Ideas for schooling exercises etc

muddygreymare

muddygreymare

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Well basically, I used to have lessons at my old yard once a week but now I have moved yards I have them less often (maybe once a month if that) and I sometimes feel a little bit lost when I do some schooling on my own so end up just doing w/t/c in circles and serpentines etc and sometimes stuff over poles. Does anybody have any ideas of other things I could do to make things a bit more interesting. I have just started jumping her again but am taking this really slow as don't want to mess up all the work I've put in getting her sound and ridden again (She has been on/off lame for a few months and they still don't know why but after hydrotherapy she came right and is sound and happy again) but I don't want to just do the same kind of thing each session. We do hack as well but not that often.

So basically, what could I do to make things more interesting while schooling and help to make her work better and also, how can I improve her transitions from canter - trot and trot - walk as she seems to just collapse into them, so any tips for that would be good as well.

Ice cream if you got that far and can help :)
Thanks :)
 
You should get "101 Schooling Ideas" book. It is really good. It also tells you what to do if things go wrong.

very hard to tell you about your transitions without seeing you ride, could be a number of reasons...
 
I have the same problem in that I get bored easily with schooling although I try to have a lesson once a fortnight to keep me motivated.

I can't really help but I do some lateral stuff as well, mainly cause the horse I ride likes it. Am also waiting for 101 schooling exercises book which apparently is brilliant for ideas xx
 
Will have a google and see if i can find it. Thank you. Will see if I can get someone to video me riding tonight (am a bit rubbish though, desperately in need of a lesson and suffer badly from evil penguin feet while riding) so you can see what I mean.

I was thinking about teaching her how to do leg yield, do you know how I can teach her to do it? I know how to do it but I wouldn't know how to teach her to do it. Any ideas?

Thank you :)
 
muddygreymare said:
Will have a google and see if i can find it. Thank you. Will see if I can get someone to video me riding tonight (am a bit rubbish though, desperately in need of a lesson and suffer badly from evil penguin feet while riding) so you can see what I mean.

I was thinking about teaching her how to do leg yield, do you know how I can teach her to do it? I know how to do it but I wouldn't know how to teach her to do it. Any ideas?

Thank you :)
Click to expand...

Go to Amazon, you'll find a bargain...

Penguin feet arise from tight leg muscles and giving aids with your heels, you need to relax and sit on your bottom and give aids/guide your mare with the inside calf, inside thighs and buttocks.

Leg yield - there is a fab explanation in NewRider website...

http://www.newrider.com/Library/Riding_Tips/leg_yield.html
 
Yep found it, will order it today :)

Thank you, yeah, I find i'm always really tense as I'm scared something will go wrong so will concentrate tonight on relaxing and sorting myself out which should hopefully help her to work better as well as me being tense probably confuses her and makes her more tense.

Will have a look at that, thanks :)
 
Don't be worried, it sounds like your mare is ready, back in work you should just focus on that.

Stick to walk-trot-walk transitions until you feel confident and do this without stirrups and get a friend to help lunge without reins (use neck strap) one day to help you feel abit more secure in the saddle. Once you've cracked that, start with mini-interludes of canter to begin with and get focusing on counting your hoof-beats in all paces...

Sounds silly, but it helps keep your mind of other silly little things :)

Good luck :)
 
Another exercise I've found helps (which some kind person recommended on here) was to think about a journey that you do in your car and translate it into a schooling session. So this morning I did my drive to the yard! On horseback!! So traffic lights were halts, roundabouts circles, 30pmh speed limits slow walk, 40pmh fast walk etc etc - worked really well and because I was thinking about my 'journey' I was more relaxed too.

Do some riding without stirrups if you feel up to it as this will relax your legs/feet and also when you're feet are in the stirrups if you feel yourself getting tense then circle your feet/ankles to relax them.

I also get a tense bottom so I think about having a flabby bottom :-)!! And also just stand up in the stirrups and then sit down again as this will automatically relax you xx
 
Thanks guys. Supertrooper, that is a fab idea about the car journey, will try that.
Did some work without stirrups the other day and it was a good confidence boost but steering kind of went out the window as I was trying to stay on haha.
Off to the yard now so am going to try the 'car' technique and just have a bit of fun with her.

Will let you know how I get on :) Thanks
 
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