Keeping my eventer fit but sane whilst only doing flatwork!

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kassieg

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As the title says all we can do atm is flat work & hacking of course because i only have my dressage saddle as jump saddle doesn't fit & trying to find a new 1 & the saddle fitter is back on the 11th August.

Problem is my mare after 2 weeks of this is going a little crazy ! Its not like her at all she is normally so chilled & safe.

I don't want to let her loose fitness because once back (Wednesday) & saddle are done i want to get straight back out

Can't really do gallop work in my dressage saddle.

Any tips to try new things i might not have thought about to make her think etc?
 
I am hacking a lot always do anyway as its a vital part of her fitness programme, but she is getting a bit naughty which is totally unlike her! So i wanted something to challenge her brain other than just hacking :) i have tried leg yeilding & shoulder in out hacking but she finds them so easy that it doesn't really help.
I don't have a gp though, i only have my dressage saddle
 
Could you do some pole work or just some very small grids in your dressage saddle? Or depending on how brave you're feeling some bareback jumping over some grids?
 
I only have a dressage saddle and I do canter poles and trot poles.
you could do grids our circle exercises.
lots of things you can do with poles on the floor.
 
There is a lot of things you can still do! Pole work while ridden, including small jumps/cavaletti. I only do dressage now, bit I do a pole work session weekly in my dressage saddle! Work on riding difficult lines and angles, either over poles or small jumps.
Lunging can break things up, working on in hand lateral work can improve their body and get them thinking, but with less pressure than under saddle.
I'd probably suck it up too and hike my stirrups up, and do my intervals in my dressage saddle!
 
Longer periods of steady canter are great for fitness, and easily done in a dressage saddle. You can also jump in a dressage saddle, although it does feel weird. If you don't feel ok to jump in that saddle, why not take it off and do some bareback jumping?
 
didn't really think about poles :| can tell i am over tired ! they are lying in my paddock as well !

She's really being sharp atm i went for a dressage lesson tonight & my instructor was like oh god its a different horse ! haha think its also because the jump saddle isn't hurting her now.

I would jump bareback but she sometimes over jumps considerably & I'm afraid I may be off, but might give some raised poles a go bareback & tiny fences :)

my instructor has a saddle that fits her so he's going to give me a jump lesson next week as well :D
 
Raised trotting poles really get them thinking :) you need to occupy her mind!

I would focus on something you really want to improve schooling wise and go to work, don't give her time to be naughty - loads of transitions and spiraling circles will keep her guessing, don't go more than five strides before changing direction or pace :)
 
Yes that is exactly what I need ! she picks things up very easily so need to keep introducing new things

She loves raised poles though so might pop some on a circle & see what she thinks of that as haven't done that before.

I have a few things schooling wise but don't like schooling more than 3 times in a week really :)
 
My sister used to jump in my mares dressage saddle.....it was the only one she had.

Had to adjust her jump position, didn't go higher than 2'6/9 but it's doe able
 
Is your hacking or time for hacking limited?
If not take different routes and expose your horse to new things on the hacks there is no reason for a horse to be bored hacking unless things are limited
 
I've always found galloping okay in my dressage saddle, but if she's sharp take care ;)

Yes definitely do cavaletti and trot poles :)

My horse only does dressage (it's his own fault, he's a dirty stopper!) and I do have to be careful not to irritate him, I do lots of complicated canter work as that seems to keep his eye on the ball. Try some counter canter (do a figure of 8) and leg yield in canter. Also do serpentines in canter with simple changes across the middle. If it's physically hard, that's really not the end of the world because it means it will get her thinking about using her body and balancing.

I also try to do most of my schooling out on hacks.
 
So i went for a gallop in my dressage saddle....wasn't so bad on the flat until Lucy decided it has been too long & half bucked & half bunny hopped! (Never done this in her life!)
However I'm not sure if cantering uphil or cantering downhill was worse...actually feared for my life haha
 
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