I’ve ridden with quite a few different trainers and each of them had their own pool of favorite riding exercises for schooling a lower level horse/rider pair. My all time favorites would have to be spiral circles, turn on the forehand to forward trot and halt to walk countdowns (transitioning in 10, 9, 8, etc. steps). Obviously these depend a lot on the horse and what you’re trying to improve… But I suspect we all have a few standbys. So what are your favorites??
Definitely would say spirals too.
Also a big fan of shoulder-in’s as they are useful as a good foundation for many things.
And transitions of all kinds at all different times
Riding SF. Every step counts. Sets up everything else. Establishing inside-outside.
[QUOTE=Ocean of Nuance;7919748]
Riding SF. Every step counts. Sets up everything else. Establishing inside-outside.[/QUOTE]
Sorry, what’s SF? (Is my newbie-ness showing?:lol:)
shoulderfore. Like a baby shoulder-in. All the time.
I warm up with a solid 10 minutes of walking - stretching into the contact - over the back - bringing him back together, leg yields, change of direction, etc. We then do the trot and canter at a stretch - both directions. After that - he’s pretty warmed up and we start more ‘put together’ work. Lots of transitions - everywhere.
Leg yield on a loose rein at a walk to feel which way the horse is more supple, then ride to create suppleness the other direction. Depending on the horse, that ranges from just shoulder fore and slight bending lines to shoulder-in, haunches-in and half pass. Constant use of the lateral work to improve contact and suppleness and releases when the horse responds properly, as especially at the start the horse doesn’t have the fitness for handling them as endurance exercises.
[QUOTE=rprincess73;7920806]
I warm up with a solid 10 minutes of walking - stretching into the contact - over the back - bringing him back together, leg yields, change of direction, etc. We then do the trot and canter at a stretch - both directions. After that - he’s pretty warmed up and we start more ‘put together’ work. Lots of transitions - everywhere.[/QUOTE]
Same here. We do 15 minutes of walk. The first few on a long rein. Then we stretch, shoulder in, haunches in, leg yields, spiral circles. Then we stretch at trot and canter. Then work. We also stretch at the trot to cool down.
Cavalletti, cavalletti and cavalletti. Walk, trot and canter. It improves everything.
Agree with the warming up stuff. Never scrimp on the warm-up!
[QUOTE=LarkspurCO;7922410]
Cavalletti, cavalletti and cavalletti. Walk, trot and canter. It improves everything.
Agree with the warming up stuff. Never scrimp on the warm-up![/QUOTE]
Ooh I do love cavalletti work. Do you usually break it up with other exercises or… how do you work it in?
[QUOTE=zaparaquah;7922987]
Ooh I do love cavalletti work. Do you usually break it up with other exercises or… how do you work it in?[/QUOTE]
https://wordery.com/cavalletti-ingrid-klimke-9781908809193
Great book for cavaletti stuff!
[QUOTE=Pembroke;7923159]
https://wordery.com/cavalletti-ingrid-klimke-9781908809193
Great book for cavaletti stuff![/QUOTE]
Yes, this book has training plans in the back. I’m not actually following them yet. Just sort of winging it. I started out with my greenbean longeing him over a few trotting poles. I mix up the patterns and do some mounted and unmounted, change the height and configuration often. I need to get Mr. L to make more of these for me so that we can do 15 trot poles in a row.
Sometimes my trainer comes and does a whole lesson around the poles doing various things. Sometimes I use them to loosen up his back.
It is amazing how much it improves the cadence of the trot. Now we are also working with the canter. He loves it. I also set up a little jump for him sometimes, which he also thinks is fun.
Just start out simple and build from there. Be careful not to over-face your horse.
Here is one of Ingrid’s downloads that I modified to add the English measurements (because I don’t convert metric in my head very well, and because my boots are almost exactly one foot long so I can rely on them them for setting up poles).
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B39vI8RGIbeqMFpfYVgwVUQ0Tnc/view?usp=sharing
I have not done the more advanced gymnastics yet but I think it would be a blast. There’s an eventing trainer nearby I might take him to for that.
Oh, yeah, forgot to add – You can also use the poles to help with the square turns. Just lay them down to make your corners. This and the wheel spoke configuration (like p. 6 in the PDF) really teaches you to keep the horse on the outside aids.
- Three loop serpentine with a 10 meter circle in the bottom of each serpetine loop (hope that makes sense!)
- 10 meter circle in each corner of the arena
- Ride a square. Establish it at the walk and then try it at the trot.
- Ride a "shallow loop" on the long side of the arena (going from the side letter to "x" and then back to the side letter). Variation---lengthen your stride out of the corner, collect a bit on the "top" of the shallow loop, then lengthen again when returning to the track.
- Three loop serpentine at the trot with a down transition to walk, and immediate up transition to trot in the middle of the straight side of each serpentine loop
- Leg yield off the wall, then half-pass back to the wall (start at the walk)
- Canter on a 20 meter circle, transition to trot halway around the circle, trot for 1/2 the 20 meter circle, transition back up to canter. Canter 1 time around the 20 meter circle, then transition back down to trot for 1/2 the 20 meter circle. Rinse, repeat.
I have one that I picked up at a clinic recently and my greenie responds really well to it. Doesn’t matter what side you start with, but I’ll start by going to the right.
-Pick up a trot at B.
-Stay on the rail and turn left onto the long diagonal line at K.
-At X, make a 10-meter half-circle left and return to the rail at E.
-Go all the way around the end of the arena and turn right onto the long diagonal line at F.
-At X, make a 10-meter half-circle right and return to the rail at B.
-Rinse and repeat the entire sequence for 2-3 more times.
I also like turning down center line and alternating 10-meter circles in each direction. Its better to have a few straight strides before the next 10-meter circle. I can usually fit 5 circles on the center line before I run out of space. So I just make another pass down center line and start on the opposite site from last time. That way I end up having the same number of circles on each side.
The best exercises are the ones that specifically target what your horse needs to develop more. One person’s favorite exercise may not come close to addressing your horse’s needs. So, know why you are doing the exercises that you are doing, and what those exercises are specifically targeting.
That being said. Lateral work - especially shoulder-in, and transitions (especially trot/halts when your horse is ready for it). Those exercises are the basis of collection.
[QUOTE=LarkspurCO;7922410]
Cavalletti, cavalletti and cavalletti. Walk, trot and canter. It improves everything.
Agree with the warming up stuff. Never scrimp on the warm-up![/QUOTE]
this x100. walk poles, trot poles, cavalettis.
i don’t personally like spiral-ins/outs… i prefer these type of exercises (leg yields, lateral movements) to be performed on straight lines for straightness.
as far as breaking up the cavaletti work, yes – you need to give generous walk breaks after trying exercises, as they are quite challenging and should be. i like to do some warm up over walk poles, trot, do some cavalettis, work on things like leg yields or SF/SI, then go back to more poles and cavalettis, cool down over poles.
[QUOTE=slp2;7923265]
- Three loop serpentine with a 10 meter circle in the bottom of each serpetine loop (hope that makes sense!)
- 10 meter circle in each corner of the arena
- Ride a square. Establish it at the walk and then try it at the trot.
- Ride a "shallow loop" on the long side of the arena (going from the side letter to "x" and then back to the side letter). Variation---lengthen your stride out of the corner, collect a bit on the "top" of the shallow loop, then lengthen again when returning to the track.
- Three loop serpentine at the trot with a down transition to walk, and immediate up transition to trot in the middle of the straight side of each serpentine loop
- Leg yield off the wall, then half-pass back to the wall (start at the walk)
- Canter on a 20 meter circle, transition to trot halway around the circle, trot for 1/2 the 20 meter circle, transition back up to canter. Canter 1 time around the 20 meter circle, then transition back down to trot for 1/2 the 20 meter circle. Rinse, repeat.
I think we may have the same trainers lol. I do all of these especially the square, 10m circles in the corners and my fave is the serpentine with the 10m circles.
-I also like to do transitions within shoulder in. Walk/trot transitions within shoulder in.
-I also like to do shoulders in, 10m circle at b/e and then haunches in.
I do lots of lateral work with my guys. Hope an eventer’s perspective is alright 
Trotting the Bow Tie. gets rider’s aids awake and helps supple horse. My trainer uses it for lower and upper levels.
For those not familiar: down long side, 1/2 circle at end, back to E or B on diagonal line. Circle (10 meters or a bit bigger) at E (or B), continue straight to end, 1/2 circle, back on diagonal, circle at E (B) etc.
Can be varied by having the long side done in shoulder in, the diagonal in half pass.
Also a big fan of very shallow serpentines/loops at trot or canter.
