struggling

J

Josh_craney

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10 January 2006
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Im really struggling with trying to get my pony to work in a out line, whats the best schooling techniques out hacking and in the school to use??? aprt from just leg and contact as this doesnt seem to be very effective!
 
You cant get a true outline until your pony is really using his hindlegs and lifting through his back. A really simple exercise to develop strength and suppleness is to walk a square. On each corner you ask for turn on the forehand and then go straight. Initially allow the horse to walk slightly forward on the turns as you dont want him to set his front feet still and just swivel round. Because its in walk its quite easy to establish and control. Then you can add a little bit of shoulder in on the straight lines if you can. I do this as part of a warm up routine. You still need to do lots of leg yield, halfhalts and transitions though. Make sure your pony goes forward immediately you ask. And try to avoid constantly nagging with your leg as this can become a bad habit for you! Walking over slightly raised poles might help too.
When you are out on a hack, try to ensure he doesnt dawdle. Also you can ask him to bend through his body by using shoulder fore and quarters in or out- this has a posh name but I wont bore you with it!! You can do this easily on a hack! Just make sure he is bending around your leg.
It wont happen overnight so you have to be patient.
 
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