Walk/trot Exercises

[Northern]

Hi all,

Because we are smoked out (and will be for the foreseeable future), I am keen to get some ideas on low intensity and fun exercises for L the Haflinger.
She needs to be kept exercised and occupied, but we can't do anything high intensity while the air is so hazardous. I will be hacking out quite a bit but keen to improve her in the school a bit too.

Any ideas? What's your favourite?

Thanks in advance

 

[humblepie]

I do a lot of walk and trot work - sort of thing I would do is changes within the pace so walk to free walk pick back up, really slow the walk so you feel each foot, then on again, similar in trot. Leg yielding and all sorts of lateral work. Halt and a prompt move off, so all the time checking the horse is listening and can be picked up whenever you want. Work changing the flexion all with a view to straightness. Also do a lot of pole work, nothing complicated as generally don't have time to put lots of poles out but anything that just gets him lifting his legs a bit more. I am sure half of what I do is really just ambling round the school but in my mind we are doing the proper work! Hope things are getting better with you now.

 

[milliepops]

I do lots of sideways in walk, it has 2 benefits for me:
1. Gives you more time to really feel if the horse is properly through and accepting of your aids, as well as control placing each foot where you want it
2. Makes me really work the walk properly instead of just winging it ?

I start on the track alternating between shoulder in, straight and travers. Depending on your horse you can add other positions like renvers.

I also like riding squares off the track, and then add in some quarter turns for a horse that is just starting walk piris

For a horse that understands the walk piri I think they are a fantastic exercise for revealing all you need to know about the quality of your contact, control & collection in walk and control of all the corners of the horse ?
At the moment as kira is returning from injury I'm not pushing the competition-size small piris but I am making sure she's always stepping the right way and not sticking. I am currently playing with some half pass and shoulder in steps, and then a large medium walk piri really making sure the outside hind is stepping around as her trick is to step out with it.

For an easy but productive trot session I do similar kinds of things you can keep the intensity low but still really improve suppleness and responsiveness.