Flatwork exercise ideas

[Flying_Form]

I love doing flatwork, and my competition horse does too. It's a huge part of our daily routine! I'd love to know what some of your favourite flatwork exercises are as any time I ask my horsey friends they always recommend something really interesting that I can add to my flatwork routines!

I'll go first (totally stole this idea from a friend!):
I place 3 cones in the centre of the arena, 1 at X and the other two at G and D. I find that there is so much you can do with them! Practicing serpentines or quick turns for jump offs, leg yielding around them, practicing flying changes, the list is actually endless. If you didn't have cones you could use anything you can find to use as 3 markers really! I find it is great for suppleness and balance, especially when cantering!

Anyway, what exercises do you all love? It doesn't have to include anything like cones, or poles - it could be a million circles. I'd just love to know what you do and why!

 

[Lady Tinseltime]

Trot 4 strides canter four strides then 3 strides of each then two strides of each

 

[Bernster]

I’ve just started doing that one with the 3 cones down the centre line. Lots of things you can do with those and it really helps me to have something to focus on and work around - serpentines, shallow slalom down the centre line, using them as the centre of a circle to leg yield in and out of.

For poles I tend to default to 4 on a circle.

To keep us to the outside edge, I also put a pole at 90 degrees in the corners, to funnel us in or out of the corner. Can’t explain that one very well!