HHO virtual group clinic ideas - week 1

Kat

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 January 2008
Messages
13,061
Location
Derbyshire
Visit site
Had a play with the knee thing out hacking today as I was interested in the comments. Really struggled to get my right knee on. My left knee went on ok and I got a response from the shoulders.

My right hip seems a bit restricted. I find this hip aches after riding for a longer period. I had surgery on this hip many years ago so I guess it could be early arthritis but more likely just a tightness somewhere. Any suggestions about how to release this hip?
 

DabDab

Ah mud, splendid
Joined
6 May 2013
Messages
12,572
Visit site
I've read the article again and it does not mention slowing in response to knee on. So I assume I am using a different aid to the one intended. Hey ho! I am still pleased to have found a way of influencing her speed in walk. It's easier it trot because I can slow her with my rise. Did these all again today and again she was not giving me what the article said I should be getting. BUT she then did give me the nicest work I've ever had from her. I am intrigued as to why though? If she was gradually softening, relaxing, yielding and coming onto the aids during the exercise, the nice work afterwards would make sense. But she isn't. But then is softer, rounder and more on the aids anyway. Anyone know why?

Not slowing specifically but more suspension in the stride is the desired response I think? If your horse is quite flat and rushy before you do it then I guess that would be why you get a more obvious difference...?
 

Sprat

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 September 2015
Messages
1,167
Visit site
I had a brain melt and pretty much forgot the order in which to do everything, but it did make me play around with the responses for each individual aid. Some interesting results, the trot was very nice, engaged bouncy and manoeuvrable afterwards, and forced me to be a lot more black and white with my aids and the response. The canter afterwards was great, interspersed with falling on her face, but the moments of elevation were a great feeling.

I'll try again tomorrow I think as she needs a day off today, I may scribble on my hand to remember!
 

McFluff

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 April 2014
Messages
1,775
Visit site
Attempt 2 update.
Started this time in walk - and actually it a bit of a rhythm. I really struggled with my left knee though, which is odd as I usually lose him through his right shoulder (when on the on the left rein).
Did better in trot than yesterday though and he was seeking the contact and with me (I rode in the field today and he can distract easily).
So a really good exercise that I’m going to keep practicing. Thanks Milliepops.
 

Sheep

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 August 2011
Messages
5,589
Location
Northern Ireland
Visit site
I had a go too! I just did the trot squeezing as didnt have much time this morning. I found it very effective though and will definitely incorporate it regularly! And need to remember all the steps lol
 

scats

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 September 2007
Messages
10,436
Location
Wherever it is I’ll be limping
Visit site
Set out to do these yesterday but Millie was as hot as a box of frogs coz she could see my friend out on the Farm ride and I was schooling in a large open field so I had to focus more on keeping a lid on her.
Will try again later!
 

HufflyPuffly

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 October 2012
Messages
5,432
Visit site
Finally shaped myself to ride Skylla. Had a bit of a fail as I saved the exercises on my phone and then used it to film her... Remembered the gist though and it helped loads, though it might have been the counting that was most beneficial for us as it got us to maintain a rhythm better. Also used the same ideas in the canter and she was much more relaxed and softer than usual. Definitely going to use it in our warmups going forwards.

Video of our right canter which is our whizzist one, not perfect but she's starting to soften, bring her hing legs more underneath and starting to stay more uphill in the transitions, once I can push her nose forwards too I'll be a happy bunny.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 

tatty_v

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 March 2015
Messages
1,383
Visit site
Finally shaped myself to ride Skylla. Had a bit of a fail as I saved the exercises on my phone and then used it to film her... Remembered the gist though and it helped loads, though it might have been the counting that was most beneficial for us as it got us to
maintain a rhythm better. Also used the same ideas in the canter and she was much more relaxed and softer than usual. Definitely going to use it in our warmups going forwards.

Video of our right canter which is our whizzist one, not perfect but she's starting to soften, bring her hing legs more underneath and starting to stay more uphill in the transitions, once I can push her nose forwards too I'll be a happy bunny.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

That video is almost like mindful meditation! Beautiful arena, rhythmical horse and accompanying birdsong! I’m jealous..

We tried again today and again it seemed to work really well. He was really seeking the contact and working well. We are going to try and step up to exercises 7+, that’s if the rider can remember them!
 

HufflyPuffly

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 October 2012
Messages
5,432
Visit site
That video is almost like mindful meditation! Beautiful arena, rhythmical horse and accompanying birdsong! I’m jealous..

We tried again today and again it seemed to work really well. He was really seeking the contact and working well. We are going to try and step up to exercises 7+, that’s if the rider can remember them!

Haha I am very lucky with the yard I'm on, though I'm super chuffed you think she looks rhythmical as it is something we're generally rubbish at! I think counting out loud is my new best training aid lol, who knows it might even help me crack the tempi's on Topaz!

I'm going to save the instructions to my other phone so I can stop and read the next thing I'm suppose to be doing as I don't think I did them in the right order!
 

criso

Coming over here & taking your jobs since 1900
Joined
18 September 2008
Messages
11,659
Location
London but horse is in Herts
Visit site
I tried 1 - 6. I struggled a little as tb is a little lazy and I'm guilty of nagging with my legs sometimes so I had to be really aware only to apply on every other sit but I think it's good for us. After we had some really nice work.
 

milliepops

Wears headscarf aggressively
Joined
26 July 2008
Messages
27,538
Visit site
Had another good ride with Darcy today. Hoping this might be the way to get restarted with him now, he was really quiet and calm today. Phew. Managed to get the exercise going with muscle memory and then counted backwards in 3s every time either of us got tense :p that's like rubbing your tummy and patting your head but it really worked to distract my demons and let us just toddle around nicely :p A week of bumbling around quietly and we should be ready to do Proper Work I reckon :)

Happy chilled racehorse

92322924_3181465308531624_3183752011191418880_o.jpg
 

Ambers Echo

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 October 2017
Messages
9,967
Visit site
There must be calm vibes around today because I took Amber out to a big field and played with transitions. Initially walk/halt. Then trot/walk/halt. Eventually working up to a fast canter! Just a few strides at first before coming back to slower canter and trot then allowing her to have her head again. All very relaxed and easy. No pulling, no arguing. I'm ecstatic! I've got my horse back. Hurrah.
 

milliepops

Wears headscarf aggressively
Joined
26 July 2008
Messages
27,538
Visit site
I had a bit of a think about the knee-in thing too, I find it easy on kira as she has a close contact saddle and I ride quite long on her, the 2 things combined make my hips quite loose on her and somehow it's easy to use my knee independently.

Darcy has an old fangled Albion Style plus I ride a bit shorter and he's narrower. Those things combined make it harder to do the same movement.

If nothing else its helpful to notice the differences I think.
 

DabDab

Ah mud, splendid
Joined
6 May 2013
Messages
12,572
Visit site
I did some of the exercises on Dabs today. Such a contrast to wizzy busy Arty, so it's always interesting to do the same thing on both. He was a bit sleepy to start so had to do a few transitions first to get him a bit more zappy before starting. It was very good discipline for both him and me, so will aim to do a few more sessions this week with him. He is one sided in the opposite direction to me and Arty, and I find knee on hard on him because he is so wide. I felt like I wasn't getting very far, but then we did some canter and it seemed it had made a big difference - he was stepping through beautifully and really on point with my aids.

Really pleased :cool:
 

Wheels

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 September 2009
Messages
5,695
Visit site
I've been trying it all out on different exercises throughout the week. I found extremely awkward in the shoulder in, I had to practise it over two days to get the placement right but I think we've sussed it now and it did help with the positioning on the right rein which is our difficult side. It definitely helped with shoulder in canter.

I found it easier in the half passes but I find that an easier movement anyway than shoulder in, not sure why
 

SEL

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 February 2016
Messages
12,303
Location
Buckinghamshire
Visit site
I'm in too.

For groundwork people can follow a very similar theme....

Ideally using a cavesson with a loop on top of the nose, but also works with a normal headcollar and longish rope. Position yourself in front of the horse and walk backwards having the horse follow you. Try to walk with your legs apart to match where you want your horse's front legs to follow. Walk on a continuous 20m circle, angle the rope a little inwards and do the same rhythmic squeezing motion for six strides, squeezing as the horse's front inside leg is in the air. Do the same with the outside when outside front is in the air. Then add in pointing to the horse's ribs with the whip to simulate the calf squeeze parts of the exercise, and pointing to just behind the shoulder for the knee contacts.

Good for unbacked babies and experienced horses. Once you get the hang of it you can really see them relax, soften and use their posture a lot better. You're effectively teaching them to allow you to affect where they put their legs down with physical cues.

Well that's harder than it sounds! Counting being the particularly tricky bit :oops:

But really good to have a focused warm-up rather than just pootling her around the school in walk on both reins for 10 mins. She was really listening and trying to work out what I wanted. Also made me realise that we are very different on each rein because my counting is a faster on the right rein so she's taking much shorter strides. The trot work was loads better afterwards and she's looked like a real wonky donkey recently.

Quite keen to get on and have a 10 minute play in the saddle. I was going to wait for the vets to review her but that could take months and she's probably as sound as she's going to get......
 

Wheels

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 September 2009
Messages
5,695
Visit site
who has got a suggestion for week 2 then.... need a new thread tomorrow ;)

how about improving the half halts?

you can do this exercise anywhere you like but a good start is by going large with transitions at A, B, C, E or on a 20m circle with transitions every time you go over the CL

Medium / marching Walk on your desired pattern (large or 20m circle) and every time you pass A, B, C, E (or the centre line if you are cirling) you halt for a couple of seconds and then walk on again. Try to keep the rhtyhm and tempo and the circle size accurate, use your corners well if you are going large. After a few goes around then begin to apply the aids but just as your horse is about to halt then ask for forward again. if your horse doesn't pay attention go back to halting and attempt again later. Have a play around with using the lightest possible aids. If you and your horse are in tune then you should be able to just engage your core by pulling your tummy button back and that should be enough for your horse to pay attention.

Once you have mastered this try in trot, for horses that are able then go from trot directly to halt and then halt directly to trot (young / unbalanced horses indirect transition through walk). Keep the trot quite forward and active and ask for a halt at the relevant place as per above. Once the halt is coming easy then again apply the aids and just as the horse is about to halt (or walk) ask for forwards again. The aim again is to use as little effort as possible and to get the horse tuned in to a very subtle aid.

Moving on - you can do the same in canter, in lateral work, in the corners to help with the turn, between paces, within paces etc. If you can do direct transitions from trot to halt and canter to halt then this exercise works better but through walk can help with very buzzy horses who might not appreciate an abrupt change in pace
 
Last edited:

Sprat

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 September 2015
Messages
1,167
Visit site
how about improving the half halts?

you can do this exercise anywhere you like but a good start is by going large with transitions at A, B, C, E or on a 20m circle with transitions

Medium / marching Walk on your desired pattern (large or 20m circle) and every time you pass A, B, C, E (or the centre line if you are cirling) you halt for a couple of seconds and then walk on again. Try to keep the rhtyhm and tempo and the circle size accurate, use your corners well if you are going large. After a few goes around then begin to apply the aids but just as your horse is about to halt then ask for forward again. if your horse doesn't pay attention go back to halting and attempt again later. Have a play around with using the lightest possible aids. If you and your horse are in tune then you should be able to just engage your core by pulling your tummy button back and that should be enough for your horse to pay attention.

Once you have mastered this try in trot, for horses that are able then go from trot directly to halt and then halt directly to trot (young / unbalanced horses indirect transition through walk). Keep the trot quite forward and active and ask for a halt at the relevant place as per above. Once the halt is coming easy then again apply the aids and just as the horse is about to halt (or walk) ask for forwards again. The aim again is to use as little effort as possible and to get the horse tuned in to a very subtle aid.

Moving on - you can do the same in canter, in lateral work, in the corners to help with the turn, between paces, within paces etc. If you can do direct transitions from trot to halt and canter to halt then this exercise works better but through walk can help with very buzzy horses who might not appreciate an abrupt change in pace

I like this a lot. I'm a bugger for not half halting as much as I should and then wondering why I've lost the impulsion, or the back end is off doing it's own thing. I think this will be a great one to keep the sharpness from her, and for me to get my eye in a lot more. Will be trying this weekend.
 

NLPM

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 July 2018
Messages
336
Visit site
In canter I count say the word 'eleven' in my head, some people count 123 really quickly in their head so one number for each footfall step.

When I used to SJ, I used to chant 'Nellie the elephant packed her trunk' to myself on a particular horse to set up a rhythm when we first went into canter, and any time she was getting away from me. I think occasionally I was concentrating so much that I did it out loud. 'Eleven' is MUCH better and I wish I'd been taught that one as a child :oops:.

Great exercise(s), thanks for sharing. I have really enjoyed playing about these this week, as our ground is so hard (no arena) that I can only do very limited amounts of walk/trot so this sort of thing is perfect for short rides that are still trying to be productive.
 

Northern

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 February 2013
Messages
888
Visit site
Coming in late, but I did a few of these exercises yesterday. Really interesting response, especially the conscious knee on. Pony felt lovely and attentive though and is starting to come through more consistently rather than sporadically, hopefully I can remember to follow these weekly :)

ETA: I am not riding in an arena at the moment, just a big sloping field. I combined the Kindergarten exercises with spiralling in and out at W/T/C. Not perfect but definitely obedient and trying :)
 

Mochi

Active Member
Joined
16 April 2018
Messages
41
Location
Poiters, France
Visit site
Well as late I am I thought I'd try this with both of our horses, mainly my mare. Tried it on the lunge yesterday with her, I don't know what was up with her but before we even started she was the softest I have ever felt her, super light and seeking the contact down. It was downhill from there. I do like the exercises, we did 1-7 I think and then tried different ones in canter, some seemed more effective then others, particularly the knee aid. But she did what she usually does and tolerated it for 30 minutes before switching off, but this time becoming increasingly difficult to the point of near dangerous to my sister who was on the other side of the lunge. She stopped listening while in canter, refusing to move off my leg as she kareened into a smaller and smaller circle around my sister before I booted her and she responded. It got to the point where it became a fight, evading the bit, rushing, etc so I asked for a few nice steps of trot before calling it a day. It was the worst she's ever been and it was a surprise as she's usually not so obstinate. I have a feeling she's on heat (she hides them normally) so that may have contributed to it. I also feel like she's bored. She is a show jumper bred and raised but we haven't jumped in over two months due to our school shutting down and therefore we have no access to an arena. I've been just trying to get her condition back by doing lots of flatwork and I think she just may be sick and tired of it. We'll pop a few jumps this weekend and hopefully she'll come back next week with a more open mind.

Our pony has been in minimal/no work for a long time now so I thought I'd try the exercise today with him. I didn't feel as significant of a change or response to anything but the inside rein, which slowed him down more then the outside funnily enough. He did feel more relaxed after, although I don't know if that's a result of the exercises or the lunge beforehand. He did move off my leg today though! We may have a dressage pony on our hands yet. :p

Its difficult without my trainer to guide us I'm not the best of riders so I'm sure much of it is something I'm doing, but its defeating to try your best and still get it so wrong. I think I'll be incorporating the exercises in our warmups from now on though, they did seem to work! We shall see.
 
Top