Who here loose schools?

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BBP

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Just wondering, following a lovely session where my horse got to have an initial good roll, a blast around and a whole lit of bucking but then did some beautiful free jumping. I am a coward when it comes to jumping (2'3'' seems massive some days!) so its lovely to see my little 14hh Spanish pony pinging over a 3'3'' oxer from a nice steady rhythm, without any effort at all. I get a lit of pleasure out of it, and he seems to enjoy it too. I just wondered if many other people had the luxury it the inclination to do the same?
 
I used to do it a lot with my old TB he didn't get much turnout so would be lovely to see him have a blast and play. However my new WB seems to play chicken with the gate on the 2 occasions we've tried it. She'll canter up to the gate and stop as late as possible and then turn to see if I'm watching. Cheeky bag :)
 
I love free schooling i could do it all day long! Its gives me confidence in seeing my horses jump so that when im on them i know they can do it! I loose schooled my horse over 1.25! She was amazing but ive never jumped over 1m on her! Even though i know she can! I think she enjoys loose schooling cos she loves doing big jumps even if i dont haha!!!
 
I used to with my old horse, he looked so beautiful over a jump it was delightful to watch. Tried it with my young lad and he popped straight over the 4 foot fence and into the mare's field... Nice jump, but the subsequent near-heart attack wasn't worth it - haven't done it since...
 
Not any more but to be honest I don't lunge very often either. When I had a young baby I tended to do it more as I could park him outside the school but still get to him quick if I needed to. The horse I had at the time struggled cantering on the lunge so I often freeschooled him as he found it easier to get into canter on the long side of the school helped me shift the baby weight running alongside him too :)
 
I'm the same as showjump123, watching him pop 1 meter so easily gives me confidence that he can cope with anything I throw at him under saddle. I did mostly start doing it as a safety measure though, he's a horse who needs to let loose regularly and is much more rideable and happy as a result.
 
I free school, or train at liberty most days. I use this time to get the horses used to being asked to do things whilst at liberty. Change gaits and direction, back up, sideways, follow me, jump, go and stand on a tarp, stuff like that. We have four horses at the moment and it's really nice to have them all loose at the same time.
It's good to get them doing this in the field as well as the school, but your connection has to be good.
 
My horse did it for the second time yesterday - although he is usually lazy, he does like having a good run around. He jumped 3ft6 upright as easily as anything...gives me more confidence knowing he can do that height!

My mums horse is hilarious...put a jump up to loose school and you just stand in the middle. You don't even have to move or do anything, she just goes around jumping the jumps :)
 
to PIP DOG'
yes, loose schooling/liberty is wondeful. I teach it on our clinics! My methods are very quiet and calm [ ie no round pen gallloping - am very against that , and therefore against join up which seems albout sending away - you need DRAW to bring the horse TO you] , so that after 1 session usually at a walk, the horse will follow you.
Once into the centre you can begin all the other teaching you wish - the horse will bog off many times, but quietness will get you far.
My methods come from natural horsemanship and K F Hempfling. For inspiration look up anything Frederic Pignon does - I think he is just wonderful - see You Tube or his book 'Gallop to freedom'. Enjoy your liberty, be warned - it becomes addictive!!
 
I will loose school, but I do it very carefully, making sure the horse is working, not just having a mad hooley round the school. The school is where a horse goes to work and allowing him/her to charge round like a nutter can give them the idea that it's a playground, not a schoolroom.

I fence off the school in an H shape (sides of the H one poles length off the track) with jump poles or tape, and start with a handler at each end - working the horse in walk, trot and canter going large. By changing their position, the handler can put the horse on a circle at either end, and by quickly moving one pole each, the horse can be directed across the centre line to change the rein. Doing it this way makes it a structured exercise, and doesn't allow the horse to bugger about and do his own thing. That's what the field is for!
 
I have to admit I do let him have a mad hooley if he needs it, but once that is over he has to work. I like him to think that work is play, so it doesn't bother me that both happen in the same place. But I do understand what the above poster means. If I thought it had a negative effect on his ridden work I might think twice.

In terms of how I do it, for me its just like lunging, theres just no rope to dictate the shape. I ask for walk, trot and canter as I would on the lunge, change rein by changing my position. I don't usually put up a jumping corridor as he's pretty good at popping them without extra help.
 
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