Just imagine, you've had a great day out, thoroughly enjoyed yourself but when you get home you realise you've still got your homework to do, or the ironing, or worse – you've to go to work – whatever (depending on your individual circumstances); the mere though of it takes the edge off the wonderful you've had.  Or maybe you've just eaten a rather large meal, a friend knocks at the door and wants you to go jogging with them – argh, forget it!

So there is Dobbin, he's had a lovely day out in the field, he's feeling contented and relaxed, has a full stomach and then you come along and expect him to perform miracles in the manege.  He's done this for days in succession and he's had enough, he's thoroughly board by it all.  Little wonder then that his work is not up to scratch, he doesn't concentrate or worse, he begins to nap.

Firstly follows a few simple guidelines: 

1.     If your horse is at grass or has been turned out for a few hours, allow him at least an hour before you commence exercise. 

2.     Vary his work routine – alternate schooling days with hacking out or loosework, etc. 

3.     Don't expect Dobbin to work if he can see his pals over the fence still happily grazing. 

       Yes, of course horses do have to learn to accept giving 100% concentration but working right next to their playground or even in it, if you work your horse in the grass field he grazes in, is a little unfair.

Points to Remember 

Don't expect Dobbin to adopt a superb outline the moment one hoof touches the manege; he needs time to loosen up and relax his muscles; think how long gymnasts and ballerinas spend warming up so allow him some working in time. 

Unfortunately too many riders are hands-reliant in that their legs are somewhat ineffective, yet it is with the leg that the horse directed; the reins merely guide the horse in the chosen direction or convey the requirement to slow down or stop (in conjunction with the leg).  In reality horses should be quite capable of being ridden without reins.  (Goodness, there would be quite a few riders on the floor!!!).  This is why we see horses with their heads stuck on their chests but the quarters are in the next county – there is little or no hock engagement at all; the horse has been pulled into an outline instead of being ridden into one.  Often a pair of draw reins has been used which reinforces the false outline and because the horse has not been ridden forward, he is heavy in the hand (on the forehand) and a hard task lies ahead in getting his head up and back in front of the perpendicular. 

SOMEtraining aids do have their place, but only in the right hands and with the correct knowledge of how they work and what they achieve; they are not the way forward with a young horse, only those who have developed bad habits (usually through no fault of their own) or have become somewhat wayward in their behaviour, but then they should be used with discretion and not as a matter or course. 

If you know you do not use your legs enough or that you are weak in the leg, although not always recommending the use of spurs (some horses object), a schooling whip can be a great help but one long enough to reach the quarters without you having to take a hand off the rein – a real fishing rod!!

Vary your Exercises 

So, we've allowed Dobbin time to warm up and we are ready to begin.  Remember that every schooling session might not be a successful one – that's horses for you – but let's try to make it an interesting one. 

The usual schooling routines see horses pounding round in endless circles and describing figures of 8 with a few serpentines thrown in if they are lucky.  At that's it, a schooling session!  What about changes of stride length and gait (not just walk, trot and canter, but different 'speeds e.g. medium and working trot, etc., half halts, rein-back, shoulder-in, and so on? 

1.     A horse should in no way be able to anticipate your next requirement – keep him guessing, that's what keeps him alert and attentive.  It may be that you often do a small circle in each corner of the school; having done that exercise a few times, Dobbin will think that once you've done a circle, that's what you want him to do at each subsequent corner, so don't; push on into, say, an extension past a couple of corners and then circle again.  

2.     Don't always use the long sides of the school for increasing stride length or pace, across the diagonal works equally well and you have a choice of direction at the end. Don't think that going faster equals an extension!  An extension is just what it says, a longer stride length, not an increase in pace; it just sometimes feels faster because of the "drive" that you feel under you through the quarters. 

3.     Circles need not just be circles, what about spirals?  Start in the middle of the school and gradually increase the size of the circle you are working on. Circles need not be confined to the ends or corners of the school; come in off the straight for a change.

4.     Regular changes of pace and speed are important.  So many times we see horses that just go up and down on the spot, especially when trotting because they have not been encouraged or allowed to go forward.  A horse that takes the bit is often mistaken for one that is likely to run off or start pulling.  Perform more collected movements and then go up a gear and let your horse really move across the ground.  

5.     Include half halts and rein back as well as lots of transitions. 

6.     Various flexing exercises can be done at a standstill. 

7.     Putting some barrels or cones in the school to manoeuvre around can be of great assistance especially say, you have a bit of trouble with your bends; you can use them to discourage Dobbin from cutting across the corners or "motorbiking" them, allowing you to concentrate on making sure you are conveying your instructions correctly.  Having objects in the school will discourage Dobbin from rushing about if he is a bit onward bound.    

8.     During your session allow your Dobbin some stretch time; this helps reduce the risk of tension, and possibly muscle damage to the unfit or untoned horse, building up.  There are two ways of stretching – firstly just giving the reins away completing so that Dobbin does his own thing or gradually letting the rein out but maintaining contact and control; "forward and down" is an exercise so much favoured by Eric Herbermann  (The Dressage Formula)- a horse can walk, trot and canter this way with his nose literally brushing the floor.

 9.    There are of course all sorts of lateral exercises that you can do such as shoulder-in, half pass, tranvers etc. but exactly what depends upon your capability to perform them as well as that of your horse but you should be able to execute basic leg yielding movements – literally just asking your horse to move in a diagonal direction i.e. forward and sideways away from the outside leg; this can be done in walk, trot and canter, though canter can be quite hard as it is important not to lose impulsion and maintain a good rhythm.  

        Bending/lateral exercises are for suppling the horse in order to be able to straighten him so don't just execute  these sorts of exercises at the expense of good forward movement on the straight.

 10.   And, what of using poles – they are not just a preliminary to jumping exercises.      

        Placed strategically around corners or on the straight, poles encourage horses not only to look where they are going and pay attention, but aid flexion, hock engagement and co-ordination as well as teaching stride length adjustment.  

        Horses can also be taught a lot loose. I don't mean charging about the school kicking and bucking – that's playtime, which of course your horse should be allowed to have – but proper work, just without the weight of a rider. 

Long-reining of course is invaluable but you have to be well-skilled at it if you are to achieve results.  Don't confuse long reining with double lungeing i.e. lungeing with 2 lines.  

The whole purpose behind schooling a horse in the first place is not only to make him obedient but to turn him into a supple athlete with good self carriage in the correct outline.  Remember that this takes time and then, in reality, it is an on-going exercise anyway.  If Dobbin has worked hard, remember too that the next day he may be stiffer than usual or may feel a bit sore, so go easy on him.  

At the end of the day, schooling should be fun for both you and Dobbin so, next time you are schooling your horse, think back to just how much you enjoyed your maths lessons at school!  Argh - enough said!!  

Remember the secret of a horse going well – the 3 "F's" – that's how your horse should be going.

 FREE, FLOWING, FORWARD

Apart from executing the most basic of movements, it is always best to seek professional assistance once you wish to progress.  You might think that you are conveying your instructions clearly but Dobbin might disagree leading to a battle which does not achieve anything.  A young or inexperienced horse needs very clear instructions to help him learn and understand what is being asked of him, so it's no good if you are not quite sure how to perform a movement let alone teach a horse to do it.

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These articles will cover all aspects of equine management and training but are only intended to provide a guideline and are not to be construed as a substitute to seeking professional advice for individual situations.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for assistance.  

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