Professional Schooling

[Helga1980]

A bit of theoretical question and fully appreciate that it probably can't be answered without knowing more about the horse but here goes;

How much can be achieved in a weeks professional schooling??

Horse is established in walk, trot, basic lateral work and extension/collection in trot however finds balancing itself in canter very difficult and tends to run on down the long side of the arena, becoming very unbalanced and running into trot.

The purpose of the schooling would be to start addressing this issue. The horse is very receptive to new ideas and the 'professional' knows the horse already.

Can much be done in a week? Doesn't seem like a very long time but is all I could afford at the moment, I would continue having lessons with the same person after the schooling.

 

[LEC]

My horse is excellent in trot and has found canter very hard - his canter has massively improved since building up and is getting there but after 6 months. Lunging has really helped and I think Henryhorn has just done 2 weeks of lunging only in side reins on her horse who could not balance in canter which has worked.
I feel canter is a pace which needs time and continued effort. I do not think my horses canter could have improved any quicker than it has but I am sure a pro riding can make it easier and certainly put them on the right track.

 

[Helga1980]

Lec - thanks, am trying lunging with a chambon at the moment but whilst I'm happy schooling in general I am a little lost as to best way forward from here.

I'm hoping that I could send him away for a week to 'kick-start' the process and then have some lessons to develop an action plan to take forward, I'm just not sure if a week will really achieve anything. Guess I should discuss with my instructor and see what they think.

 

[LEC]

I have had tonnes of lessons as it is probably similar to you that just by myself I ran out of steam. I have found working him uphill on gallops very useful as fun and they can find it much easier to shorten and balance.

 

[Peanot]

My horse is the same. I have just bought a John Whitaker training aid to lunge in. It is similar to the pessoa. I have lunged her twice, once today and once last Monday. I found that on the Tuesday she was lighter in front a little, so it had a small effect after just one session. I have a lesson tomorrow and we are working on creating and maintaining impulsion. My horse is similar to yours where we have a nice trot, lateral work etc but instead of her rushing off like your horse, she tends to be lacking energy, but it all boils down to impulsion and balance.

In answer to your question, I think that a week with a `pro`, would probably set your horse in the right direction, but you have to carry on with it afterwards and ride her as your friend has been riding her to help her more.
I have also used an Abott Davies Balancing rein, but the only time this has been when she has been recovering from a back problem.
I have lent this to friends and every one of them have loved it as the horse tends to balance really well with it - and be much better behaved. Two friends have bought one.
I know that these are so called gadgets but I only use them for lunging (JW) and strengthening her back after injury(AD). I don`t use any other `gadgets`. But these do aid for strengthening and for balancing, and so helping the horse. Me personally, would rather try one of the above, before letting someone else try, as your horse is used to you, and you are going to be the one to ride her afterall.

 

[_jetset_]

I know someone who did this and they got some really good results but their horse went for two weeks I think. When Hannah comes back in work I am thinking of sending her to my trainers to have some jumping schooling. I can do the flat work, but I am not an experienced jumper, only ever done it for fun really. I would like to try a few events on my mare in the next few years but as she has never done much jumping I would like a professional to teach her so that we can then go on to learn together without me possibly confusing her.

Rebecca

 

[Bossanova]

I wouldnt lunge in the chambon if the horse isnt balancing well- try high side reins to keep the head up so that he can learn to bring his hindlegs under to support his weight in the canter. We get loads in that cant canter properly and I'd say that you can make a difference in a week but you wouldnt crack the whole problem

 

[Helga1980]

Thanks all - I fully intend to keep working on him after the schooling, I've just reached a bit of a plataeu in terms of my schooling skills and need some help just to push through so we can keep improving.

Boss - could I just clarify about the side reins - M hollows his back, sticks his head in the air and gets faster and faster rather than going onto his forehand, would you skills recommend side reins rather than a chambon?

 

[lizstuguinness]

what you need to do it loads of trot to canter and down again transtions. dont do more than about 3-4 strides in canter or trot before switching gear.

horses are naturally more balanced in canter (believe it or not!) as they spend more time in this gait than trot in the wild.
they are designed to go fast and straight.

schools resrtict them and bigger horses find it very hard to balance a person, and sharp corners.

im not convinced that lunging helps nor gadets, with this this problem.

im a bit confused as to boss lunging techniques. horses need their heads low in order to round the back to bring their back legs under them. highly schooled horses can work in in a more higher head carridge, but this is not the type of horse we are discussing.
if the horses head is high up, the backs tend to hollow and collection and engagemnt is lost - very confused as to why boss horses would be the exception to this.

helgas horse is showing typical side rein eveasion. as (s)he doesnt understand what is wanted. side reins are there to immitate the rein contact, they dont (or should be used) do anything other than that.

pessoa or similar is the way to go with lunging aids. being pressure aid, it gently encourages the horse to round under him and gain balance. as the horse muscles up it will find engagement easier and the head carridge can be gradualy raised.