Schooling exercises while hacking.

fishy

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Hi can anybody recommend some simple exercises to do whilst out hacking. The awful weather has played havoc with our menage and our lessons have had to be put on hold for the time being. My daughter and I hack out about 5 times a week on a variety of bridlepath and road (fairly quiet). I need to get my horse to go forward more and move off my leg, she is very lazy and will happily follow my daughters pony if left to her own devices! My daughters pony is quite forward but doesn't have brakes. Any suggestions of something we could do together would be great. Thanks for reading x
 

BobbyMondeo

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I try and pick markers along the tracks im riding on to walk/trot/canter/halt at it keeps me thinking more about what im doing and makes me a bit more proactive in my riding.
 

Abacus

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Lots of walk-trot trot-walk and walk-halt halt-walk transitions (done correctly) and then on good ground try trot-halt as well. Not on slippery roads though in case they lose balance.

Leg yield across the road each way where you are sure the road is clear.

Put the horse on a slight diagonal to the road and leg yield along it. Then straighten up and ask for trot. Then you could ask for a nice downward transition, change direction and repeat. This is like traverse with the opposite bend.

The transitions should encourage obedience and get back some brakes, and the leg yielding suppleness and get your horse off your leg more.

Alternate with a stretch on a long rein and praise!

Good luck
 

Littlelegs

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Plus leg yield round obstacles & corners. Shoulder in, & flexing neck either way while keeping shoulders & body straight. Turn on the forehand for gates. Reinback can be done anywhere. Transistions within the pace. Wider paths you can do serpentines. Or pick markers, do a 10m circle, straighten up for a few strides, then another 10m circle & so on, working towards being able to do it in all three paces. And you can make it trickier by changing the rein after each circle by going across diagnonally on your straight strides. In canter it also allows you to practice changes if you do them. Straight lines are easy too even on wonky paths, pick a house or tree etc straight ahead, & ride to it, rather than remaining centre of the path. I also find scary places to school. Eg trotting through roadworks I will challenge them, or near fairs & displays, because if they can concentrate no matter what goes on around them, you have an advantage at comps.
 
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I agree. Lots of lateral work to encourage your horse to respond to your leg. Same for your daughters pony as it will teach him that leg doesn't always mean forwards and that he needs to think before responding. :)
 
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