don't forget walk/halt/walk as he will have to bring his hind leg right underneath him to push off. He may wobble off at first but persevere and it is well worth it.

Getting out hacking is great for babies too as they will have lots to look at and it's all very helpful in preparing them for the competition atmosphere with lots going on around them.

You don't need a school to school! Good luck!

 

[I_A_P]

Thankyou boss- i actually have heard a lot about using squares as well-just hadnt crossed my mind!
i will basically continue with the transitions as i had been planning too, and do some leg yielding, riding down the middle of the road trying to keep him straight.

i schooled my last horse almost entirely on the road as well as lessons and it is possible-but my life wold be far easier if i had somewhere light and nice ground to school a couple of times a week-im not talking every day.

Have also booked a lesson so i an get my instructor to help assess him with me to see what else needs to be sorted!! Also needs to take him somewhere once a week just to pop him over a few short grids to keep his brain ticking over on the jumping sie of things./

 

[ajf]

Totally agree with vhf, I teach the 'idea' of leg yielding as soon as you can start and stop and kinda turn them!!! It they know the leg dosen't always mean go faster they accept it quicker and more often at a younger age. They don't have to go from one side of the road to the other, just when u ask u feel them accept and step where u ask. I only let my 3yo do one or maybe two steps. Its so u can ride them through their body with leg rather than ur hands!

 

[I_A_P]

thankyou, actually got on for the 3rd time today and i was asking to do this...i dont think he has any concept of roads at all, had to use my right leg very firmly for most of the ride to keep him to the left side of the road-and all he wants to do is go up the bank!!