Schooling when hacking - ideas please

[Troggy]

I don't have anywhere I can school Toffee over the winter, so any schooling I want to do, will have to be done whilst hacking. I need some ideas to help with her left rein especially, she is much more unbalanced when I'm on the that diagonal and she also isn't keen to trot on hard ground/roads on both reins ( Possibly her age? she is 16) but is more than keen on soft ground!
I do transitions, leg yielding and shoulder in (ish past spooky things!), so wondered what else I could do??

Also on a slightly different note, I am looking for an ear veil for hacking as she is funny about loud noises and also hates rain in her ears, any ideas where sells them that aren't chavvy or blingy??!! Preferably brown…. And not £20 like the Whitaker ones!!!

 

[hairycob]

Do ear veils work? The only thing that upsetes Pickle on the road is when we go past the park & men are playing football & shouting - she hates men shouting.

 

[Lucy_Ally]

Hacking exercises:
Lots of transitions, and walk to canter etc to engage her hindquarters and keep her interested.
Try changing your diagonal every few strides (something FMM said in another thread - have tried it and it works!) will help to focus and slow the horse
Collection and extension in all gaits, try really collecting her and then asking for lengthened strides where safe to do so, to add some variability.
Use gates etc to practice turn on the forehand and rein back.
When cantering try to ask for different leads so that she is supple on both reins.

Have you tried just putting cotton wool in her ears?

Hope this helps.

 

[Troggy]

Not sure really, was just an idea as she has always been bad in heavy traffic, or actually anything bigger than a petrol car (diesels are horse eating!!) and recently had an ear infection so started head shaking (treated now) but is still quite sensitive with her ears ( was very shaky in the rain yesterday!)

 

[Troggy]

Thanks for the ideas, I do make sure I change my diagonal frequently, which is how I noticed she was more unbalanced on the left rein.
She is also a pro at rein back....but that's more down to napping

Will try your ideas out, thanks
Not tried cotton wool, tbh I don't think she will let me put some in but woth a try! Thanks!

 

[beh]

a while ago they done an article about all the things you can do out hacking which was really good, maybe if you phone up the office they will send you a copy?

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I think this may help you. My lad & another on our yard are easily distracted by noises, loud speakers etc. Below is a link to an address, unfortunately no website but they make loads of sheepskin horse accessories, they also make horse ear plugs....seriously horse earplugs. They really seem to work as well. They come in a couple of sizes & colours. They go in & come out easily. Just phone the woman and talk to her about it & she'll send them through to you, they're about £5 I think. The ear veils, like the Michael Whitaker one's really are for show, they don't seem to do anything noise wise.

Good Luck, it may work for you

Oops....forgot to put the link in
http://www.ellesmereport-neston.gov.uk/business/retrieve.htm?pk_organisation=557