How do you approach "schooling"?

[oldie48]

An ad for a book of schooling plans popped up on fb this morning and it got me thinking. It talked about being bored with going round in circles etc and offered a set of 67 warm ups for the horse and 67 lessons to improve the rider's balance etc (anyway that's how I understood it). It got me thinking about my approach to schooling and I wouldn't want to have a set plan for each day as I like to wait until I get a feeling of what my horse is like on that particular day. eg I rode Mr D this morning, it was lovely sunny weather and he came out of the stable with a spring in his step (he's not always like that). I spent five minutes walking him on each rein, then started to ask for Q's in and Q's out, some smaller C's etc and for an rising 23 year old he felt supple and full of energy so I was happy to ask for more collection and we went into his more advanced work which he did beautifully. Sometimes he needs much longer to feel supple or he isn't as on the aids, so we do more walk work and I encourage him to do more stretchy work generally to encourage him to use his back, sometimes I don't ask for a more advanced frame because I don't feel it's right for him on that particular morning. So thinking about it, I see "schooling" as much more of a conversation than a lecture (if that makes sense). I don't find "schooling" in the least bit boring. Owner popped into the arena while we were working and offered a couple of helpful suggestions, it's nice to have eyes on the ground but I find I like the opportunity to just feel what's going on under me, or see it in the mirrors then try something to improve it. How do others approach it?

 

[SOS]

I think you’re misunderstanding the schooling exercise books. I have always used them for ideas but that doesn’t mean I turn up and have to do that exercise. No one is checking on me. You still ride your horse to how they feel that day.

They are just a helping hand/idea if I know I need to concentrate on a certain area, I pick a few relevant exercises and add them to my brain catalogue. I do have a rough plan in my head on what I want my horses to achieve over the next schooling session/days/weeks/months. So definitely have a focus over a period of time. That doesn’t mean you don’t have days where the plan changes or alters to fit the circumstances.

Also of the belief that by having a goal or exercise for a session it provides and aim and if the horse does it all correctly straight away, happy to end my schooling session sooner and go for a hack or even pack up for the day. Drilling them endlessly and asking question after question must get tiring for the horse and they end up feeling they can’t ever achieve what you want. Which I think is what a lot of schooling looks like for people and what the books try to avoid… if used correctly!

 

[catkin]

I guess with a book the author is suggesting routines for many many types of horse/rider so any one partnership is likely to use only some of them for much of the time. When lessons were stopped during Covid lockdown I found the threads on here suggesting exercises fantastically interesting and useful - thank you thank you thank you to all the thread posters it was great)

I indulge in very regular lessons so get suggestions for exercises, combinations of exercises and homework tasks.
There are only so many figures one can usefully do for each individual - it's the combinations and ways to link them that I find helpful (that's for a pony who responds enthusiastically to doing lots of changes of direction/pace etc, and has his very very favourite (poles) which is almost a reward)

 

[oldie48]

I bought the 101 Schooling exercises book some years ago and found it very useful especially as it gave guidance on what the exercises were designed to achieve. I've recommended it to several people. I did get the wrong idea from the fb ad, I've just found it on Google and the warm ups are for the rider not the horse! It's basically a yoga book with additional exercises for the horse. I'm still interested to hear how others approach schooling though and why some find it boring (as suggested in the ad and sometimes mentioned on this forum).

 

[humblepie]

I’m not over organised but will have a plan for that day or a general plan. I don’t do many real schooling sessions but often hack then 15 mins in the school. If I’m feeling not on top of my game I will do pole work as helps me focus. Current schooling plan is for me to stop blocking horse with my naughty left hand in canter so just playing with that. So I sort of have a master plan then an idea for that day be it loops or perhaps serpentines with leg yield.

 

[oldie48]

I also have a naughty left hand, I'm quite right side dominant and my left hand can creep to the right so I lose the left shoulder and have too much right neck bend. I also struggle to anchor my left seat bone effectively which adds to the problem. Any tips gratefully received!

 

[SEL]

I've always enjoyed schooling but then had two horses with physical issues and it became a chore.

Nice having the baby now but I'm conscious he is young and weak so keep them short. We've had the odd day where he's felt a bit flat and days where he's anything but, so I tend to change plans based on him.

I seem to have developed a right leg with a mind of its own and given my instructor has moved to Wales I'm trying to plan stuff where I'm making myself ride straight lines. Baby cob has been doing unasked for lateral work whilst my right leg does something from Riverdance. I've printed off a couple of intro tests just to give me something to focus on too.

 

[Cortez]

If people and/or horses are feeling bored by schooling, then they're doing it wrong.

 

[scats]

If people and/or horses are feeling bored by schooling, then they're doing it wrong.

I always say this!
I actually prefer schooling to hacking and I really miss having something I can do decent schoolwork with.

 

[catkin]

I also have a naughty left hand, I'm quite right side dominant and my left hand can creep to the right so I lose the left shoulder and have too much right neck bend. I also struggle to anchor my left seat bone effectively which adds to the problem. Any tips gratefully received!

I have a bad right hand leading to the same things in mirror-image!
Obviously an instructor who can see you in person will be able to help most - these are a few things I find helpful though
Holding reins the 'wrong way round', bridging reins, holding whip horizontally under both thumbs, continental reins with different colours on each pair of stops (always check lengths on a pair of reins, I'm shocked by how many pairs have stops at different distances). Ride with naughty hand behind your back and reins in other hand

I find thinking about riding the 'outside of the horse' helpful.
Also ride squares and diamonds

Hope that helps some ideas flowing, I'd be interested in any others

 

[humblepie]

I also have a naughty left hand, I'm quite right side dominant and my left hand can creep to the right so I lose the left shoulder and have too much right neck bend. I also struggle to anchor my left seat bone effectively which adds to the problem. Any tips gratefully received!

I think mine is that my seat is not as secure as it could be do I tend to balance on that rein. I’m just thinking riding forward and keeping that hand forward or putting both reins into outside hand and inside hand on my leg - very hack showing thing.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I always say this!
I actually prefer schooling to hacking and I really miss having something I can do decent schoolwork with.

Oh I am glad this is a 'thing'! Admittedly my nerves have been the main barrier to enjoying hacking, maybe along with the time of year, but the school is currently my happy place with new share horse so I'm rolling with that.

I am new to schooling without instruction so haven't worked out an approach as such. It's early days, so mainly I have been working to recreate what we have done in our lessons. In my RS lessons, I love the bit where you can feel the difference in the horse from start to finish.

Main goals at the moment are 'ride forwards' and 'enjoy!' which keeps it simple and achievable - perhaps this is my approach. Then the other bit has been getting correct bend on circles. I had a check in with instructor yesterday who agreed there has been some improvement, and that she had noticed improvement when she sat on share horse this week - incredibly high praise, I was overjoyed!

I have and like the 100 schooling exercises book, haven't used it yet but it helps understand what the various things I might have done in lessons are aiming to achieve/how to execute them.