Help with lunging/exercising ideas?

[ace87]

Hi

2 months ago I bought a 15.2hh connemara gelding. He's 7yrs old and from what I have been told has hunted most of his life. He's a real sweety, super jump - bold and careful and will go all day XC. Showjumping he somewhat lacks in respect for 'knockable' fences but has obviously done the odd bit of SJ..

Now schooling is his downfall... He's has obviously had some schooling, but not much. Any pressure from your leg he thinks means RUN FAST!!! He had no idea about yielding to my leg or listening to the leg etc. I'd ideally like to do dressage on him for a couple of years - nothing high, just affiliated novice/elementary when he's ready.. but I need some help.

Some days he will work quite nicely, rounding well and really using his backend but other days he's constantly on the forehand and just ploughs along!

Unfortunately at my yard I cannot have an outside instructor and the instructor there is not up to standard really (she'd be find if you were learning to ride on a 20yo newfie!) so I need to work to establish the roundness on the ground before trying much more ridden!

At the moment all I've done on the ground with him is lunge him on a headcollar and once in loose side reins. I'd really like to get him working nicely on the lunge a couple times a week but could do with some advice on what to use and what exercises to do!My personal preference is lunge with two lines instead of using gadgets but I am open to options and would appreciate advice!

He is now yielding nicely to my leg, and doesn't rush constantly in trot or canter but we have a long way to go!

Here is a pic of his first unaff dressage outing so you can see how he currently is.

 

[kerilli]

have a look at my old post in CR here
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=391217&highlight=monkerhostin

this method is used by Laura Bechtolsheimer apparently.
It isn't tight or restrictive (I now do it to sides of cavesson, not even to bit rings, and it still works brilliantly) and it really shows them the way down.
I thread the drawreins through a neckstrap - old stirrup leather - usually now, as I don't like seeing them flapping low just in case.

Your YO won't let outside instructors come and teach you? WTF? This sort of thing makes me livid. Unless she is the very best instructor on the planet, which I doubt, then it isn't fair to you or to your horse to prevent you from getting other instruction. That makes me so mad, it's selfish and foolish.
I would do lots of schooling in walk. Leg yielding, other lateral work, until he listens and accepts the leg aids. If he's trotting and zooms off on the forehand, go back to walk to reestablish the basics etc, until the penny drops.
Hope that helps.

 

[ace87]

Thanks for that Kerilli sound brill and reading through that other thread exactly what I need! I detest pessoa's and have never used any lunging aids other than side reins which I'm not overly fond on, where as this seems like common sense! Will try tonight on the chap, how often would you suggest doing it? He is relatively fit - used to being schooled 4-5 times a week for 45mins-1hr and a good 1-2hr hack at weekends.

My thoughts were lots of schooling in walk and lots of lateral work in walk which we have been doing - glad I'm on the right path with it!

I can't tell you how frustrating it is not to be allowed my old instructor.. It was fine to use YO for the first few weeks of owning this chap, while we were getting used to each other and for our first xc lesson etc. But she is insistant that I saw his face off to get him to lower his head and push forward from behind which I'm just not happy to do - and when I say saw, I mean really REALLY saw not just squeeze and release hands..