Walk only schooling session -do you?

[**Vanner**]

Hi all,

Felt like rubbish when I got to the yard tonight but really wanted to ride the boy. Decided to do a walk only schooling session. Began with lots of flexing and big circles then worked on much smaller circles. Moved on to 10m circles from the centre line (sort of figures of eight - 8 of them from one end of the school to another). Did some long serpentines up the length of the school with turns on the haunches at each end extending and collecting the walk as we went then did the same across the short side, riding about 8 times across the school. Finished with a little leg yielding.

Really felt we both got a lot out of it and really enjoyed ourselves. I do believe walk is such an under rated schooling pace.

So do you do walk only sessions?

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

Currently we're doing a mixture of ground work, inhand work and flexion - in ridden work.. all keeps my lad interested, and producing some really good results, not everyone wants to get on and canter in circles

 

[amandaco2]

Yep mine do this on rest days...usually once week or fortnight

 

[111ex111]

I really enjoy walking actually! normally do a 10m circle at each marker round the school and put in random halts, you can really feel them listening!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Yup, madly underrated, IMO. I get a bit annoyed at a so called great rider who trains others and all I ever hear is 'canter'. It has its place, of course, but not ALL THE TME!

 

[Goldenstar]

Yes I do , If the trainer has been and the horse has had a hard two days in the school I will often do a calm walk only session in the school the next time I take them in.

 

[Charlie77]

Yes every Thursday morning. I only have field to ride in so it the only way i can ride at home we lesson once a week and use a friends school once a week! Poll on summer....irritating that i have planning for a school but the weather didn't dry up enough to get it in before winter set in. I think it really helps me take in what ever we work on in our weekly lesson

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Oh yes. It can be very useful, and atm we daren't increase the pace in our field, which is our only schooling area, in case we churn it up.

 

[cptrayes]

yes, often. try it with no reins as well - really teaches you to stop and turn using your seat

my favourite walk exercise I call "the lollipop tree". Walk a line up the school or across the diagonal, doing alternate 5-10m circles to the left and right.

 

[**Vanner**]

We're currently learning classical so I ride with seat and weight aids. Walk is brilliant for letting you practice this without any other worries.

Glad to hear I am not alone

 

[acw295]

Yes, as she's only just back schooling from injury - although have done it in the past before too when she was well, as it is good to do.

I do find though that I have to put in a couple of short trot transitions otherwise we lose the impulsion after a while though with just walk and halt!

 

[dianchi]

Yep, and also In hand sessions, really helps to see how your horse moves and where ridden laterals can go wrong you can spot the issue on the ground!

 

[Auslander]

Yep. Horse has been off for ages, and is only just back in work, so we're hacking in walk mainly. I pop into the school when we get back, take my stirrups away and work on my position. I also make sure he is forward, straight and listening to my leg. He has forgotten his fabulous past and is remarkably wriggly, leany and ignorant at the moment - so there have been a few incidences of pony club kicking, followed by indignant squealing and broncing!

 

[jhoward]

totally if you cant do it in walk how can you do it in trot etc? its also the ideal place to start to use a bit of rope around the neck etc.

 

[ChestnutConvert]

I have been told a few times that if ridden correctly a walk schooling session can use more muscles than any other pace as we don't make them do it that often. It makes them use muscles in a different way and also teaches them not to expect to go faster all the time.

 

[Jazzy B]

I've been walking in the school for the last six months and only just moved onto trot. Started with a RWYM instructor (which I was very skeptical about to start with) however, the results are speaking for themselves now, got a different horse...

 

[HardySoul1]

Ooh you're all inspiring me!
If the arena is slightly useable today I will ride him in walk only rather than day off due to snow.
I wanted to improve our rein back anyway so now I feel it would be worthwhile sticking to walk for whole session. I'd better wrap up warm though...

 

[Amaranta]

I spend a lot of time in walk with both my ridden horses, leg yielding, square turns, piris, half pass etc, I also cool down with the same routine, so in all probably spend at least 20 mins in the walk. It's great for relaxing backs and improving suppleness and yes, if it warranted it I would spend a whole session in walk - it is vastly under rated

 

[Shantara]

Carefreegirl came and gave me a lovely walk-only schooling session (ok, so we did trot a little, but after a couple of goes, felt walk would be a better pace for now).
If that animal hadn't stepped on my foot this morning and possibly broken it, I would have done one tomorrow!! It wasn't his fault, I got in the way and he looked horrified that he'd done it!

Anyway, yes, I have done it and should really do some more!

 

[PolarSkye]

Yes, often . . . it's great for fittening and if I'm trying to work on balance and straightness, I need to nail it in walk before we can move up to trot . . . and by nail it, I mean establish it.

P

 

[coffeeandabagel]

I have been since not allowed to go faster. Add a pole or two and its even more exciting! I too have tried to not use the reins all the time and have impressed myself with what we can do. Also done it wthout stirrups and ached for a day or so afterwards.

 

[mulberrymill]

I am lucky in having a horse with a fantastic walk, so we work on it a lot. I remember asking a judge years ago why they always started the class making us walk round for what seemed like hours. Her answer was that so few horses/ponies know how to walk properly, they give them all a fair chance at that pace and the ones that can are the ones they watch closely at trot and canter. So many show riders think a flashy trot is the answer, but obviously not.
Lets face it, the average hack will be more walk than anything and constantly nagging then to keep rhythm and impulse on is very tiring

 

[Flibble]

Wowee read your blog I too am learning along a more classical route and my walk schooling is enforced by post op recuperation.

 

[DW Team]

Yes I am doing lots in walk schooling as both of us have had two years off abpnd we are both needing to mussel and fitness up.

 

[humblepie]

Another who remembers in the distant hills of time being told that working in walk properly is seriously good work for a horse to do. I do a fair bit, particularly without stirrups to work on my position but at the same time doing some basic lateral work with the horse. As another poster said, a good walk is what the judge sees first in the show ring so is important similarly in dressage the walk on the long rein is the double score movement. Do tend as others have said to pop a bit of trot in here and there but can have a session of nearly all walk.

 

[Spanish Eyes]

We're currently learning classical so I ride with seat and weight aids. Walk is brilliant for letting you practice this without any other worries.

Glad to hear I am not alone

Absolutely! Personally I think walk is a very under-rated pace - get it right at walk, and you then have a better chance at getting it right once you up the pace

 

[**Vanner**]

Wowee read your blog I too am learning along a more classical route and my walk schooling is enforced by post op recuperation.

thanks flibble

I have loads of other exercises too but didn't want to bore anyone.

 

[tallyho!]

Yes absolutely, I have always been taught that walk is the most important pace and when I was still riding, I did such a lot of work in walk.

Spirals, serpentines, squares, hands of the clock, turns, rein back and of course all this ultimately improves straightness.

 

[Janah]

Often schooled in walk only. Gives time to rider and horse to get it right! I used to do lots of turns, circles, leg yield and shoulder in with loads of time to correct and get back to basics.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Yep....I love getting them to extent out and then shorten without using reins