Loan Pony - Schooling

[MB1201]

Hello,

I have recently found a new loan pony. She's 8 and good to hack but still a little green in the school. She isn't used to cantering in the school and can only do around 25 minutes before she gets bored, lateral movement hasn't really been introduced to her and keeping her on the track and into corners with correct bend is a main thing for us to work on.

Before I ask her to canter in the school, should i work on collecting the trot, bending through figures, circles etc and asking her to soften. - also doing hacking up and downhill to build up her hind end.

I'm new to this, so would that idea be best so then she'll physically be more capable of a canter in the school as she will do it but runs and can't canter round the corners, and obviously I do not want her running in the canter.

If she was your ride 2-3 times per week, would you work on hacking, bending and introducing lateral work before thinking about canter or would you try a little bit? I would either be working on this with trotting poles and bending excersises etc. or I would try a little canter just once on both reins in each session, and build up the amount of strides she'll do.

Opinions?

 

[webble]

I would work on lateral work and establishing a good trot. You can school out hacking deepening on your roads. I have worked on leg yield rein back and shoulder and quarters in whilst hacking along with transitions.

If you have a field or other safe place introduce canter in a straight line to start so she can focus on that rather than turning in a school

 

[Shay]

If she is just your ride 2 - 3 times a week, rather than full loan, you should probably ask her owner what they want you to concentrate on. If you are trying to introduce one thing whilst the owner is trying something else the you'll just confuse the horse.

 

[honetpot]

Ponies get bored really easily and working in a school is hard. I would concentrate of working on things out on a hack and keep things fun bore she starts saying no and then you have a problem you didn't have before.
As long as you are teaching her to listen to your leg and move forwards off it, and stop or slow down , when you still your body just have fun for a while until you really get to know her. I would also ask her owners what they would like you to do.
I used to loan out my outgrown ponies and often the pony knew more than the rider, its just learning to press the right buttons and listen what the ponies saying to you. A pony mare is usually super smart.