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Post by antares on Jan 8, 2013 21:55:41 GMT 1
In hand work for my youngster (rising 4) so far has included 20m circles trying to keep an even bend, serpentines, shallow loops, half 15m circles. Some turn on the forehand and haunches, the very beginnings of sideways on a circle - he finds the sideways stuff difficult so we only do a few mins at a time.
This year we can hopefully move on with the lateral work as he builds strength.
I think the main thing to remember is it doesn't really matter too much what level you and your horse is working at so long as the exercises you do are of good quality and precise
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Post by jennyb on Jan 9, 2013 9:50:30 GMT 1
Good point antares - precision is really important, even in basic stuff like obedience and square halts etc. It gives you really solid basics from which to progress.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2013 11:15:47 GMT 1
Our in hand work to date has been about him learning to walk trot and halt on cue, and me learning to keep a consistent contact (which is surprisingly difficult!!) and teaching him to flex both ways, relax his jaw, lift his head and his favourite, stretch forwards and down.
His favourite groundwork is me lunging on a short line with me running with him on a smaller circle to the inside or along the long sides/ change of rein etc, he seems to see it as more playful fun if I stay closer to him so we do that fairly often and it's a bit of a workout for me too!!
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orangetails
Intermediate Poster
Jay, Lilly and Tangle
Posts: 219
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Post by orangetails on Jan 9, 2013 14:54:52 GMT 1
I'm pregnant at the moment so not riding, but typically with my arab would school probably 5 times a week and hack once. Not ideal - but she is NOT a good hack (read dangerous) and we only have a busy village to hack around, so hacking is limited to when I can box out to the forest I pay for a permit for. However, the work in the school is varied, and never more than about 45mins. My lessons are also 45mins (RC lessons are an hour, but they are usually groups of 3 or 4 so plenty of breaks) I have lots of breaks on a long rein, not least because this is something my arab really appreciates as praise. Also not all our work is done in an outline, we warm up on a long rein, and work long and low within a session as well. A typical schooling session would include plenty of suppling exercises, circles (inc sprialling in and out - later in the session when warmed up we half pass in and leg yield out or vice versa) also loops, serpentines etc, some lateral work (leg yield, SI, QI/travers, maybe some half pass - none of these are fully established in all three paces yet (eg half pass only in walk) however my mare really benefits from the suppling they provide. I intersperse lateral work with just moving forwards and plenty of transitions. Some days we might do pole work, and we do occasionally jump. I lunge sporadically - I'd rather be on board! But some lunging can be beneficial - I don't canter on the lunge personally as I feel it is too much strain particularly on the inside hind, but will lunge in walk and trot, usually with a chambon, and sometimes over poles. In-hand work is something I have always enjoyed although only at a basic level. A month or so ago I had a proper in-hand lesson with my usual dressage trainer, and it was great fun! All the work we do under saddle, she can do in-hand (not necessarily with me yet, it requires a bit of co-ordination lol!) I am able to do leg yield and SI on both reins with her, and on the rein I find easier (I am right handed, and find in-hand work easier on the left rein) I am also able to get the beginnings of travers and half pass. Work in progress on the other rein lol! But it was joyful to watch my instructor show me the many things you can do in-hand - in her very first session he even progressed as far as some baby half steps with her. My intention is to do a couple of in-hand sessions a week for the rest of my pregnancy, and maybe one lunging session. She is otherwise out of work, so this will help keep her ticking over for when I am ready to get back on board later in the year - and it will be something I can carry on afterwards too to complement the ridden work Our main 'discipline' (over and above enjoying each other!) is endurance, and fortunately the amount of hacking I can do along with a reasonable amount of work in the school is enough to get and keep her fit for the level we're at at the moment (ie the beginning! We were comfortably doing 25-30kms last year). I'm very careful to build up fitness and intensity of work carefully - it's taken a couple of years of monthly dressage lessons to get to the point we are now, and it's been beneficial to take things relatively slowly to allow her body and muscle to build up. We don't really compete in dressage, but I love the training
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