Is playing in the manege on foot a bad idea?

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Catpawn

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Hello everyone

I bought my first horse for 20 odd years recently, and Gypsy has now been with me for eight weeks. She is a ten year old cob and I want her for happy hacking and a bit of schooling. She has a cobby nature and is quite dominant, pushes boundaries a little, not in any nasty way but she can be quite stubborn about what she wants to do and what she doesn't and we're working on these little issues quite successfully.

Now, my confidence is not that high at the moment as I'm so out of practice at horse owning and riding and so I'm finding hacking out on my own a bit daunting. I go out with others from the yard once or twice a week and I have gone out on my own, but I find myself getting nervous with a little knot of dread in my stomach and worry about transferring my nervousness to the horse, who is largely quite sensible and I don't want to turn her into a nervous wreck, so while I'm finding my feet I tend to ride in the manege and round the farm when there is no-one to hack out with.

I've read up on schooling and am having a lesson on Gypsy once a week so we do vary things a lot, but she isn't really that keen on schooling is quite hard work and prefers hacking out where she is very responsive and keen to go and have a look round at the world.

So the other day, she and I were alone at the yard again and rode in the manege and afterwards, I untacked her in the manege which I don't usually do. On a whim, I wandered around the manege and Gypsy followed me, like a faithful dog would! So I got some cones out in a line and we did some bending with her following me through the cones. She got a bit close a couple of times so I waved my arms back and forth at shoulder height to keep her out of my personal space, and she got the message.

So I got a couple of single trotting poles out and ran over them, and she followed me at the trot and jumped one pole and trotted over the other, so we did the bending again and she followed me, then overtook me at the canter and gave a little buck and seemed to be really enjoying herself and for the first time, I felt a bond and that we were genuinely having fun together in the school!

Is this safe as long as I keep my eye on where she is and how close she is? Could any bad habits develop? Are there any other games I can play with her that anyone else does with their horse please? I've tried Parelli and have to say don't find those 'games' much fun - it just seems to be moving the horses feet around!

Thanks for reading!
 
I often play with my mine in the school, I have just bought an unhandled (but very friendly) 4year old so I am keeping him on a line for now but my old horse (who was PTS in June -the ginge in my sig!) I always used to loose school her. Like you say, it's a good way to have fun together.
Would you feel happier hacking on your own if you did this before you ride? Maybe she'll get the 'edge' off?
 
Look up Horse agility on the internet it will give you some ideas of things to do as well as horse clicker training which can be really useful when working a horse off a line
It can teach your horse confidence and form a bond with you which will carry over into ridden work .
From a safetly point of view I always wear a hat gloves and toe-tector boots when working a horse on the ground .
 
its a good idea but be careful! my mare really unexpectedly gave me a right boot on rhe back side one day, i had NO chance to get out the way. still have back problems 6 years later but im lucky she didnt break a bone!!
 
catpawn, you sound just like me! I got my first horse (a hairy cob) about 9 months ago and had the same knot in my stomach when I hacked him out. So I used to do the same and when it was quiet on the yard I'd go into the school and have a little play. He followed me round the same way and it was great for my confidence. One time he did get excited and bucked about 6feet in front of me then turned round and looked at me as if to see if I was alright or following him, not sure which! It helped build my confidence and form a bond with him.

The fact that my boy has had laminitis and currently not rideable is a different story, but boy am I confident on the ground now!!!
 
While it can be good it is definitely not without risk, a friend used to do this on a regular basis with her horse, they were great to watch together, until in an excited state the mare kicked her in the face, it changed everything for them, she has required 3 surgeries so far and the incident has changed her life
 
I do this with mine but he can sometimes get a little excited & start trying to chase & play like I'm another horse.. & I'm only diddy & he's a giant!
 
As marydoll says, it can be good, but even non aggressive playful behavior can be dangerous to a person. My daughter plays with her pony a lot, we don't have an arena so its loose on the yard or in the barn or our garden. But, they aren't chasing games. More football, or daughter giving pony buckets, sticks, towels etc to play with. Or puzzles like undoing lids, righting upside down boxes etc. Any following type games are done either in small concrete areas where pony will remain in walk or the odd stride of trot, or in a headcollar & lr.
 
Catpawn said:
Thanks everyone for the encouragment and safety warnings!

I searched horse agility and found a few interesting things, one of which is this impressive video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqVLY8YfbEo

I think I definitely need a horse see-saw and a few ramps and tunnels!
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Or perhaps you need a dog instead? Don't want to be mean - but in my book horses are for riding - and are jolly expensive equine dogs if you want to to do the horse agility thing.......by all means do that if, you would prefer not to ride in the longer term - but an £80 Collie will be far better for that sort of recreation than a horse. If you do want to ride your animal - then try to find a good instructor, and good people to ride out with, when you and your horse gather a collective nerve, there is nothing better - if you still hate riding (i.e. too nervous) then find something more comfortable to pursue.
Apols for seeming mean, but horses are not for playing with generally - they are big beasts, that mankind has tamed over generations to be beasts of burden (and sometine recreation / sport ala Spanish riding school) - and it is only in the late 20C early 21C that we have tired to make them something akin to a domestic pet aka dog / cat.......
 
Hi,

After a good lunge session I will let ponio loose in the school and he likes to follow me around - he's not prone to getting excited and trotting/cantering around the school. I don't see a problem as long as you're careful - in fact I find it quite rewarding and have put a few items we often meet up with on hacks around the school for him to look at and get used to - pram, push bike, plastic bags etc.

I would be wary of loose schooling him over trotting poles though - I usually put him on long rein/lunge for those...
 
Some people really do have some inflexible ideas.
Of course it's safe and an excellent idea to play with your horse off line as you describe.
Obviously, the horse has to respect your space. This helps building a relationship where each partner knows their role and responsibilities.
The playing you do on the ground, given the right exercises or games can be directly applied to the saddle.
It is far better to do this than just lunging, which in many cases is mind numbing for the horse and not useful at all.
 
Nothing wrong with doing groundwork in the school I've done various bits with my horse including spook-busting stuff and other fun stuff such as getting him to stand on a pedestal and improvised horse agility stuff BUT in my opinion groundwork also has its risks.

It should be approached with the same caution as any horse activity as personally I know of more and more serious injuries sustained from horses whilst handling on the ground.

This clip shows how loose work can go wrong if you do not approach it in the right way. Sorry don't want to put you off but I think you need to understand the risks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVFOxZp0OWk
 
OP, having a horse is about having fun. It is - as mentioned above - no longer about transport from A to B, not longer a necessity, no longer duty or work.nFor many of us, the relationship we have with our horses is the most important part of horse ownership, and having a better relationship means you get more of the enjoyment which is what you want.

So you get to choose what activities you enjoy :). They can include playing in the school, riding, competing, but don't have to be limited to any of those, just because there are people who don't have the kind of relationship that allows one or the other of these.

Horse agility is fun, and in my experience if your horse can manage a horse agility course, your chance of doing an excellent PTV at Le Trec is good ;). And if you can do the obstables without a lead rope, then just smile smugly when people say horses aren't dogs... one of my most treasured comments - from a (non horsey) observer - has been "my goodness, I have always kept dogs, and thought horses weren't that smart, but I now need to revise my opinion" :D Horses aren't dogs, but lets not let what people think horses are or are not capable of be a limit to our enjoyment!
 
dressedkez said:
Or perhaps you need a dog instead? If you do want to ride your animal - then try to find a good instructor, and good people to ride out with, when you and your horse gather a collective nerve, there is nothing better - if you still hate riding (i.e. too nervous) then find something more comfortable to pursue.
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If you'd bothered to read the OP's first post, you would have read that she hacks out a couple of times a week, rides in the school AND has a weekly lesson as well as having hacked out alone but wants to build MORE confidence hence the unmounted exercises :rolleyes:

Go for it OP - just ensure as others have said that you don't let ponio invade your space or think you are another horse. Have fun! Great for horses mental stimulation and your bonding
 
On-line or at liberty, "playing" in the school can be great fun and also give your horse some useful exercises that translate into ridden work. I'm sure most will agree that Parelli gets a bad press here, and I am not a fan myself. However there are some fundamentals taught in that system that make sense. In this case, it's to be able to have your horse maintain some distance from you, or move away from you with a simple cue, before moving on to liberty work. So I agree with others above, make sure you can ask your horse for some space so that they don't inadvertently bowl you over with "happy" moves, and you could find another element in your horsemanship.
 
Thanks for your replies everyone.

I think it might be back to the drawing board as I tried loose schooling again today and Gypsy went like the horse in that video clip! (I wasn't feeding treats though.)

On top, I got told off by the yard owner for tearing the surface of the school up :rolleyes: Whoops.
 
Catpawn said:
Thanks for your replies everyone.

I think it might be back to the drawing board as I tried loose schooling again today and Gypsy went like the horse in that video clip! (I wasn't feeding treats though.)

On top, I got told off by the yard owner for tearing the surface of the school up :rolleyes: Whoops.
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Start on a long lead rope :) Work on walking when you walk, stopping when you stop, turning when you turn (the turn away from the horse with horse following is usually straightforward, the turn towards the horse takes a bit longer to learn). Aim to have the lead rope loose at all times.

It's fun, it's the basis of horse agility, and when you've cracked it, you just take off the rope and continue. It doesn't tear up the school (stick to walk and maybe trot), and it helps you learn to read the horse and the horse learns to read you better too :) The Horse Agility Society has just produced a "how to" book that you might find helpful. All the skills apply to ridden as well - once the horse has learned to be light and responsive on the ground, you transfer it to ridden.
 
Brightbay said:
OP, having a horse is about having fun. It is - as mentioned above - no longer about transport from A to B, not longer a necessity, no longer duty or work.nFor many of us, the relationship we have with our horses is the most important part of horse ownership, and having a better relationship means you get more of the enjoyment which is what you want.

So you get to choose what activities you enjoy :). They can include playing in the school, riding, competing, but don't have to be limited to any of those, just because there are people who don't have the kind of relationship that allows one or the other of these.

Horse agility is fun, and in my experience if your horse can manage a horse agility course, your chance of doing an excellent PTV at Le Trec is good ;). And if you can do the obstables without a lead rope, then just smile smugly when people say horses aren't dogs... one of my most treasured comments - from a (non horsey) observer - has been "my goodness, I have always kept dogs, and thought horses weren't that smart, but I now need to revise my opinion" :D Horses aren't dogs, but lets not let what people think horses are or are not capable of be a limit to our enjoyment!
Click to expand...

But the point is that horse are NOT dogs......and if I had say a mini sheltie (pony) , that I tried to train as a dog (because it was small) i.e. popped it in the back of my hatch back for shopping trips / had it curled up on my hearth, tried to get it to lay at the foot of my bed - and share a beer and take-out of an evening, I would be lambasted......
Comments made are assuming that because I treat my horses as riding animals - I don't form a relationship with them....what a huge incorrect assumption to make. I like to think that I treat my horse/s with mutual respect - especially as they are a lot bigger than I am. I can catch three big horses in from the field on my own, pop them in their stables (asking one to wait calmly outside his box) whilst I deal with the other two. They stand calmly to be mounted (to be ridden) and yes I expect I could teach them other tricks if I wanted too. But the gist of this post seems to be, if you don't like riding them, what else can you do with them? Never under estimate how big and powerful a horse is, and how tenouous our relationship is with them, in respect of their instinctive flight mechinism. Not wanting to be a kill joy, but I do wonder if at times when we do all this handling with ropes and gear on the ground (poles / tents et al) are we not humiliating them? The first good horse agility demos were done with cavalry / police horses who were trained to deal with the obscure, because of the job they had to do, and they had people on their back. "joey - he is a special horse....'
 
Before I read your last post Catpawn I was just going to say - keep the energy levels low and relaxed, rather than tearing around over poles right away.

At the risk of being shot down, I train my horse loose as you did in the school - heck I even use treats. But I dont push her to a level of over-excitement. Whether thats because Ive worked out the threshold or the fact that she is a lazy bint most days is another matter!

I think that you may like things such as clicker training etc.
 
Thanks for the encouragement.

I will give it another go on the lead through the cones and over a few poles at walk. She is very good on the lead in the school and follows calmly.

It was a bit of a surprise how she was yesterday, off the lead!:o She was still following me but there was lots of cantering about and bucking involved so it was a very short session, lest I got flattened or kicked!
 
I think this is a hard one...

My husband and I always used to play these games with our section a foal because he was a baby and tiny so it was good, safe fun.

We were playing similarly with my section d x the other day. Now he's only 14hh, but when he play rears and bucks (which he thinks is great fun), I do sometimes think it is too close for comfort.

My husband usually instigates these things... I did ask him whether he would still want to play these games with a larger horse, as I'm planning on something more around the 16hh mark in the more distant future when welshie retires... I didn't get a clear answer.

In short, we indulge in it occasionally, slightly warily, but I'm not sure that it really is a wonderful idea!
 
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