When your horse is unrideable...

Cadfael&Coffee

Cadfael&Coffee

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What do/ can you do with them?

Mine is likely to be off this summer as he's not quite sound yet, but I would like to find something to do with him from the ground.

Theres the obvious leading him out, I can't lunge or loose school him, an I can't play with poles etc on the ground because he finds it too difficult to negotiate ATM.

Any thoughts? I'm not keen on chucking him out and abandoning him, he's already bored to death lol he's only been out full time for 3 weeks!!!
 
Clicker Training!!! (Alexander Kurkland does a good book).

Most horses find it great fun, it stimulate their mind and makes them a whole less bored!!

While doing it, you can, if you like, work on things that will make your life easier when back in work.
 
We have one that we are taking for walks with the dogs down the country lanes in the evenings. Its kind of a social outing, chatting and stopping to check out wild plants growing in hedgerows that she wouldn't have access to in her fields. The stressy competition horse has become a chilled stroller.

She's better for having a routine and enjoyable stimulation before we do her physio. Its quite nice taking a step back and just enjoying her company, instead of riding for fitness and training. Every cloud has a silver lining etc,etc.
 
why not set up a handy pony in the field ie tarpaulin to walk over washing line to go under flags n ballons & try & add something different every few days?
 
Yea I agree completely :)

Bless him he's being groomed and cuddled to death, plaited up for fun most days and I'm gonna start tootling about the countryside with him- unfortunately we've been doing this for 8 months lol (apart from one months between injuries :() so we're both bored as hell :):)

Love him to bits, would just be nice to be able to DO something with him lol!!
 
Clicker training?

I found it really fun to do with my horse when on box rest and this is what my experience is:-

a) Horse has to think .. and as you can't tire them physically, it helps to relax their mind.
b) When we returned to riding it really helped my timing when training.
c) My horse isn't great with clippers, so once she had gained the idea I used it to acclimatise her to clippers, but you can teach anything you like - something useful like picking up feet when you point at them - or work towards some dressage movement (lowering the head, spanish steps, etc) - or just to do an amusing trick.

Must admit, since horse has returned to work haven't used it again, but still we both gained from it!
 
He might not be able to step over poles, but could you lay some out in a maze type arrangement and lead him through them instead?
 
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