Lacking motivation in my schooling-any good exercises I could try?

Polos

Polos

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Hi, I currently have just over a month until my next lesson due to Christmas, lack of funds and exams and I kind of don't know what to do in my schooling sessions, I am having a serious lack of ideas!

Whenever I ride in the school I always run out of things to work on by the 30 minute mark. My horse is only 4 and is still very green so I don't want to push him to far. I know I need to work on his canter and get it a bit more forward and less up (he almost canters on the spot as he is going so slowly and so 'up') and I need to work on turning as well.

As I was running out of inspiration in my schooling I was wondering if anyone knew any good flatwork exercises that preferably include canter and turning.

Thankyou
 
There is always perfecting transitions between gaits.

For your horse, I might try teaching him to really open up on the long sides, standing up off the saddle, and then purposely shortening him up again. The goal is to focus on teaching the horse to go forward first, then you can teach him to stay forward once he has built more pushing power.
 
SuZQuzie said:
There is always perfecting transitions between gaits.

For your horse, I might try teaching him to really open up on the long sides, standing up off the saddle, and then purposely shortening him up again. The goal is to focus on teaching the horse to go forward first, then you can teach him to stay forward once he has built more pushing power.
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I already do quite a few upwards and downwards transitions. I quite often start off with these.

Thank you, I hadn't thought of opening him up and shortening him. Will it help get him more off my leg?

I will try it tonight when I go and ride :)
 
Tbh, as your horse is only four, I would say that 30 minutes of schooling is plenty - any more and it may be too much strain for the horse, and as you say, you get bored :)

I used to HATE schooling, but now we do lots of transitions - walk/canter/trot/stand/backwards/canter/tight circle/walk/canter......and we really enjoy ourselves. He's getting so good, I can just use my voice now, and if I throw a few little cross poles into it, we have fun.

Good luck, but do just stick to 30 minutes if you can - I think in a sandschool, that works out at well over an hours hack, and it's pretty intensive :)
 
It will definitely help get him off your leg!

Chances are that you need to be a bit more disciplined when asking him for forward. Ask once with your leg, then give him a smack with your whip. He is not allowed to change his tempo unless you ask, which is why you ask sooner than when he would naturally want to revert back to a less ground covering stride. As he begins to build muscle, he will be able to sustain the longer stride for a greater period of time.
 
Twinkle Shy said:
Tbh, as your horse is only four, I would say that 30 minutes of schooling is plenty - any more and it may be too much strain for the horse, and as you say, you get bored :)

I used to HATE schooling, but now we do lots of transitions - walk/canter/trot/stand/backwards/canter/tight circle/walk/canter......and we really enjoy ourselves. He's getting so good, I can just use my voice now, and if I throw a few little cross poles into it, we have fun.

Good luck, but do just stick to 30 minutes if you can - I think in a sandschool, that works out at well over an hours hack, and it's pretty intensive :)
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Thanks, I'll stick to doing around 30 minutes then :)
 
SuZQuzie said:
It will definitely help get him off your leg!

Chances are that you need to be a bit more disciplined when asking him for forward. Ask once with your leg, then give him a smack with your whip. He is not allowed to change his tempo unless you ask, which is why you ask sooner than when he would naturally want to revert back to a less ground covering stride. As he begins to build muscle, he will be able to sustain the longer stride for a greater period of time.
Click to expand...

Thanks, this is another thing I need to work on so I will try this. I think I do need to be a little tougher on him when asking him to go forwards as often I end up asking twice before he goes forward. (the first time being a squeeze and the second one being more of a nudge)

I'm just off to the yard now so I will let you know how it goes
 
Hiya. I'd agree 30 mins is plenty. Have you thought about practicing some easy Prelim tests? I find these help me concentrate and your transitions, and therefore impulsion, need to be spot on. :)
 
I would say 30mins is plenty for a 4yo :)

When my boy was 4 he also found it difficult to lengthen his canter stride. With him is wasn't necessarily because he wasn't forward enough (though that did sometimes contribute depending on his mood ;)), it was more him being very compact, very upright and finding it difficult to stretch DOWN and outwards properly. This would mean a canter which didn't really travel anywhere! So I would recommend trying to work long and low, encouraging him to stretch and lengthen, as it will make it easier when you do move up to canter.

A good exercise I found which made them aware of themselves and improved balance and the likes was walking/trotting a 20m circle, gently leg yielding from the outside leg to spiral inwards to go down to a 15-10m circle, obviously flexibility and balance allowing and this can be worked on! Then, do the opposite, so making them move away from the inside leg to leg yield outwards and spiral back onto the 20m circle, then when this is done in trot, once you hit the 20m circle/track from leg yielding back out, canter! I found this ensured a nice active transition, moving forwards from the hind legs and also encouraged the correct leading leg because of the bend from the circle. Once he does a good few steps of canter, praise and allow a stretch, and build it up.
This exercise helped me and my boy to no end, helped with balance and impulsion and ensuring a forwards transition instead of upwards!
 
Getting him off my leg tonight was a bit of a battle I think somebody had tired
himself out hooleying around the field today (judging by the mud splatters all over his legs and his droopy lip) :rolleyes: I had to use quite a lot of leg (more than normal) to get him forwards and I did have to give him a few taps with my whip but that didn't have much of an affect as it usually does. We did however manage to get some really nice serpentines with halting over the centre line. I think I will try the exercise again tomorrow.

I have never thought of doing prelim tests. I think it would be good for me to improve my accuracy which is something I need to work on.

violet, those exercises sound really useful, I think I will give them a go later on this week. I think they would really help us improve.

that website looks useful, I think I will check it out.

Thankyou for all your help everyone :)
 
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