Tips for lessons for children

[Queenbee]

Hi there,

I have been roped into teaching a couple of children (indibvidually) this evening. I know that once I am in the moment I am generally ok and find stuff for them to do that is suitable but fun, but want to go a bit prepared, the children are the following:

9yr old on welsh x arab type. Really good little rider, balls of steel and very competent. It is a newish pony to her and we are working on relaxing the mare down so she drops her head. Last time I put her on a circle with lots of poles, minimum interference on the reins and focused on seat and legs, when the mare had relaxed and dropped her head we looked at relaxed trot, we did serpentines, trotting poles and came back to a walk, by this time mare was 'in the zone and worked on using a little bit more leg to get a bit more impulsion in the walk, ended with one canter on both reins, again focusing on soft hands and good quiet seat. Any suggestions of stuff we can do in the school to get little mare picking her legs up a bit more, when she calms up she can get a bit dozy and not bother over the poles.

Child number 2, is younger and more inexperienced. she is doing a bit of walk and trot, a couple of cross poles to keep it fun and improve her confidence, ending with a very small canter. Last time she did a few trotting poles. (this is the first time I have taught her, but I watched her last lesson) I was thinking some barrels or cones weaving in and out in walk. a square made of poles so that she can practice changing the rein over the poles and also riding into them, halting and then moving on. ANY other suggestions would be great


Cookies and hot chocolate

 

[AprilBlossom]

Would rider 1 cope with slightly raised trotting poles..walking over then trotting?

Rider 2 the square of poles and barrels sounds good - could make it fun and challenging by doing little time trials or putting things together into a sort of handy pony course - including halt in square, dismount, lead, mount, weaving, trot over poles on ground etc?

Good luck, sounds like youll all have fun!

 

[Queenbee]

Would rider 1 cope with slightly raised trotting poles..walking over then trotting?

Rider 2 the square of poles and barrels sounds good - could make it fun and challenging by doing little time trials or putting things together into a sort of handy pony course - including halt in square, dismount, lead, mount, weaving, trot over poles on ground etc?

Good luck, sounds like youll all have fun!

I was thinking a 'mini cavaletti' but I just wanted to hear someone else suggest it yes I think she would cope well. I was thinking about just using house bricks on their side, this should just about be high enough but not too high?

for rider 2, thats not a bad idea will give it a try.

any other ideas?

 

[Queenbee]

I was thinking a 'mini cavaletti' but I just wanted to hear someone else suggest it yes I think she would cope well. I was thinking about just using house bricks on their side, this should just about be high enough but not too high?

for rider 2, thats not a bad idea will give it a try.

any other ideas?

right, so I have been giving it a lot of thought and I have come up with 3 exercises for the 9 yr old, thoughts please:

Exercise 1:

4 trotting poles on both diagonals
2 small raised poles at g as if on a 20 m circle

walk H-M
change rein from M-K in trot (over poles)
Walk K - B
at B trot 20 m circle over raised poles
walk B-H
change rein from H-F in trot (over poles)
F-E walk
At E trot 20 m circle over the raised poles


Exercise 2
is a 4 loop serpintine in walk but with transitions to halt then back to walk at D, X, and G

Exercise 3 is another serpentine
AKD -walk
DFBX trot
AEFG walk
GMC trot

I may not do all these in one lesson! But I think I will use them with rider no 1

 

[Queenbee]

bumpty, bump, bump bump!

Anyone, tips, suggestions?

Cheers

 

[teamsarazara]

In our school we play alot of games
-Getting a leaf and putting it under their bums and asking them to do a circuit sitting trot and whoever still has the leaf at the end wins!
-In and out of cones is good
-Also excercises like "around the world", "thread the needle" etc are good for filling lessons especially if they have short attention span or get bored.
Do all the poles and transitions aswell but these are just a few ideas Simple pony club games can also be good for balance and control but it seems like a game!

 

[Shazzababs]

For rider 2 'Head Shoulders Kness and toes' while going over poles? (You can change it to anything you want her to touch). 'Simon says' works well too.

Rider one - Transitions before and after the poles, or put the poles in 2 sets and do a transition or something in between.
- Put the poles on the 3/4 line, leg yeild out to them, over the poles and then leg yeild back to track. You can make it easier\harder by having the poles closer\further from the track, or closer to one end or the other. You can also do this with a jump if they get good.