Riding without lessons

[Rootsinriding]

Hey everyone!
I’ve just started loaning a horse that I’ve ridden for years in lessons and I’d say I’m pretty competent in riding. However, in my 5 years of riding I haven’t actually ridden outside of a lesson apart from hacking or occasionally riding friends horses. Was just wondering what’s the best way to structure my rides or if anyone has any flatworm ideas? I have many things I’d like to work on but I’ve never had the freedom before to do whatever I’d like in the school so it’s quite the change and I’m not sure how to approach it.
Any comments would be helpful!

 

[blitznbobs]

Have a lesson every week or two and ask what you should be working on between times ... depends what your goals are tbh.

 

[Rootsinriding]

Have a lesson every week or two and ask what you should be working on between times ... depends what your goals are tbh.

That would be fine apart from all lessons are cancelled for 6 weeks due to Covid regulations so I’m on my own for the meantime

 

[Flicker]

I had a great instructor a few years ago who suggested a basic schooling session outline for me: do 5 minutes warm up in walk, trot and canter. Next, I would add some up and down transitions to get the horse listening.
Then mark out a 20 m (ish) circle area in the school and ride this on both reins in walk and trot. Get a feel for what that’s like on both reins - most horses are a bit one-sided so chances are on one rein they will fall in and on the other drift out. Then do a bit of work to get them straight, again in walk and trot.
If you have trotting poles out, I would do a bit over some poles to build core strength.
Then do some canter work - try to not let them just bomb around the school, but rather do lots of transitions to keep the horse listening to you and keep their core engaged.
Then back into trot, let them have a nice long rein in trot to let them stretch down. Back into walk for a few laps to cool down. Happy pony!

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

That would be fine apart from all lessons are cancelled for 6 weeks due to Covid regulations so I’m on my own for the meantime

Where are you? I’m in tier 4 but my instructor can still teach 1 to 1.

Can you message your instructor and ask for ideas? My rides involve a 5-10 min warm up working on getting her in front of my leg and some simple lateral work. Then for 20 mins ish I work on what I was working on in my last lesson and then a 5-10 min cool down. If I’m working on something particularly challenging then I won’t work to a time limit but until she shows some improvement and I finish on a good note.

 

[wren123]

You could work on transitions, say ten paces of walks ten trot, ten walk halt. As your horse becomes more responsiveness you can do halt into trot, walk to canter.
Different shapes, serpentines, changing pace everytime you pass through the centre line.
Riding school accurately.
Get someone to film you to check your position.
Leg yield from three quarter line to outside track. Work on getting correct bend, make sure you keep your outside rein. Shoulder fore is a good exercise.
Trotting poles are good.

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Buy the book or download the app of 101 flatwork lessons or it’s sister publication 101 jumping exercises.

Or what about some of the really good online programs? TRT seems to be super popular right now with some really established riders endorsing it.

Nice simple exercises that are progressive and provide you plenty of variety whilst building skill.

 

[AUB]

I always have an idea in mind for the training. Maybe it’s transitions, maybe it’s lateral work, maybe it’s just a lot of canter, maybe half steps, maybe it’s a loosening session, maybe it’s a combination of exercises from a test etc.
I normally school 2 days and then hack, lunge, have a day off 1 day.

Of course that can change when I actually sit on the horse and feel that it needs something else. Then I’ll do what is needed instead.

 

[Orangehorse]

Plenty of books in the library! Always warm up in walk, in fact you can do a lot of schooling in walk. Get the muscles warm and you could do some no stirrups work too.

Do a bit of trotting and canter, then ask for more work, more on the bit, school exercises like circles, squares, all the dressage test movements.

Always finish on a good note and let the horse walk round on a long rein and cool down.

 

[Wishfilly]

How often are you riding in a week? Do you have the chance to hack out as well? If you're riding quite a bit, I would try to mix things up so you're not just schooling on the flat all the time. Mix in some polework and/or hacking too!

I'd start off by keeping things pretty basic- well within your own capabilities and that of the horse.

Think about the sort of exercises you do with your instructor- even relatively basic things like circles, figures of eight, serpentines etc. Try to ride them really accurately, with an even rhythm and correct bend etc. The great thing about schooling on your own is that you can keep going until you are happy with the result, or you can make things more complex as quickly as you want.

When you're happy with the exercise in one pace, you can make it more complex by adding in transitions- e.g. trotting a circle, then walking for a few steps over X. Lots of transitions are great, as they really get the horse to listen to you. When you can do the walk exercise easily, then you can progress to direct transitions e.g. trot-halt-trot, canter-walk-canter etc. You can also think about transitions within the pace.

Don't forget to do things evenly on both reins, too!

 

[Rootsinriding]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions!! Will definitely take them into account

 

[honetpot]

I my only advice is pick a book, or a style of teaching,I found Mary Wanless was a real inspiration for me, and stick with it,https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ride-Your-...s+books&qid=1609931983&sr=8-3&tag=googhydr-21 Its easy to get confused, so find someone who's approach clicks with you.

 

[MissTyc]

I really like the lesson podcasts when I feel my schooling motivation going awol on me. I can ride and listen and they keep me focussed. I have iRide but many brands exist!

 

[blitznbobs]

Deleted wrong thread

 

[Equi]

What is it you are wanting to work on?