Ideas to 'liven' up solo schooling

[haffyfan]

Not sure how much riding out i'll get done this half term, certainly not ready to ride and lead again yet, so i've decided the only way to get a few pounds of Harry is by schooling. However i've got to admit i find it a bit tedious day after day so anyone any ideas to make it more entertaining for both of us. Bearing in mind i'm alone so no one to shift poles etc.

He's also incredibly fat and unfit so mainly walking exercises for now, i did about 10/15 mins yesterday and probably 20 today and he was tired; today included a break half way through to shut Murph in pen as, being the loony he is, he was belting around the paddock next to us, for reasons only he knows why. Sometimes i just despair in him but least he exercised himself i guess!

Anyhow back on track - i've been doing various size circles, half circles to change rein and some shallow loops, various looped serpentines and figures of eight. Will do some leg yielding when he's back in the swing of things but he's done no schooling in months so wanted to get him started gradually and he finds lateral work hard. Funnily enough murph finds it really easy in comparison but makes any form of 'work' hard work Sorry i digress so yeah any new ideas for exercises would be great. Thanks

Oh we tried some turn about the forehand today too, riding squares and diamonds (actually they were more like [unintentional] rhombus's) to get a start on the moving away from the leg.

[spotti]

How about turning it into a bit of a game? Add a few 'barrels' (cones?) and do some barrel racing - faith thinks this is hilarious, even at walk! Or jousting? All you need for that is a hoop and a long stick...you could even practice picking it up from the floor? Or...erm...setting up a maze? You could use cones or something as markers and then challenge yourselves to start from the middle and work your way out to 'safety' (might be worth planning the maze in advance though and having a paper copy to hand, just in case you get yourself lost!)

Can you tell I've been well trained [by Faith] to think 'outside the box'?

[brigadier]

I usually get bored after twenty mins or so- especially when doing the fittening phase, so imagine they are too. Keep it short is my tip, but try to do things evenly. Also practice dressage tests, amazing how riding a through one, even at walk and trot, a time or two makes the mins tick by.

[ernieburt]

I like that idea Brig as I sometimes try and push The Dude too much (4 year old) but need to hold back, walk trot test. Great.

[racaille]

I like that idea too! I also get very bored (as does P) and I confess I do not do enough schooling.

I admire your spirit though Haff - I do the fittening bit out hacking so there is stuff for me to look at. You've got courage and stamina if you can face doing it by schooling!

[haffyfan]

Apr 16, 2014 5:24:43 GMT racaille said:

I admire your spirit though Haff - I do the fittening bit out hacking so there is stuff for me to look at. You've got courage and stamina if you can face doing it by schooling!

Trust me it's necessity not choice! I'd much rather be hacking around the common/woods!


I found some walk/trot tests a year or two ago so i'll have to try and dig them out again, great idea Brig, thanks. If i'm constantly looking down at a piece of paper for next few movements does that give me a good 'excuse' for looking down...i found 4 rosettes of ragwort yesterday whilst schooling!

[pboy]

I like Spotti's ideas as well as the dressage test one

How about some 'desensitising'? Flappy plastic bags, tarpaulins on the ground, that sort of thing. Depends if you have the time to set it all up of course!

[haffyfan]

I'm going to be stuck going in circles all summer now it would seem so i've said it before but never done anything about it, i quite fancy giving horse agility a go, so maybe this summer is the perfect opportunity.

Spotti where do/did you acquire all your bits and bobs from without spending a fortune?

[fleabitten]

What about getting an instructor out every couple of weeks, would break it up a bit and you would have homework and inspiration?

[brigadier]

thats true Flea, an instuctor is a great motivator

[spotti]

Haff, in all honesty I've just been 'collecting' random bits and bobs that I think might be useful/potentially scary which Faith then shows diddly squat interest in, so I have to think harder and try again! and my trailer is full of random bits of flappy plastic, a pile of pallets (the kind with the slats close together, not the ones with gaps - they make good steps/bridges/podiums etc), weird bits and bobs from pound shops - including some of the foam 'pole' things kids use when swimming (we make them into foam hoops and jump through them...or use them to have sword fights with!). Also got dangly things, lots of bits of rope, a motion sensitive frog that goes 'ribbit' when you walk past it (expected Faith to at least go WTF but she actually loves that frog) , oh and a bunch of flags (again, Faith LOVES her flags). If you're up this way then you'd be welcome to come and have a play to get some ideas/pinch a few random bits .

Horse agility is fun. STILL not actually competed yet, but it's nice to get ideas for things to do .

Going to get the doggies involved this summer too...hopefully get some videos of us all 'playing' together.

[haffyfan]

Thanks everyone and Spotti i'll have to take you up on that and then we can go over to visit Zara, and pop in my Mum's for a cup of tea as it's not far too. x


So basically i collect random junk; My grandad would have been proud of me, he just loved to hoard junk in the garage/stables. I will pass on the frog though, urrggg I couldn't cope with that one.

I'm quite proud of myself in that (apart from Wednesday when it rained then later was blowing a gale with neighbours sheets on the line next to where i school) we've gone round and round every day since last sunday when he hacked out. I had to force myself tonight and have only just got back as we had fence to mend/move/generally Harry proof but the day i don't i'll be doing it whenever i don't feel like schooling. He actually worked quite nicely tonight, still only walking, but listening nicely and trying his best rather than trying to evade and get back up the field. An instructor (if there's one brave enough to take us on) is a good idea, but i think i need to get him a bit fitter first so we can make better use of one.

[spotti]

Sounds like a plan!