Fun things to practice on a youngish horse

[PeggyPatch]

Hi all,

I would like some ideas of schooling excersises for a youngish horse. we need to work on his balance, he rushes and gets heavy in the hand etc. he is becoming more supple recently which is good but is now a little jelly like.
I currently do a lot of transitions (upwards are good downwards after he gets rushey can be a bit harder), pushing on and slowing down the pace within walk and trot, serpentines, figures of 8, spiraling in and out and leg guilding.

Are there any other excersises I could practice with him to try and improve his balance/general flat work?

He is currently ridden in the school quite a lot because it's winter and being youngish I don't want him to get bored. So different excersises to achieve the same thing (i.e improve balance, get him working from behind more etc) would be great.

 

[Maesfen]

Out hacking and over varied terrain is the best natural way to teach them to find their balance so that they don't always have to be held/propped up by a rider.

 

[CBFan]

Try some pole work... just individual poles to start with then runs of two or three, try raising them slightly at alternate ends too.

Other than that i'd say, get hacking! Up and down hills and across varied terrain if poss... even one or two hacks a week has done wonders for my boy!

 

[PeggyPatch]

Ok I will try the pole work. Sadly because it's winter I can only hack on the weekend and it's rubbish where he is kept. Litterally only around the village because it's surrounded by 2 main roads. I will carry on taking him out though. I miss the hills next to the yard where he used to be kept. They were brilliant for trotting up.

 

[CBFan]

Yep! I only hack on weekends too And in order to stop him getting bored / stale I only school him once or maybe twice a week with a lunging session thrown in there too

It is a tough time of year, particularly when you have a youngster but hacking IMO is so important - teaches them some really important lessons. I've only been hacking mine once a week since sept / oct and I hacked him alongside a high speed trainline yesterday... didn't bat an eyelid!

If the hacking at your current yard is rubbish, is there anywhere else you can move to? or even box to at weekends. I'd always recomend hacking with a 'sensible' companion -they learn so much from their mates too!

 

[guesstimation]

With mine I've done a lot of hacking and he does feel relatively balanced in the school despite very little schooling! Pole work is my next plan of action, I have lunged and freeschooled him over poles on the ground so next is ridden, it should be a good way for them to sort themselves out so to speak. If the horse hasn't done pole work before do recommend doing it on the lunge a good few times first and my boy liked to try to jump them all in one go initially!

 

[PeggyPatch]

lol it's all against me at the moment. Box is in for repair until mid feb. I hack him on the weekend and when I can get out with others I take him further afield and try to cross the road but wouldn't want to do it on my own (not because of the horse more because of the drivers).

I had that plan to lunge him and did it yesterday in the field because we arn't allowed to lunge in the school. My plan was to practice some walk trot, trot canter, canter trot transitions without me on him....... BUT! he is really fit at the minute so took it as a great time to just gallop around until he was warn out. Amazing how they can find the balance when they want. The field didn't look too good after I did that either. Looks like I will have to wait before I can do more lunging as well.

Why can't it be summer all year?

 

[CBFan]

hmmmm I doubt lunging in a field will do him (or you) much good so probably ditch that Idea for a while. I'd start pole work with him while on board. just do it gradually. one pole at a time - you can always place several at different places around the school. Also do some groundwork with him - get him reversing between poles and over them too

 

[PeggyPatch]

That sounds like a good idea. I could do some ground work with him. Wouldn't do his manners any harm either . I just worry with young horses that they get bored and then start to get cheeky. I don't want that.
Thanks for all your help.

If there are any other ideas let me know