Schooling a horse with no menage

[Amanda Seater]

As A Yo.
I would say NOT having a manege is NOT a problem - but the place you talk of sounds as if you won't have enough spare land to school on TBH.
We don't have one - but we do have ALOT of spare ground that is not the horses"dinner plate" to school on. If needs be I do make an area with boundaries but rarely
So I agree with SS3

The thing about having your own place is the relentless nature of the job. That is why I take in livery - because my clients could not cope with the relentlessness of the work particularly in the winter. and the fact there is back up.
I think Lilac lomax has summed it up. ther is more to it than just losing the manege

[Zoe RA]

I totally agree with SS3. I have been called out to many horses who would have had no need of a visit from me if they had not been bored out of their tree by going round and round a school. Sadly, a lot of them have also been whipped by their instructors for trying to tell them they are bored

In your case Jennyg, I also agree with the people who have pointed out that your horse must not be on her own, and to add that if you get one companion, you will, in fact, need two so that you don't get separation problems arising between them.

Also, just to add that you could also end up with a person sharing your yard who is no better than your current yard owner!

It's a mine field out there isn't it

Jan 4, 2009 9:04:54 GMT 1 marianne said:

listen if you call spell lackadaisical - and I had to go look up it hahaha ;D - then you can certainly spell mAnEge

..

Lol Marianne, I have a feeling that one flew strait over the top of a few heads

To explain, a MENAGE, as a lot of people on here seem to call it, is a French word meaning "household". What is being discussed here is a MANEGE, which is a French word for the art of equitation, or a place to teach/school horses.

Come on guys, as Marianne says, you are all clever enough to see the difference, and you have to admit is it is rather funny to hear people talking about schooling their horses in the house

[mandal]

Jan 4, 2009 11:59:31 GMT 1 Zoe RA said:

Come on guys, as Marianne says, you are all clever enough to see the difference, and you have to admit is it is rather funny to hear people talking about schooling their horses in the house

LOL we've been here before!...Toby had his morning feed in the utility this morning.

[Zoe RA]

Lol Mandal ;D

[jennyg]

Apols Marianne for incorrect spelling of manege!! I think my spelling's getting worse not better as I get older!

Thanks for all your views, I agree totally that my horse must not live alone and have also considered separation anxiety issues if there were only one other companion. I wouldn't however lose the benefit of having some help when I can't make it up there due to hols as the lady who owns the land is lovely and has said she'd be more than happy to care for her.

The main reason I'm considering leaving where I am is the fact that although in theory I have the back up of others, I wouldn't be able to relax on holiday with the thought of YO looking after by neddie. I'm sure she'd probably be ok but YO's way of doing things is not my way by far. She also shares a field with a horse that bites and kicks out at her (although I know horses will be horses) so I worry about kick injuries, plus the field she's in is in such a state in places that I also worry about her hurting herself in deep mud/hard frozen rutted ground. I just find myself fretting about whether she's ok and am just waiting for the day she comes in lame - but I am a bit of a worrier!

I would miss the manege so perhaps I'll stay put for now - sadly there are no other DIY yards within a reasonable distance of my house for me to move her to. Many people round my way have horses at home with few facilities.

I may have another option on the cards of a place that's within riding distance of a manege and where my horse would have company but area of grazing's a bit stingy there so we'll see.

Thanks for the advice & hope I haven't bored you all with me conundrum - it just gets you thinking a bit when you hear other peoples' views

[arabheaven]

I would love to have a school but we don't. My schooling is on hacks or during my once a month lessons. During summer, if the ground permits, I school about twice a week in the field. I think the temptation to over school is quite strong when you have school. Zac is 7 and I don't think I've done TOO badly with him not having a shool.
The only bummer is not being able to ride during winter due to lack of light.

[Jenna]

Actually, I'm moving my horses in the next couple of weeks from a livery yard with a lovely floodlit school to private grazing that has no school, and I can't wait!

I've spent the past four years battling inadequate fencing, inadequate grazing, a clueless, lazy farmer - the only upside being the school!

I've pinpointed a bit of flatish grass which I hope will serve as a schooling area, I'm perfectly happy to school on hacks and I don't care if I can't school very much when it's muddy.

I do compete Lui at prelim dressage and I'm sure we will miss the school, but I'm sure we'll cope!

The positives of having more grazing, being able to manage it (and my horses) myself without having to pretend to ignore the bitchy comments from other liveries (my horses are out 24/7 and barefoot), far outweigh the loss of the school!

[laura]

Hi Jenny *laura waves ...... how are you doing with S ?


as to use of a manege ... what is that

we have occasionally been in one but have basically done ALL of our work in field or out on hacks ..... whilst I agree if you want to do high level stuff access to a manege might be more of an issue but I think that there are far more important things to consider about horse management than a school.

If we want to practice dressage ( driven) stuff we put markers out in the field ( large white plastic used chemical containers I think they were) so although its not exactly level we have a rough idea of what we should be doing where

as to lateral moves ...... where is it more important to have a smart side pass ......... in a manege or out on the roads where you have to get into a small gap in a hedge to avoid large truck / bus So hacking out we regularly do lateral moves side to side ( if its safe) on the road as well as collection / extension of walk, halts, rein back etc. even some turns on hauches or forehand at junctions / gates. I suppose if we were at that stage we could even do shoulder in etc .... but we dont do that sorta stuff .


There are some things its easier from the repitition / frequency aspect when teaching / learning / practicing some things that a field is better to work in and I can use my friends samll school ........ but I'd manage if we didn't have access to one.

[marianne]

hehe thanks zoe, it does feel like a downhill battle sometimes :-)

[alisonb]

Hi Jenngyg - whereabouts in Worcs are you? Must admit I totally agree with SS3 - I too remember David Cronk and his wonderful hack - produced to that wonderful standard without the use of a manege. I too am in Worcs and cope without a school. If I want one there is one within hacking distance (in fact I can count 4 within hacking distance!!) but Gem being a veritable OAP in the equine stakes I dont "do" hardcore schooling anymore. BUT we still manage a bit of leg yielding and shoulder in etc on our hacks and as we are in a pretty good riding country can also "school" whilst hacking when down in the meadows.

I would go for moving if you can get a companion pony - TBH you don't sound over impressed with your current yard and there is nothing worse than being worried about where your beloved horse is being kept. Best of luck!

[jennyg]

Laura you are quite right, it is far more important that you can leg yield to be able to move your horse's backside out of the way of a lorry than doing well in a dressage test!

Jenna I hope it works out at your new place - let me know how you get on minus the manege!

I'm sure I've seen a book advertised somewhere called something like 'Schooling whilst you hack' - not sure I've got the title right, but that might be handy to track down.

I'm in two minds what to do, hopefully I'll make the right choice!