Sending pony away for "boot camp" schooling - experiences please.

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Walrus

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Evening,

A little background; pony is 6.5 years old, I've owned him for 2 years and broke him in myself. He's my first pony and the first one I've broken in. He's progressed slowly but surely, done a couple of walk-trot dressages (and won!) and one ridden showing class. I've done loads of work on him canter as all last summer he struck off on the wrong leg. We've now reached a sticking point where we seem to have stalled / be going backwards. I'm struggling to establish a proper contact and to get him to work properly and not above the bit. He has quite a well developed under neck muscle (have reduced it slightly and done lots of lunging with the bungy). I know I have trouble with my hands which i'm really trying with but we feel a bit stuck.

I'm considering sending him to a pro for a month, ideally somewhere I can go and have lessons on him whilst he's there. It feels a bit like "cheating" and I worry I'll spend loads of money and then not be able to ride him when he comes back or I'll ruin him within a month of him coming home!

Has anyone else sent their horse away for a "boot camp" type intensive schooling holiday? Any experiences welcome.

Thanks:)
 
I know one that went to a very well known dressage yard that came back brilliantly schooled and three that went to a very well known showjumer who came back in dreadful states. So i think you need to choose carefully, just because they are professionals doesn't make them right for your horse. Be picky about where you send your horse! (If you want I can PM you the dressage yard's name).
 
Yep, if I decide to do it I need to find the right yard. I think I know where I'd like to send him as it's the yard who taught my current instructor so there'd be a nice consistency when I then have lessons with her afterwards. Also they aren't a million miles away so hopefully there would be the opportunity to go for follow up lessons after. Haven't actually approached them yet and am going to investigate what's available. Am in Yorkshire so any "ones to avoid" or recommendations are welcome. :)
 
My YO often takes in horses for 'boot camps' - some he just rides, others the owner will come and have lessons on in addition to him schooling, he's pretty flexible about it all. We don't have an arena (all schooling is in fields!) which makes it tricky if the ground is bad but he is an amazing rider & instructor who will not take short cuts. Also have a lot of of XC and off road hacking (private estate), on the borders between Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire :) Horses can get plenty of turnout aswell. PM me if you want details!
 
OH will quite often take in some of his clients horses/ponies for some 'intensive therapy', as yet he hasn't had anyone who has been disappointed when their horse returns. The clients are encouraged to come over to the yard to see how things are progressing and then, if possible have lessons a few days running before the horse goes home, they have then returned to their normal weekly lessons and all say that they have found a big difference in the way their horse is going,
 
I've had a couple of my friend's horses for bootcamp, and I've got another one coming in a couple of weeks. As far as I know she's been very happy with the results.

I wouldn't say it is cheating at all - if you're struggling to crack a particular problem with your pony it might just take someone with a different approach to show him the way which you can then build on - there's no prizes for struggling on and on with something when a professional could probably solve the problem very quickly and easily.
 
Highly recommend. Just chose the right place with the type of approach and methodology you're comfortable with. Best thing I ever did for mine. I sent mine and we never left! Rider never ever bosses or bullies the horse and is one of those really irritating naturally talented people!
 
Another alternative, which might be cheaper and more flexible is to find a pro who is prepared to travel to your yard. My horse has a trainer twice a week and it works out well because I know that none of his problems are going to be solved in 4 weeks. Also, she's an instructor and can give me lessons. Only snag is you would need to have a suitable school and to have your pony ready to tack up quickly. You don't to pay a trainer for time spent catching and turning out.
 
Mine goes away for schooling next week to my instructor who is an experienced eventer. He will learn more in a week there than he would in a few months with me. She has helped me so much with him already. I thoroughly recommend it!!
 
sounds very similar to my situation a year ago
i sent mine away for a month then spent a month working at the yard and therefore having lessons everyday. very costly but definatly worth it in the long run. it was learning from scratch for ponio which was great and he had the most experienced people ride him.
it changed his way of going completely and gave me hope as the man certianly would have told me if he was not worth it!! ;)

where are you based?
 
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