Pole Exercise Advise

[tricksibell85]

Morning All!!

Sitting in work - not doing much work!!

Anyhoo, was wondering if you would be so kind to help me figure out some pole exercises to do this evening with my horsey!

Not really wanting to do poles in a straight line, as need to work on getting him going long and low to build up his back muscles.

Any ideas - got 6 poles to work with!

Cheers
S X

 

[GermanyJo]

Poles on a circle are a good exercise, they need to be fanned following the line of your circle.. so closer together in the centre and further apart on the outside. the middle of the poles you can pace the same distance as you would for poles in a straight line, and then angle of 'fan' depends on the diameter of the circle.
It is good for encouraging the horse to use his back and joints, plus it is good for the rider as you need to ensure that you are riding your circle correctly otherwise you can end up 'losing' the horse to the outside , good for increasing the accuracy of your riding as ´find out straight away if your circles are not really circle shape
You can trot or canter, but would get the trot working well, before you move to the canter.

 

[Bert&Maud]

I've used this one many times, it's from the Claire Lilley book Schooling with groundpoles which has some really good ideas in it.
Set up four poles on a 20m circle. If you imagine the face of a clock, the poles go at 12, 3, 6 and 9, pointing from the centre to the outside like the hands of the clock. Put the outer end of the pole just in from the track, so that you can work a 20m circle round the outside. You can then leg yield in to working over the poles, making the exercise more difficult as you make the circle smaller. You can then do a small circle in the middle (the size will depend on the length of the poles) and then leg yield back out again. You can also use each individual pole to circle around, building in figure of eights over opposite poles etc. Surprising how much you can do with four poles! I hope I've explained it OK!

 

[Peanot]

Thanks, I will try this also. Always wanting to try new exercises with poles.
I like a pole at B or E and then small circles over it in walk, trot and canter. But not just go over it any how, my instructor makes me get my horse onto her hocks if she isnt already, just before the pole, almost like a half halt - and this helps her to use her hocks and opens her shoulders. It is a good exercise getting your horse to jump from behind which creates more lift. And the small circles round it gains accuracy and engagement.
I love working with poles, it has done so much with my forward going mare who used to jump on her forehand. Done correctly, they can be very beneficial.