Suggest me a schooling plan

Flicker

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 January 2007
Messages
4,002
Visit site
I'm currently having trouble staying motivated and focussed when I'm schooling on my own. When trainer is with me, I work like a trojan and she gives me lots of neat exercises to do, but then I kind of lose the plot when she's not around and feel like I'm just wasting time.

We are working well at Prelim level and I'd like to move up to Novice this winter.

Can anyone suggest me a good 30 minute plan that I can follow - to include warm-up, transition changes, a bit of lateral work etc? My lad can 'switch off' and just bowl on doing his own thing, and he can be a bit on the forehand - so anything that lightens him up and makes him think a bit would be great.

Also, if anyone has any good exercises that they can suggest for the above - this would be much appreciated too :)
 

catkin

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 July 2010
Messages
2,557
Location
South West
Visit site
Suggestions of a couple of things that I find help:

Lots and lots of transitions, between paces, within a pace, lateral movements to straight. Try giving yourself markers to do them at but not the letter markers ie, down centre to the leaf then halt, trot to that blob on the sand, circle and spiral out, etc etc.
Trotting poles - put a couple of singles randomly about the school and perhaps a grid of three - will give your chap something to think about - then add them into the rest of your work at intervals. My youngster enjoys the poles so much they are almost a reward for working hard at something else.
Give yourselves little mini-breaks between sequences of movements too - a bit of thinking time and relaxation.
 

PC Steele

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 September 2010
Messages
464
Location
Surrey
Visit site
There is an excellent book called School Exercises for flatwork and Jumping by Eleanor Ross. Im afraid you need to do lots of transitions to get your horse off its head!!! As for motivation I watch videos of top dressage riders strutting their stuff and it really gets me motivated. I do a great exercise called the 6 circle exercise if you want I can PM it to you let me know
 

Steorra

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 June 2010
Messages
732
Location
Cambs
Visit site
Rather than sticking to a set schooling plan, I think it's a good idea to assess your horse at the start of every session, then decide what you are going to work on. To start with ask yourself a series of questions: how is he feeling in himself (sharp, enthusiastic, lazy, dull etc)? Is he moving forwards, is he responding to your aids, is he straight?

This is something I think through while warming up, and over time it has become second nature to do it with any horse I ride, every session. Of course there are some issues that are ongoing and need consistent work - like my share horse having more muscle development on her right side than her left, or your horse being a bit downhill. But to keep schooling focused and varied I like to take my cues from how the horse is going, and different issues are often linked together.

For example, if your horse is feeling a bit dull and uninspired then concentrate on sending him forward, try some direct transitions (halt-trot, trot-halt, then 5 strides walk, 5 strides canter, 5 strides walk, 10 strides canter etc) for a few minutes to get his attention and sharpen up his responses to your leg. These will also help him to step under, carry himself better, and lift his forehand, AND the exercise is appropriate for his mood.

The next session, maybe you notice in your warm up that he is a bit crooked - less willing to flex one way than the other, swinging his shoulders out or his quarters in on one rein etc. So for that day you concentrate on stretches and suppling exercises. Start with gentle shallow loops, asking for just a little flexion, but the same amount in each direction. Move onto serpentines, reverse half circles, spiralling in from a 20m circle to a 10m then leg yielding out. Test for straightness by riding down the centre line, then for willingness to bend around your leg by circling 10m left then right, changing through x, and then ride straight again. Then try some shoulder in: the art of this exercise is the balance between angle and bend, so it both promotes and tests your horse's suppleness. Every time you ride a correct turn or lateral movement you are asking your horse to step under with his inside hind, which will help you towards the increased collection you are looking for, but these exercises are also appropriate for this occasion.

The next time you ride there is another horse doing canter work in the school - your horse is forward but distracted and a bit sharp because of it. You need to keep his attention focused on you, so give him lots to think about, but not put him under so much pressure he explodes ;) So try lots of changes of direction, flexion and counter flexion, a few steps of lateral work here and there. Once you have his attention, you can channel the extra energy in a useful direction - try lengthening and shortening his trot and canter strides, both on 20m circles and on the straight. Ask for shorter strides while keeping a good spring in his step, then lengthen, then shorten again. Once you can direct his forward energy then you can use it to ask for more uphill work, so put his enthusiasm to good use.

Is this starting to make sense? When you are schooling your horse you need to have short term aims (that session) and long term aims (which at the moment for you is to get him working more uphill). In order to achieve your long term aim you need to work with what the horse brings to the table at each session - there is no 'one size fits all' schooling plan that will resolve the issue for you. They are individuals afterall. Rather than riding a list of exercises, think of a range of things you could try, select something that seems appropriate, and see if it helps. This is the difference between riding a horse and training one, IMO.

Above all, have fun, keep things light and interesting, and if you get stuck or frustrated then sometimes it is better to go for a hack or put a jump up than keep plugging away.
 

Flicker

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 January 2007
Messages
4,002
Visit site
Wow - these are brilliant - I'm getting motivated already!
Catkin, love the idea of not using the markers, but random triggers around the arena. Thanks for that.
PC Steele - if you could PM me with the 6 circle exercise, I would be very grateful.
Steorra - I've printed your reply off. It makes so much sense!

Thank you all - here's to tripping the light fantastic up the centre line to C!! :D
 

Steorra

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 June 2010
Messages
732
Location
Cambs
Visit site
PC Steele - I'd also like the six circle exercise if you wouldn't mind sharing.

Flicker - looking forward to your first novice report :)
 

BorgRae

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 September 2010
Messages
461
Location
Lancashire
Visit site
PC Steele - I'd also like the six circle exercise if you wouldn't mind sharing.

Flicker - looking forward to your first novice report :)

PC Steele, Can I jump in as well and request a copy of the 6 circle exercise if you don't mind? I'd really appreciate it! Thank you :)

Steorra - You're write up is FAB!! Thank you so much! My horse also runs down hill, and I tend to get a little clueless when schooling!! So that was brill, and really useful thanks! :D
 
Top