Ideas for in the Arena

[Dyllymoo]

Hi All

Due to *the situation* we are not allowed to hack out so I will be doing all riding in the arena. I am not riding every day I just want to do something with J a few times a week, to keep our hand in and so he doesn't get bored (he had 6 days off last week and started to become a bit of a terror - nothing major, but I know its because his brain isn't tired).

He is super green in the school so I will keep sessions short and sweet and to walk and trot really but I was thinking of doing the following:

* Long reining (I'm not keen on lunging but would be doing long reining on a circle as well as straight lines)
* Riding - practicing Intro dressage tests (or at least movements from them)
* Pole work - ridden and long reining sessions
* In hand agility (possibly ridden as well) - I have lots of bits and bobs I haven't used yet but bought before the lockdown (flags etc.)

Does anyone have any good ideas for the pole work? I'm a member on a group on Facebook that has so many complicated ones, but J is still quite new to poles so I don't want to over face him.

As I said, I'm only going to do things a few times a week but just trying to make sure there is enough variety so that he doesn't find it too boring.

We did a few poles and walk and trot last night but he was more interested in chasing the cat (and then my OH), and I was just happy to bimble around, but I know we need to focus a bit more (hence thinking the intro tests would be a good idea)

Any other thoughts?

Picture of the handsome boy (who is in need of a spring tidy up... hopefully I can when things get back to more of a "normal"):

 

[This pony rocks]

simple pole work i use all the time you can also set poles out and do a serpentine over them
hope this is helpful

 

[hobo]

TPR did this one today use it for small, medium & large circles. I also used it for my serpentine's, half 10 mt circles for change of direct and lots of other ways easy if working on own and no one to put poles out.

 

[Dyllymoo]

Thanks both

 

[catkin]

another pole exercise is to do a square of 4 poles - you can cross over them from all directions, and change pace/halt in the middle, do quarter turn and then off over another side etc etc.

As long as your horse is OK with flags and stuff then use games equipment to add some variety to schooling. My chap loves flags and quoits - he sees 'the point' in doing circles and figures if you're moving flags about

PS just a warning - we are doing these exercises at slow paces, concentrating on correct bend rather than at speed.