Schooling in field

[Cornish on the Cob]

I would appreciate some advice please. I am an older nervous rider! Just bought a gypsy Vanner aged 5. I am having lessons with a private instructor as Im very rusty and I am going to be in the field that my horse was in until a week ago (they moved field as grass was gone). I feel a bit worried about using her old field in case she tanks off! What do other people think?

 

[team barney]

Do some ground work first, lunging/long reining and you should get an idea of how your horse will behave. Every horse is different some it wouldn't bother in the slightest others will kick their heels up for a little bit then settle down, some would take longer. If you are worried ask your instructor to have a little ride before you get aboard to see how things feel.

 

[Indy]

I also have my schooling lesson in my grazing field. I have to shut the other horses in the other field while I school in the front field.To be honest it's not ideal and sometimes I wish I had a proper school. But I haven't been tanked off with........yet, my horse just takes a bit longer to start concentrating on what he is meant to be doing. Sometimes the sheep like to join in which then makes my dog join in so sometimes we can have me and the horse, 10 Jacob sheep and a border collie all doing a 20 metre circle which has my instructor absolutely rolling around on the floor killing himself.

Make sure you put some cones out so that you have a visual aid of where you're working and I'm sure you will be fine.

 

[LiveryList]

I have been at lots of yards where schooling in paddock is the only option. Good points are more room so you can do more, space to have a good canter, can make good jumping tracks with more space. Bad points are difficult to stick to 'arena' unless you have markings and often weather dependent to ride in.

Have never had a problem with horses tanking off anymore than i would have done in school. If anything safer in a field than being thrown into a fence or shot off sideways after a quick fence avoidance manouevre!!

 

[tinap]

I only have 1 field so the pony is always ridden where he is grazed other than when hacking out. Doesn't bother him at all, just won't lunge in it!!!

 

[Cornish on the Cob]

Thanks guys and gals I feel much more confident about it now!

 

[MyBoyChe]

Im also an older and not very brave rider. I school my ex racer in the paddock which is between his field and the stable yard. We have to contend with the owners small flock of sheep wandering through, I cant put cones out because they walk into them so I tend to school around the sheep, they make brilliant dressage markers The other horses stand in their paddocks and watch, the foal runs about getting all excited and the cows on the next door farm all line up to watch as well. Touch wood, Che is used to all this and is very well behaved, if I think hes going to be naughty I lunge or long rein first and then make a decision on whether to ride or not. Could you make a school sized enclosure using electric fence posts and tape just whilst youre riding to give you a boundary line?

 

[Firewell]

I get bored of schooling in the school so I quite often school in a field.
Over winter I used a massive field and my horse was fine. Now it's summer that field is now being used to grow hay so I school in my horses grazing field. Again it's fine, it makes a nice change of scenery from the school and I also think it's good for my horse to work properly on different terrain. Especially as a lot of dressage tests are held on grass .

 

[dominobrown]

I wish I had a school, but all my schooling is done in a field, including backing 3yr olds etc. It is annoying when the weather is very dry or wet but generally I have no problems. Also when you do come to working in a school or show ring everything is a lot easier!

 

[Coop]

We don't have a school either so have schooled in the field for years, although not much with the hard ground lately, well no fast work anyway.

The field we school in is halved with electric and I have the push in the ground type letters to make up an arena, although we can ride outside it to.

When we have a new horse we take it gradually usually just going in for a bit of walk and trot to get him used to being in a more open space. Its good to work with another horse in there too.

Its particularly useful to school in the field, when we go to events with the dressage outside they are already used to it and don't rely on the fence to keep them in!

We are very lucky as a good friend lets us use her school so we have been boxing up there, for lessons, which is a bloomin luxury!!

 

[widget]

I've just backed and ridden away my three year old in a five acre field. All went well I was a bit apprehensive but it makes you concentrate rather than follow the fence!