Need tips for friend on riding a college horse for assessment

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mystiandsunny

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Her own horse is extremely responsive and forward going. They get good marks in Prelim dressage, and can jump round a course confidently. She went for an assessment several months ago, and was completely floored by the fact that the college horse wasn't at all forward going - so she failed the assessment. She has a re-take soon and is worried - any advice? Is it just a case of 'kick until the horse moves?' She's going to have a play on my slower horse to get used to something that needs a bit more motivation, but even that horse is reasonably forward going once woken up a bit.
 
She needs to ride as many different horses as possible, particularly slower ones (riding school lessons may be a good idea) between now and the interview. Shame she hasn't been working on it since her last interview really.
 
Honey08 said:
She needs to ride as many different horses as possible, particularly slower ones (riding school lessons may be a good idea) between now and the interview. Shame she hasn't been working on it since her last interview really.
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I did suggest that, but there wasn't any money available for riding school lessons, which I thought would be the best solution! Apparently the only person who passed in their group, was a riding school rider!
 
Well borrow friends horses then?

I had the same thing before my Stage 2 exam, my own horses were very forward, and the yard I worked at would only let me ride the slower horses for four months before my exam.
 
Our cob could be very lazy if you let him and it took some time before my daughter developed a knack of getting him going. It was an innate energy in her seat, lots of transitions and getting him listening and responding quickly etc- very difficult to define but no flapping or overuse of a stick.
It was really interesting at PC senior camp when they did a 'Pony Swap'. The other riders with forward horses gave up very quickly on him and plodded around on a long rein in disgust.
My daughter seemed to get others really powering from behind, rather than anchored from the front end. She had a ball!
My point is, it's really frustrating and hard work but great for your riding to learn how to get a slow horse going. However it may take her some time to develop the knack. Our boy was a great judge of a lazy rider.
 
Meant to add, our boy was very well schooled by his previous owner then went on working livery to an Equine College while she was at Uni.

He was very intelligent and I think he could have carried out the Riding Assessments single -handedly!
 
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