southdowns
Well-Known Member
How important to do you think it is to work youngsters on a surface as opposed to grass ?
Working youngsters on a surface
- Thread starter southdowns
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KatB
Well-Known Member
Not very at all! I think they need to learn to work on as many different surfaces as possible, and youngsters shouldnt do too much regardless of what surface they are worked on. Also some surfaces put more strain on young joints than "natural" surfaces
southdowns
Well-Known Member
The reason i ask is that i don't have a school and someone suggested that perhaps i would get better long term results if i worked him on a surface as grass is slippery (especially in the winter).
KatB
Well-Known Member
How old is the horse?
OrangeEmpire
Well-Known Member
I think it is an excellent education for any horse to have to listen and work as hard in a field as in a school. But in winter all that slipping about in mud can be detrimental. In a school, if the surface is a good one, I can't see it being a problem for a young horse. If it is very deep/soft though, it would put strain on any horse's legs.
Basically I think you have to adapt to whatever facilities you have. People often forget that there is a lot that can be achieved while working in walk, so if you have no school and the field is rather wet, why not do a whole series of exercises in walk in your field. (I spent a year restricted to walk with Orange No.1 so I'm a bit of an 'expert'!)
Basically I think you have to adapt to whatever facilities you have. People often forget that there is a lot that can be achieved while working in walk, so if you have no school and the field is rather wet, why not do a whole series of exercises in walk in your field. (I spent a year restricted to walk with Orange No.1 so I'm a bit of an 'expert'!)
southdowns
Well-Known Member
He is 5, he's pretty green but has quite good natural balance. Its quite a long story . . i bought him 7 weeks ago, i did quite a few things with him straight away (he had a garuntee). At his first dressage he got 62% which was great, then he slipped in the field and was very slightly lame with a muscle pull so he had about 10 days of no work.
He is now sound and fine, have jumped him since and he was great. But the flatwork has just taken a nosedive and is awful. In the last 7 days i've had his saddle checked , its fine, his teeth done and they are fine and all that remains now is the physio who is coming later.
Someone suggested that because he'd slipped in the field and hurt himself that perhaps he was being cautious and therefore becaome tense on grass?? But others that perhaps the 10 days off has just put him behind and that he's just being a bit evasive??
Need to wait and see what the Physio says before i think on any further really but its bugging me.
He is now sound and fine, have jumped him since and he was great. But the flatwork has just taken a nosedive and is awful. In the last 7 days i've had his saddle checked , its fine, his teeth done and they are fine and all that remains now is the physio who is coming later.
Someone suggested that because he'd slipped in the field and hurt himself that perhaps he was being cautious and therefore becaome tense on grass?? But others that perhaps the 10 days off has just put him behind and that he's just being a bit evasive??
Need to wait and see what the Physio says before i think on any further really but its bugging me.
OrangeEmpire
Well-Known Member
I think his and/or your confidence has taken a battering. Were you on him in the field?
Could it be that you are worrying he'll slip again and are unconciously holding back? Or maybe he's worried. Either way keep your sessions short and simple until you're both back on fighting form.
Could it be that you are worrying he'll slip again and are unconciously holding back? Or maybe he's worried. Either way keep your sessions short and simple until you're both back on fighting form.
Cop-Pop
Well-Known Member
I think the surface you work on is down to rider preference more than horse preference
I prefer not to work on grass as I keep mine barefoot and we have a large sand school at the yard. It's possible that he's just playing with you - my youngsters all went thru that stage, jumping is fun but flat work is boring (like kids really
) It's also possible he's still a bit stiff and the flatwork is putting pressure on that.