Loose schooling - Any benefits?

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eatonbraynat

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I am wondering if maybe loose schooling my boy in canter will help himt o find his own natural balance and help him be more confident in his cantering abilities.

After a bad schooling day yesterday i loose schooled him today, we have a perfect round pen to use, to see what his canter would be like on his own. For the first couple of goes he careered round like an idiot bucking and throwing himself around, very tense, but he then settled and gave me some lovely slow (ish) canters that i thought yes thats more like it!!

I loose schooled him as if i was lunging so cantering was between bouts of walk and trot and getting him to listen to me, so i just wondered if this would have any benefit on his ridden canter??
 
I would love to loose school my old boy but he's too darned clever, he jsut goes to a corner and looks at me knowing fine well byt hte time I reach him he's had a rest. He then goes off toteh next corner, then the next etc.

I can't do anything about it as the school is sand and I have breathing problems so tire easily.

But back to the question, some people think loose schooling is a waste of time but I don't htink so, you can change gaits to teach your horse balance without them leaning out on the line.

Chnaging gait from halt to walk to trot to halt etc helps them to learn to shift their weight to the quarters again without any leaning.

I also find letting them stretch out and find their own comfortable pace helps you to see how they carry themsleves, Do they dish, over reach, not step through, go hollow, don't stretch etc...

So yep I love free schooling, just wish my lad would play ball, now my hackney he's great fun...
 
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