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Post by TLSEquestrian on Oct 24, 2012 18:09:51 GMT
I have to say I curse everyone of you who has a nice sand school! Would love one especially in the winter you lucky people!
Anyway as I've suggested I have no arena, and at this time of year, especially at the moment our field is ridiculously wet and boggy, and my section a's the only one who can ride remotely well on it! I do hack aswell however all we have is roads, there is no where to go where I can practise cantering as horses are either not allowed, it's too boggy on the fields near us aswell or the forest is a good hour and a half hack away which in the dark evenings isn't the best idea!
I have a youngster who obviously I'm trying to educate, she walks and trots superbly however the cantering is still a work in progress but I have no where to improve this! As she's a baby her balance isn't up to trying to get a canter going in the field and I'm worried her legs will just go from under her one day!
I was just wondering if anyone else was in this sort of situation and what you do to school your horses to the best you can! or if you have any suggestions..
Must add we do have occasional access to David Broomes so if all else fails I can take her up there to work her, but it's again time comsuming and in these dark evenings not suitable...
Anyway sorry it's a bit long!
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
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Post by solitaire sr on Oct 24, 2012 18:53:08 GMT
Hi I feel for you, I'm in a similar situation.
I have a pure bred arab that's 4 and was brought back into work this month. We have a crappy menage that is to boggy and nowhere big enough for anything over 12 hh. I have been hacking out we are very luck woth our hacking there are bridle paths that can be reached within 2 mins. I've had to do hia schooling whilst hacking out. He is walking, trotting, cantering etc, with ease, but I'm gonna need to get him into a school at some point.
I was that down by not having a menage I was considering moving yards, it was more expensive to move plus 20 mins car journey away where as where I am now is less than 5 mins so is very handy. Our grazing, hacking etc is excellant so I have opted to stay.
When I can I'm going to get him to a menage ariund a 45 min hack away that's for rent and maybe get him there once a week, as hacking is just as good and you can teach them a lot by just doing that.
Can you not get to a menage near by and is there nowhere near to hack where you can practise cantering, uphills has been fab for us xxx
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2012 18:55:58 GMT
I only ride at weekends through winter. Try to get to local instructor for lessons but doesn't always work. I just have to suck it up and get as much riding through summer as poSsible and keep pestering mother for a school lol.
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Post by nici on Oct 25, 2012 12:14:06 GMT
We keep one section of our field fenced off with electric fencing, and only allow the ponies in there to graze when it's dry. This is our riding paddock, and even when it's wet it's still possible to ride in it as there are no real boggy patches from ponies tramping it down. It's a reasonable size paddock, about 30m wide and maybe 100m long. We have a dressage arena marked out with cones at one end, and jumps up at the other. We only use the dressage area for lessons and for practising tests, to ensure the track doesn't get too heavily marked. Fortunately this year we have access to 12 acres of new grass, on a gentle slope, so not boggy at all. It's not fenced off for turnout, but we can ride on it as long as it's not too wet (don't want to wreck the new grass so we're very careful there)  Other than that, we hire an indoor at a local RC occasionally, and hack out at weekends when we have more time. And after this weekend it'll be pretty much impossible to ride after school anyway as it'll be dark so early  |
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Post by TLSEquestrian on Oct 25, 2012 17:22:26 GMT
Hi I feel for you, I'm in a similar situation. I have a pure bred arab that's 4 and was brought back into work this month. We have a crappy menage that is to boggy and nowhere big enough for anything over 12 hh. I have been hacking out we are very luck woth our hacking there are bridle paths that can be reached within 2 mins. I've had to do hia schooling whilst hacking out. He is walking, trotting, cantering etc, with ease, but I'm gonna need to get him into a school at some point. I was that down by not having a menage I was considering moving yards, it was more expensive to move plus 20 mins car journey away where as where I am now is less than 5 mins so is very handy. Our grazing, hacking etc is excellant so I have opted to stay. When I can I'm going to get him to a menage ariund a 45 min hack away that's for rent and maybe get him there once a week, as hacking is just as good and you can teach them a lot by just doing that. Can you not get to a menage near by and is there nowhere near to hack where you can practise cantering, uphills has been fab for us xxx I also have a pure bred arab! Can't ride her in the field either but she's quite happy just to ride out on the roads but I'm not so fussed on schooling her atm, its just the 4 year old! We're a 20min hack from Broomes and are good friends with the family so have access to it BUT in the winter the field we hack through literally turns into a lake! its such a pain! We have a field with a big hill which we use for grazing and the yard owner can be rather strict about using the grazing fields for riding in, but I might just have to plead with him! He's very understanding to be honest so fingers crossed! Thanks |
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Post by TLSEquestrian on Oct 25, 2012 17:23:18 GMT
I only ride at weekends through winter. Try to get to local instructor for lessons but doesn't always work. I just have to suck it up and get as much riding through summer as poSsible and keep pestering mother for a school lol. That's what I do with the others really! however only broken the 4 year old in this month so wasnt really the option! haha! |
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Post by TLSEquestrian on Oct 25, 2012 17:25:36 GMT
We keep one section of our field fenced off with electric fencing, and only allow the ponies in there to graze when it's dry. This is our riding paddock, and even when it's wet it's still possible to ride in it as there are no real boggy patches from ponies tramping it down. It's a reasonable size paddock, about 30m wide and maybe 100m long. We have a dressage arena marked out with cones at one end, and jumps up at the other. We only use the dressage area for lessons and for practising tests, to ensure the track doesn't get too heavily marked. Fortunately this year we have access to 12 acres of new grass, on a gentle slope, so not boggy at all. It's not fenced off for turnout, but we can ride on it as long as it's not too wet (don't want to wreck the new grass so we're very careful there) Other than that, we hire an indoor at a local RC occasionally, and hack out at weekends when we have more time. And after this weekend it'll be pretty much impossible to ride after school anyway as it'll be dark so early I think I really am just going to have to plea with the yard owner to let me ride, even just the baby in the grazing fields as I'm not going to get anywhere otherwise! During the weekends as long as I'm not working we can probably take her up to broomes, it's just such a pain! Nice to know in a way that other people are in the same boat though! |
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Post by daisymae on Oct 29, 2012 9:35:05 GMT
I have the same problem and hate it I have 2 rising 4 yr olds so not doing a lot of canter work yet but need to introduce a bit of canter. Would love to get them out to some early shows next year but just feel such at a dis-advantage, as the people with a school and so much further a long with their's |
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Post by TLSEquestrian on Oct 29, 2012 9:36:28 GMT
I have the same problem and hate it I have 2 rising 4 yr olds so not doing a lot of canter work yet but need to introduce a bit of canter. Would love to get them out to some early shows next year but just feel such at a dis-advantage, as the people with a school and so much further a long with their's This is literally exactly the same ! Really want to get my youngster going as she was bought as a project to bring on and sell and she's going well apart from her cantering! so annoying! |
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Post by solitaire sr on Oct 29, 2012 10:08:22 GMT
I have the same problem and hate it I have 2 rising 4 yr olds so not doing a lot of canter work yet but need to introduce a bit of canter. Would love to get them out to some early shows next year but just feel such at a dis-advantage, as the people with a school and so much further a long with their's This is literally exactly the same ! Really want to get my youngster going as she was bought as a project to bring on and sell and she's going well apart from her cantering! so annoying! guys as said im in the same situation no menage and bloody boggy fields  my 4 year old is cantering, learning transitions whilst out hacking. plus he is enjoying it, rather than boring him to death with repetitive school work. i know of some fab producers who have got horses to hoys, rihs without an arena, from just hacking out with the odd schooling session an an open field (when surface is ok). dont be down hearted i was exactly the same a few months ago, to the point i was going to loan my arab out to a ridden producer so he wasnt being wasted, also considered a yard move. but i gave myself a kick up the a**e, got on board and off hacking we went. when the weather improves i will hack him to a menage, the odd few times, just to establish what he has already learnt. xxxxx |
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Post by Kerbeck on Oct 29, 2012 12:14:56 GMT
I have an 8 year old fell, slightly different to your scenario as he has a couple of seasons under his belt and is fairly established in his work, I have actually moved him to a yard with no school a couple of months ago for many different reasons. I am lucky that I have access on to the moors directly from the yard so I can ride even if the night is drawing in as I don't have any traffic to contend with, also I only work part time and it is flexi so in winter I am planning to start later and finish later so I can ride in a morning. When I have been on other yards I have put my self under a lot of pressure to ride all winter as I have been paying so much in livery. Where I am now is much cheaper. Now I am enjoying taking things much easier, I don't beat my self up if I don't fancy riding and last week I didn't ride at all. (i'm sure my pony is enjoying taking things slower!) I am happy to just hack a couple of times a week and then pessoa or school maybe once too.
At first I did panic and thought I had made a mistake as I was worried about letting all my hard work slip but in all honesty he is still schooled as well and actually performs better now he isn't bored to death by being in a school! I am lucky in the respect that we have a massive flat field to ride in which I can still use as it drains well but when it becomes too boggy I plan to just hack and then box him up for local dressage and maybe the odd clinic and lesson until spring.
In a nutshell don't beat your self up about it! It will do your pony good to take things slow and spring will be here before we know it, I am creative when I hack I make my pony work, he doesn't just amble along, he will do lots of transitions between and through tha paces, I leg yeild, do walk Pirouettes and practice my extensions. Yes it will take me a month or so to set him up for next year in Spring but lots of hill work and circles to supple him back up and he will be there in no time, and I bet he tackles things with a lot more enthusiasm too! I may give him a month or so off over Christmas depending on my other commitments etc too
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Post by Kerbeck on Oct 29, 2012 12:17:20 GMT
Also just to add, even with no school we have this weekend acheived 70% in our first novice test and we are reguarly placed at affiliated level in showing, like Solitaire said,it is acheivable without a school, lots of eventers don't even have one!
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Post by bethanyy on Oct 29, 2012 13:32:33 GMT
I've always been lucky enough to have a school, we have paid extra so have always had an outdoor paddock at least.
If it was me I would hire a local school regardless of the dark, people hire our indoor school after 7pm only.
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Post by sophiabell on Oct 29, 2012 14:05:44 GMT
I know exactly how you feel. Up until this year, we have only ever had boggy fields at this time of year and no hacking so always had to just pack in and start again next spring. It is hard when you have a youngster as it is touch and go as to whether you are able to ride and even when you can it may be very slippy - I found that although in an ideal world it would be great to school over winter to get ready for next summer, turning them away and starting again when it is possible to ride regularly is better than riding say once a week whilst having to be cautious about what you do because of the boggyness. It is a bugger that I have started uni just as we have moved to a place where it is possible to ride over winter Good luck! |
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Post by TLSEquestrian on Oct 29, 2012 16:30:28 GMT
It is such a pain! Think I'm just going to stick to hacking her for now! and then when we eventually have a few dry days do a bit of schooling hopefully! She's been quite a quick learner so im hoping that once she's got it she'll be easy to do then and hacking will be fine with her! Just such a pain in the ass!!!
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baggygirl
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King Brian Boru :D
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Post by baggygirl on Oct 29, 2012 17:46:45 GMT
I always had this problem, with no arena but the fields got too boggy and wet, since my dad is an immaculate farmer, he won't take any mess of his fields, I used to hack out a lot or go somewhere where it has a decent field that you could use, or box/ hack to a menage not too far away. At weekends, you could go to an competition even if you don't want to compete just at least you could school your youngster quietly. Lessons are probably the best way to overcome this. However, I now don't have this problem anymore as I just had a brand new arena put down  |
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Post by TLSEquestrian on Oct 29, 2012 20:10:50 GMT
Wish we could have an arena put in soo much money though! |
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baggygirl
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King Brian Boru :D
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Post by baggygirl on Oct 29, 2012 20:15:01 GMT
I braved 12 years since I started riding of not having an arena, even what a layer of bark, it is really cheap but can do as a bit of an arena. My friend currently has some bark down as an arena.
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Post by TLSEquestrian on Oct 29, 2012 21:07:41 GMT
It would be easier if it was our fields but I don't know how open to putting anything down the yard owner would be which is a pain ! |
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Post by Redsky on Oct 30, 2012 23:08:43 GMT
I'm in the same boat (almost literally! ), field is soaked and no menage, my field is worse in October this year than it was in end of December last year. It did dry up nicely last week though and was perfect to ride on but the rain on Sunday (and ever since) has just water logged it again We have got access to an indoor and outdoor a few minutes away by wagon but it soon gets expensive to hire out every week  and a mither when we've just not got the time in the evenings between school and night shifts starting, our fell isn't good on the roads so that's a no no. Its so depressing at this time of year |
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Post by nici on Oct 31, 2012 11:14:04 GMT
Wasn't that rain on Sunday frustrating! Our fields were absolutely perfect for riding on Saturday, for the first time in weeks, and yet on Sunday they were back under water. Ah well, ponies are having a break - can't do anything after school/work now since the clocks have changed and we're away this weekend. Hope we can ride in the fields the next weekend as my lorry is currently in the garage for repair. We had hoped to do some dressage then, but looks as though we'll be grounded, and anyway P4 is a bit tough for a little one without a chance to practice beforehand.
Roll on Spring!
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Post by TLSEquestrian on Oct 31, 2012 19:25:56 GMT
I know it is so frustrating! I hate winter from the horses point of view! Just hope we don't get any snow this year! So annoying when you've got youngsters to do! Ah well I agree Roll on Spring!!!
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Post by bizzylizzie on Dec 4, 2012 12:28:41 GMT
I was in the same position with a barely backed rising 5 yr old last year but had to give in and wait until May until i could get her into another yard. Once we got going we motored on as i could school and have lessons on a regular basis with no interruptions if we had heavy rain etc. She is back home for the winter and i gave up hacking after two weeks as the farm is flooded (which has now frozen) so we will have to wait until May again, but i do have comfort from knowing that when i do consistant regular schooling she picks things up better than stopping & starting due to ground conditions.
I know how frustrating it is but you will get there!
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fin
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Post by fin on Dec 4, 2012 12:40:25 GMT
I am in the same position. I have a 13 year old pony that i am trying to break not a clue on how to canter ride on an old football pitch and to top it all can only ride at the weekends. Its like mission impossible at the moment. Can needlessly say he wont be ready for the early hoys qualifiers........but hey ho roll on in another 3 months the nights will be lighter, the fields will bre dryer and the spring will be here xx
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Post by twiglet1 on Dec 8, 2012 21:29:06 GMT
Gosh , you all seam to have it bad , I've been Moaning recently with just an outdoor to use , I have a rising 4 yr old I'm trying to educate ready for the new season , but get frustrated when the outdoor is frozen ! And have contemplated moving to a place with an indoor ... Makes my worries less important now x
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Post by molliesmum on Dec 8, 2012 21:40:41 GMT
It's my first winter without access to an allweather floodlit menage and i am missing it so much. I've had to send my youngster to a friend who has the facilities to ride him regularly as I was failing completely trying to do it myself. I've turned my older pony away, probably for a few months, and now that I'm not riding I have started to suffer with mild depression again. Getting my first pony 4 years ago helped to cure my anxiety problems but for the first time in years it is starting to re-surface again. I don't have any transport of my own so i can't even drive them anywhere and I'm feeling very down.
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afe
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Post by afe on Dec 12, 2012 21:18:09 GMT
I have the same problem and hate it I have 2 rising 4 yr olds so not doing a lot of canter work yet but need to introduce a bit of canter. Would love to get them out to some early shows next year but just feel such at a dis-advantage, as the people with a school and so much further a long with their's Know what you mean, plus working full time son finding time to ride is hard enough! I've got two babies, feel like I'm getting no where with them xx |
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Post by aliwelsh on Dec 13, 2012 15:46:19 GMT
we're lucky enough to have use of a menege but it's often frozen in the winter so out of use on the positive side at least our pony doesn't get bored going round and round in the school - i do most of my schooling on hacks and he doesn't even notice he's being school so learns very quickly and has fun at the same time can recommend this book - it really is excellent - it's called 'schooling while you hack' www.amazon.co.uk/Schooling-You-Hack-Getting-Practical/dp/3861279169 |
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Post by TLSEquestrian on Dec 24, 2012 8:58:11 GMT
Thanks for all the replies, weathers really got diar this week, even where we hack is now flooded! Aliwelsh, will take a look at the book thanks xx |
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wilbs
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Post by wilbs on Dec 24, 2012 10:21:57 GMT
Use someone else's arena - box her there or hire an indoor somewhere. All good experience getting her out and about. You can buy a lot of diesel for the price of putting in an arena.
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and a mither when we've just not got the time in the evenings between school and night shifts starting, our fell isn't good on the roads so that's a no no. Its so depressing at this time of year 