Help needed with giving lessons to a young girl..

aimeejay

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Hi guys
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,
I give a girl lessons(8yrold) when she wants them on the yard, I do it because Im friendly with her parents and in return her parents will get me dinner and give me lifts etc.. So I give her lessons once every two weeks because they cannot afford a RI. She is on leadrein and I'm just teaching her to trot off it. Now, I need to make her lessons a bit more intresting because I feel its just going in one ear coming out the other: I understand this though. So ideas please? What else can I do with her?
Thanks
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the ride to each marker in order game as in A then across school to B at walk then trot good for steering and gives them something to aim at.

mini handy pony

simon says (trust me this works on all ages even adults and is good for relaxing but is best on the lunge)

also find a walk trot test to practice
 
Obstacle course! Bending in and out of cones, dismount, lead pony, mount, Pick a object up from the fence, then put it back on a different part of the fence. A chute of poles she has to ride through. All this works on bending, straight lines, control, riding with 1 hand (so using legs more) mounting and dismounting, as well as the correct way to lead the pony, and most importantly allows the child to gain confidence, whilst having fun. There are probably other things you can add in, but those are my ideas for now.
 
Bending

Round the world and scissors

Getting on and off

Lunge her with no stirrups or reins

---All of these require the pony to be sensible--- lol :P
 
if the pony is safe... and obviously check everything with parents first just in case... but could you do a few things like "around the world", touching the ponies ears... touching the ponies tail... reaching down and trying to touch her toes etc... all good for balance if the pony is a good sort that wont worry about her moving about on board... and might just add a bit of fun to the lessons!

Alternatively... could you add some poles on the floor... maybe she would have to walk over the pole.. then trot just after... or add a square at x in the arena(made of poles)... she has to walk into the square and halt inside the square... then walk out again... or if she is ready... do the trot to walk or walk to trot transition in the middle of the square??

or... (getting carried away as i remember what fun things i used to do!) stand in the middle of the arena and get her to answer a question that the answer is one of the letters in around the arena... she then has to walk (or trot) to that letter as quick as she can... again would depend on how excitable pony is! (good for control... changes of pace... and possibly a good educational tool aswell?? lol)

or... lay your hands on some bending poles.. and do some walk and trot gymkana games... walk up bending then trot back etc etc... (again good for control)

i could think of more but i will stop now! lol

ooo just one more... some no stirrups work... if she is ready and would be brave enough!

anyway.... i will shhhh now! lol

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