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Post by steandc13 on Jul 23, 2014 21:28:17 GMT
Can anyone recommend any good dressage instructors/ specialise in flatwork. The yard is based in Warrington. MUST BE EXPERIENCED WITH YOUNG HORSES. I can't stress enough as even though my mare is five, she has done nothing so is very green. Also looking for any advice. She can be quite flighty however my biggest problem is keeping her focused. I can never get her to concentrate which means I cant work her properly. I try and vary her work however she has only just learnt to canter and in my opinion is too young anyway to jump so can't vary that way. She's too flighty at the minute to hack also. Any tips or advice would be great. She only gets rode a few days a week or else she gets bored. She's very intelligent and willing and is progressing by the day but in order to start working her from behind and in an outline, she needs to focus. I WILL NOT USE SIDE REINS/DRAW REINS as she is far to young and doesn't have the muscle/sensibleness to handle them and I do not want a forced outline and hard mouth. Any advice will be appreciated. Thank you  |
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Post by bubbles1822 on Jul 23, 2014 22:04:06 GMT
Maybe try doing different exercises when you ride... Like pole work or circling around poles and then inside then... This can be hard as it's a tight circle in middle...
I know you say she's too young to jump, maybe just a tiny cross and loose school over it, it helps to develop their muscles you wouldn't normally use and helps them to regulate their paces, it you put a few, 3 or 4 cross poles in a row or even raised poles it just gives them a focus point.
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Post by steandc13 on Jul 23, 2014 22:24:00 GMT
That's great thank you. I will definately try the pole work. At the minute, her canter is still very wobbly so she's a little to unbalanced to jump but I never even thought of using jumps for muscle building. That really would help her back end to engage. Thank you very much. I shall try this in a few weeks when her canter is more established. |
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Post by comanchediva on Jul 24, 2014 5:16:17 GMT
That's great thank you. I will definately try the pole work. At the minute, her canter is still very wobbly so she's a little to unbalanced to jump but I never even thought of using jumps for muscle building. That really would help her back end to engage. Thank you very much. I shall try this in a few weeks when her canter is more established. You don't need to canter to a small fence or trotting pole. Letting her trot down to a line of poles and cross poles will help to keep her focused as she'll have her attention on something different. She'll also start to think for herself if you let her get on with it and as said above it will help strengthen muscles. People think a young horse should be able to canter but she'll tell you when she's ready and you're quite right not to rush her. But pole work in trot won't do any harm at this stage. Good luck with her x |
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Post by judyh on Jul 24, 2014 7:04:07 GMT
A young horse should be trotted into a fence, not cantered. Hacking out with another quiet horse is the best experience for all young animals.
Any I broke in were long reined around everywhere so they were ready to cope with this.
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Post by robrocks on Jul 24, 2014 8:51:02 GMT
I don't jump but started doing small ones so my 4yr old had variety. He loves it and as said before, you only trot into them,however sometimes he'll canter by himself so it really does help engage the back end.
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Post by steandc13 on Jul 24, 2014 15:49:05 GMT
Thank you for all the advice. What I meant by letting her learn to canter first was to help her understand how to balance herself. Once I know she can balance herself, I have no issue trotting her to the jumps, she does trotting poles fine as I have used them a few times. I may try long reining as it should help. I didn't back her myself so I don't know whether or not she has been long reined or introduced to scary things which is why she may be flighty. She is welsh d x kwpn so the welsh in her should add to the attitude and flightiness. All the help is appreciated and I will try all of your tips.
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Post by babybem on Jul 24, 2014 16:08:10 GMT
If she was mine, I'd say she is prob bored in the school and needs some hacking and a change of scenery.
Try walking her out in hand if she is better first.
Take her back to basics and long line her everywhere.
Hack her with a very steady friend.
She needs room to move forward to strengthen her canter.
I still long line my very well schooled mare in her Pessoa once a week, I take her in the lunge pen for faster work on the lines and then long line her round the farm and down the lane, she also does a lot of her schooling on hacks as she goes stale very quickly in the school, she is free schooled and loose jumped as well which she loves, she is a kwpn!
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Post by babybem on Jul 24, 2014 16:16:13 GMT
Oh and Andrea Morris/fuller/Johnson Is very good with young horses and dressage |
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Post by steandc13 on Jul 24, 2014 19:55:57 GMT
I shall try and find a nice quiet pony to come hacking with her and see how she goes. She's doing well but I want her to enjoy her work obviously and thanks, I will look into that instructor. Thank you.
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foxyt
Full Member
Posts: 204
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Post by foxyt on Jul 24, 2014 22:07:29 GMT
My wobbly 4yr jumped by herself when first turned out in the jumping paddock(age21/2), it was quite something to see.
I am teaching her bit actions from the ground, then trying them mounted, she seems to enjoy the variety of doing lessons in hand and mounted. She also enjoys playing at things that are very "handy pony" like. And for variation we jump in hand over small fences ('once a month) this is very exciting!
We hack out once or twice a week in company and she can now manage the three mile hack with some trotting, for the first few times I thought we might need collecting half way around, she was like a toddler wanting to be carried.
I suppose what I'm saying is that I try and do lots of different things to make her education interesting. She is quite laid back, and I'm lucky, but she doesn't always want to play or focus, offering different things does keep her interested.
I have lessons with a lady who specialises in more 'intelligent horsemanship' techniques and my mare really responds to the methods we use to teach her. She enjoys doing actions for treats, and will try hard to get things right for a small piece of Apple. If your mare isn't enjoying or into what you want her to do, try something new, add variety. Trotting poles, grids, poles to walk between the lines will all make her think about her feet, and go "ooh what's this?" Really make sure she knows when the has got the action right.
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Post by maxandpaddy on Jul 25, 2014 8:03:27 GMT
Our mare was very similar, even hacking out she was 'bizzy' and getting her to settle and work was a bit of a stress fest, there seemed to be bogeymen everywhere!!
Diet really helped, shes now on Naff 5 * Magic and shes so much calmer and focused, she hacks out 2 or 3 times a week and schools once or twice a week
It really has helped her and shes so much happier
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Post by brindlerainbow on Jul 25, 2014 8:11:30 GMT
Sounds like she needs lots of variety. Forget about cantering into fences while you are riding her, you can always loose school her over some low fences then she can sort her own stride out and balance herself without a rider on her. Under saddle you can do some grid work, this will make her think and help her with balance. As suggested above hack out with a sensible ploddy pony Turning her out all day every day if she isn't already will help her to chill out and relax. Maybe also cut back on the hard feed if she is having any |
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Post by steandc13 on Jul 25, 2014 13:15:15 GMT
Once again, thanks for all the help. She currently is out all day anyways and has no hard feed so cutting back on hard feed and turning her out more isn't really possible. I'm really apprehensive to do any jumping under saddle as I think she is too underdeveloped and babyish. I will lunge her over small ones and see how she goes. Unfortunately, she came in from the field injured last night so everything is on hold at the minute. We think it is a reaction to a fly bite. She has a squidgy, huge lump on her chest so she is out of action unfortunately  |
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Post by ashleighjones on Jul 26, 2014 9:01:42 GMT
Wendy bliss from clip and canter is a very good freelance instructor. I've been having lessons from her since January on my 5yr old mare. She's very patient and tries lots of different techniques to get the best out of your pony. She specialises in dressage but teaches all disciplines. Might be worth a look as she's worked wonders with my pony who was becoming a handful |
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