Hi all! So I’ve been giving a lot of lessons to beginner to advanced-beginner riders. So mainly just post trot, two point, and the occasional canter thrown in.
What are some of your favorite exercise I can do with these guys? I’ve been doing a lot of change of direction with them and changes of gait, but I would like to do more (and keep everyone more entertained), BUT keep it simple enough that they don’t feel overwhelmed.
TIA!
Off the top of my head: Posting without stirrups, posting with only one stirrup, picking up and dropping stirrups while trotting, cantering on an inside bend, cantering on an outside bend, doing anything without reins, hands on head, hip, airplane, out in front, simon says with dressage letters, endless exercises with ground poles.
posting up up down, posting x strides sitting x strides half seat x strides, posting the canter, poles and pole exercises, red light green light, start introducing lateral work and bending, sitting trot, practicing circles/serpentines/cone weaving, extending and collecting on the long/short sides
When I was younger my trainer made us do a lot of patterns. She had dressage letters around the arena, but anything will work cones etc. She would just make up patterns with circles, transitions, halt, back. It really helped the group of us transition when we started to jump, and do courses, or even ground pole courses.
[QUOTE=g123;8864207]
posting up up down [/QUOTE]
Yes this! With varying numbers of “ups.” It really highlights any weaknesses in their base.
Post two steps, sit one, post two, sit one.
(ie, hold your post up for two steps. You can also describe it as changing their diagonal in the air.)
Pretty much impossible to be out of balance while doing this. It stacks the rider’s balance correctly while also strengthening their core.
[QUOTE=meupatdoes;8864269]
Post two steps, sit one, post two, sit one.
(ie, hold your post up for two steps. You can also describe it as changing their diagonal in the air.)
Pretty much impossible to be out of balance while doing this. It stacks the rider’s balance correctly while also strengthening their core.[/QUOTE]
Ditto, I think this is more effective than just riding in two point around the arena. It will really help them find their base of support.
Extend the trot down the long end of the arena and do a more collected circle at the short end of the arena. Doesn’t have to be a small one, can use the whole width of the arena. Emphasize slowing down the horse and maintaining collection by adding more leg and sitting up. I feel like that was a huge hole in my beginners intermediate training and I did a lot of perching and trying to slow down with my hands or tempo thinking my leg aids were just going to make a horse go faster. “Lighten with leg” was a total game changer for me.
Set up two poles. Have them trot and then halt specifically between the two poles to encourage precision. Change speed within gaits (trot and walk).
Do a course of ground poles in the trot.
Have they learned their correct leads at the canter yet? I always liked an exercise that we did to help us feel leads.
Walk or trot down the center line. At the middle of the arena ask for canter. Depending on what lead we picked up, we would canter over a ground pole and circle at the end of the arena. At first our instructor told us which lead to pick up and which pole to canter over until we got the idea and then we told her which lead we were going to ask for and did it ourselves. So if we picked up left lead, we would canter over the pole on the right side and circle over both ground poles. (Sorry if the description isn’t good, I tried to “draw” a diagram below)
…\
Walk/Trot–>---------Canter—>
…/
This level can probably learn turn on the forehand. You can practice emergency dismounts and one rein stops. Learn how to cross stirrups. You can also start to teach them a better equestrian vocabulary through things you can do at the w/t like serpentines, volte, how big a 10, 15, 20m circle is, half turn in reverse vs half turn. You can practice steering through cones or over courses of poles.
Group lessons could occasionally have games like ride a buck, egg and spoon, and in the fall we would have bobbing for apples races…you had to race to a bucket, dismount, bob for the apple (you, not your horse!).
Great suggestions here. I’d like to also highlight that now is the time to introduce your riders to lunge lessons. They can be challenging and time consuming since they are a one-at-a-time activity, but the benefits are well worth it. Balance, strength, feel, softness, and so much more can be achieved through these.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
