Fun schooling exercises

[kyanya]

I think coblet might be getting a bit fed up with me, as I can only ride weekday evenings, so it's all in the school. He enjoys hacking and jumping, but I'm too much of a wimp to jump on my own in the evenings (plus there's no-one to help with jumps).

So basically I'm restricted to schooling, which I'm sure he finds boring. He'll go quite nicely if you perservere, but I'm worried about being fixated on this, which might make for boring rides for him.

So any ideas on how to keep him interested by schooling? I do serpentines and direct transitions, but any other exercises would be most appreciated

 

[ironhorse]

Ground poles! My mare is semi retired and I was hoping to turn her out a lot, but the bad weather has scuppered that so I'm having to keep her entertained. she doesn't jump but loves pole work.

If you're riding on your own, don't set the poles at particular distances to each other or you'll have to keep getting off. You could either just dot them randomly around the school or put three across the centre line at 10-15m apart (depending on the size of your school).

You can choose to ride around and between the poles or over them, or do a bit of both in walk, trot and canter, ride circles over the poles or use them as markers for transitions.

Another night you could put a corridor of poles either side of the centre line (2 or 3 poles on each side is plenty) and ride between them, aiming to improve your turns onto the centre line and your transitions. This helps with your straightness and accuracy - if the poles are striped, aim to walk/halt or trot at the pink (etc) stripe.

 

[Lobelia_Overhill]

I'm in the same boat! I try to vary the routine as much as possible, and don't "school" as such. I change the rein often, do lots of transitions, circles at A, B, C and E, figure 8's, serpentines, and some attempts at lateral work ...