Schooling help

[Luckylocalian]

Hey all. The nights are drawing in and I am at a yard with very little off road hacking so hacking during the week after work is a bit of a no no - I am therefore forced into the school most nights. Now my 5 year old (who is really a three year old mentally and physicalyl!) thinks it is frightfully dull going round and round in circles and I lack inspiration of any sort without an instructor on the ground. Was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of schooling plans for variation but still with purpose rather than aimless wandering to help me? Be very grateful for any ideas!

Thanks

 

[kerilli]

start teaching a bit of leg-yield, so s/he gets the idea that leg can mean sideways as well as forwards. start by turning early off the long side, about 2 metres from the track and use the natural pull of the fence and your inside leg pushing across a little behind the girth to encourage horse out to track. praise, repeat, gradually turning earlier so more leg-yield distance every time, keeping parallel to outside track with bend to inside a little. once the horse gets the hang of it on both reins, you can change bend when you get to track, and gently zig-zag across a couple of metres back and forth, changing bend every time before changing direction. this is interesting for the horse, suppling, good for you, and can keep you going for ages, i've found!

 

[Luckylocalian]

Oh good advice - I will try that tonight - in walk or trot?

 

[Stacie_and_Jed]

I think im going to try that as well!!! Thanks Kerilli.

 

[Paint it Lucky]

You could get hold of some dressage tests and practise riding them and even get a friend to judge you. When you have lessons ask the instructor to give you something to work on so you can practise in between lessons. Also why not start introducing polework and even mini jumps to make it more interesting. Or get some friends to do a drill ride with you. You could ride to music. Try watching some higher level dressage riders in action and be inspired!

Also you don't always have to ride in the school, you could lunge, teach your horse to long rein or loose school.

 

[kerilli]

sorry, been busy... in walk first, until the horse really understands it, then in trot. my very soft supple and obedient little homebred mare used to manage 10 zig-zags in a 60m school from the third track (3m in), that's the best i've managed so far...
when they really get the hang of it, you can do it down the centre line, or the whole way across the school, or halfway then back.
then think about asking for it with true bend (bent in the direction of the movement, = half-pass. always in walk first until the horse really understands and finds it easy. very easy for you to correct balance, wobbles etc in walk, too.