Teaching 'Dressage from the ground'... please recommend any good books/DVD's?

Rudey

Rudey

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Overtime, I would like to progess my 3.5 year old youngsters education. Recently I have started him off long reining. He is learning to stand, walk on, back up, turn in and out of blocks, and walk over trotting poles.

Over the winter I aim to teach him to move closer to me, and to stand. I intend to build this lesson into moving closer to me whilst standing on a mounting block, and incorating it for when he is broken so mounting does not pose as a problem. i.e. walking off, moving away etc...

Eventually I would like to advance on our long reining skills, and it got me thinking. I have read people teach spanish walk from the ground, and I wondered if there was any sort of book/DVD which specifically directed towards dressage?

I have recently read a Trick Training book by Bea Borelle, and it wasn't for me. That is more along the lines of 'performance tricks'.

I have watched You Tube video's to teach spanish walk for example, but found the content of the lesson lacking, if you know what I mean. I want something more 'step by step'....

Any suggestions welcome please! Or even, please recommend an exercise you do with your own! Many thanks. xx :)
 
This is a fantastic book, I've found it really useful http://www.amazon.co.uk/Schooling-E...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320848958&sr=1-1

Also like this one although use it a lot less than the other: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Reinin...=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320848995&sr=1-4

I do quite a bit of in hand work with my horse because I can do lateral movements with him that I just can't get under saddle (I can't coordinate my body well enough so I interfere too much and give him conflicting aids!). Doing them in hand means I can see what he's doing and correct it more quickly.
 
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Try Schooling Exercises in hand by Oliver Hilberger, I'm working through it at the moment with my (12yo) gelding but like you am planning to work my 3yo in the same way as part of the starting process. I'd be careful about teaching spanish walk to soon, whilst its tempting because it looks the part it can be counterproductive.
I have a few books on 'classical training' and its something that appears much further on in the training, I only wish I could remember the reasoning behind it - will have to check later. :-/
 
Thank you CC. I have just had a gander at those two links, the first is definitely of interest, but the second is saying it is from £120! Not quite within budget for me, unless it is some sort of error on their part?

This is something else I have thought about doing it inhand... before complicating things when I am eventually on board, if I can 'see' the movement, understand it, and know it can be performed inhand - it should assist in his ridden education further down the line... and mine too obviously! xx
 
Thanks for the book suggestion Maggie, I will google it in a moment. I appreciate where you are coming from with doing what, at what stage with them - this is exactly why I want a decent book to guide me. The tricks book I have just read sings from the same hymn sheet about doing things at certain ages.

I personally do not like lunging youngsters due to the amount of pressure it can put on joints, hence the reason why I have only just started long reining. My little chump will be broken at 4 next year, and aim to teach him to go forwards and not over do the schooling regime of things - that will come the following year. xx
 
Yes, that's exactly why I do inhand work too. Took my horse a while to get the hang of it and I've had to learn not to do too much with him otherwise his brains melts and he has a huge paddy. He can usually do about 15 mins, 20 on a good day, as it's targeted work that really makes them think. If I'm teaching something new then I tend to have to do much shorter sessions until he gets the hang of it. I'm starting to play with renvers ATM and he can only cope with a couple of attempts at that - it's taking him a little while to get his brain around it. I'm like you - if I can see the movement and perform it inhand then I can understand it better I also quite like the fact that I can work on specific things and can also use IH work as simply a stretching session.

Our IH lateral work is infinitely better than the stuff I do under saddle, thanks to my crapness!!

I paid about £20 for the long reining book so much be an error on their part. Def not £120!!
 
Have a look at some of the Classical Riding books - loads on Amazon - as they use a lot of in hand work to train their horses. I will get a link for a website for you that maybe helpful......

You are in Lincs aren't you?:confused: I don't know where you are but I am organisimg a training session with my instructor who is of the Classical persausion specifically to learn some in hand work to use over the winter on both of mine for when there isn't the time or weather to ride as i don't like lunging on a regular basis. You would be more than welcome to come and watch/listen or join in:)
 
I can relate to the short sessions way of thinking. So much more can be achieved keeping it short and sweet, but consistently repeated thereafter. My little man seems to enjoy varying tasks to keep his little brain ticking.

Last week I subjected him to long reining around the yard car park. He marched through puddles and happily stood next to a parked car which was running - diesel - so rather noisey!

Good look with the renvers! xx
 
Yes, I am Slinky - North Lincolnshire! Oh that is of massive interest to me. I really appreciate the invite. I would love to come along to observe/listen/learn initially if that is alright? Thanks!! xx :)
 
Rudey said:
I can relate to the short sessions way of thinking. So much more can be achieved keeping it short and sweet, but consistently repeated thereafter. My little man seems to enjoy varying tasks to keep his little brain ticking.
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Much to my embarrassment, it took me quite a while to realise his little tantrums weren't him just being "difficult", it was him saying "my brain has melted and I can't cope with anymore of this!". Mine is an older horse (16) with arthritis so he does get a bit stiff which makes some of the work difficult for him. I like IH work because I can see exactly which leg he is stiff on today, or on which side he's finding it harder to bend, and can work on different things depending on this. I'd like to start learning lateral work on the long reins too but don't know anyone who teaches that unfortunately.

Last week I subjected him to long reining around the yard car park. He marched through puddles and happily stood next to a parked car which was running - diesel - so rather noisey!
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Ah, bless him! The PK long reining book has a really good section on working with youngsters, doing schooling figures and lunging with two lines.

Good look with the renvers! xx
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Thanks, I need it! ;)
 
Oh bless him! It is amazing what you can learn about your horse through ground work. I already can see what type of riding horse Rox is going to be, and even to the extent that he prefers the right rein! xx
 
I agree with you both, i've just started it with Harry and whilst its beneficial for him i;m using him as a trial run in the hope i'll be a bit more practised before I start with the youngster. H is a bit of a pain tbh as he's sharp as a knife and anticipates things then panics if it wasn't quite the right thing so it fascinating watching his face (he's ridiculously expressive) as he's trying to figure out each little bit of work then the look of pure pleasure when he's got it! lol
 
It makes the achievement all moreso rewarding when they are like that - the best part is when you make a start on something which you think is the impossible - and then all of a sudden, everything clicks into place.

A couple of months ago I despaired merely thinking about reaching the stage we are at now in long reining would be a million miles away! Pleasantly surprised how smoothly it has gone so far *touches wood*! xx
 
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