Ideas for something fun to do with Murphy tonight??

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bex1984

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I want to do something new and fun with Murphy in the school tonight, but don't know what to do.

My friend is coming riding tomorrow night and I think we'll be doing some jumping so don't really want to jump tonight. I've done bending poles recently.

I'm still too scared to hack out on my own and don't have anyone to go with tonight, so that's not really an option
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Last night he decided he wanted to go FAST (spring grass I think!!) and so we did a lot of cantering round the school
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, which he loved but he found it all so exciting he wouldn't stop jogging
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!!!

So...ideas for fun things we can do tonight please?!

Thanks v much!
 
The problem with bareback is I'm not balanced enough to do more than walk and a tiny bit of gentle trot, and I need to ride for 45mins - 1 hr and I think he'd get bored with that amount of time without any faster work (which is what he loves)...
 
Well there's only one way to improve your balance...You'll find that cantering bareback isn't too difficult and its alot of fun, its the downwards transition into trot that you want to watch out for
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What about putting two poles out around 8 strides apart and working on getting some extension and collection in trot and canter? I always enjoy doing this with mine as it gives you both something to think about and it's fun to see how many strides you can get in or miss out! Also might be good preparation for jumping tomorrow.
 
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eeek...Murphy likes to go in to his super fast, super bouncy trot - i would end up on the floor (I fall off a lot anyway!!)!

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what better reason to practise your walk/canter/walk transitions? Go on, you know you want to, there's a little bit of you that's curious. You'll enjoy it really.

I was giving my friends a lesson the other night and they both went bareback. They really enjoyed themselves and both said it helped improve their balance and confidence

* dwi jumps around chanting "off, off, off, off*
 
What about putting some poles on the floor like they do in western classes and practice your rein backs and tight turns? it comes in useful out hacking if we can move in all ways other than forward.
 
ooo that sounds like fun
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do you mean put them 8 of my strides apart or 8 of his? if 8 of his, how many of mine is that?! (sorry, probably very dense question).

He does like to jump over poles on the floor at the moment though - he is slightly full of the joys of spring and approaches everything with ears pricked and bouncing enthusiasm
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What about putting some poles on the floor like they do in western classes and practice your rein backs and tight turns? it comes in useful out hacking if we can move in all ways other than forward.

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where do I put the poles? at angles to each other?
 
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eeek...Murphy likes to go in to his super fast, super bouncy trot - i would end up on the floor (I fall off a lot anyway!!)!

[/ QUOTE ]

what better reason to practise your walk/canter/walk transitions? Go on, you know you want to, there's a little bit of you that's curious. You'll enjoy it really.

I was giving my friends a lesson the other night and they both went bareback. They really enjoyed themselves and both said it helped improve their balance and confidence

* dwi jumps around chanting "off, off, off, off*

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe I'll do a little bit of bareback at the end. If no one is watching. And I'm blaming you if I fall off
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His strides - although it doesn't matter how many you do initially, eight is just my preference (I'm not even sure why, I've just always done it that way!
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).

I'm not the best at giving distances I'm afraid - I'm quite good at knowing my own beasts' strides but have no idea what the standard distance is! TBH I tend to just roll them out to where I think 8 is and have my sister shift them slightly if necessary!
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Set up an obstacle course, try some of the pony club games stuff! Cup on a post to carry to a bucket at the other end. Bending round obstacles on the ground (old tyres work well for this) Poles on a circle so that he has to look where he is going, what ever speed you go at. All works well and most ponies will enjoy this.
 
I hacked around the field bareback yesterday - it gives you a really good feel for them ...but the trotting is a bit of a pain - I am sure I used to be able to do it! If you do, put stirrup leather around the neck to grab on to - ponio was getting grumpy with me grabbing onto her mane - and we did lots of walk to canters! It is great for balance though, and my thighs got a good workout!
 
YorksG - might give some games a go, but having come in to horse owning as an adult I don't really know many of the games! There's loads of flags, poles, buckets, cups etc outside the school that i could use but I don't really know what to do with them!!

LondonLite - you are braver than I am
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Well here goes a bit of a list:-
Potato and spoon race (not race if your on your own!) from one end of the school to the other without dropping the potato.

Bending at different paces,

Carrying a flag from one end of the school to the other and putting it in a bucket whilst mounted (picking it up when mounted, or as a variation having to mount holding the flag

Sack race, you lead with your legs in a sack, (watch his face with that one!)

Carrying a cup then making him stand still while you pour water from a jug into it (standing jug and cup on a barrel avoid you having to dismount)

If I think of any more I will post later, can you tell I helped at an RDA group for nearly 20 years
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I'm a bit of a billy-no-mates I think
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Can't imagine OH getting involved in something so silly (silly in a good way
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)

...and I totally wouldn't want to compete against some of the girls at the yard in pony games, they won at HOYS last year!!!
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he is far too "cool" for pony games...or so he thinks
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Will defo do some of the games you suggest with my very silly friend who comes to ride Murphy once a week - but I have promised her she can jump tomorrow
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thank you - I love her, she is about as silly as possible, and giggles hysterically everytime Murphy goes in to canter!! She will LOVE the idea of a potato and spoon race
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