Well, it has been some time since I’ve written a post and for that I apologise but I’m getting back into the swing of things and to kick me back into gear, I’ve got a brand new exercise series specifically aimed at young horses.
To start the series, I’ve got a nice simple pole exercise that incorporates some concepts that are vital to your horse’s development.
WHAT IS THIS EXERCISE GOOD FOR?
- Improving balance
- Encouraging roundness and self-carriage
- Strengthening the hind end
- Improving rhythm
HOW TO SET IT UP
Ideally you want to have someone on the ground to help adjust poles but if that’s not possible then you can set this exercise up in two different corners of the arena.
Trot Pole Setup:
- Set out 3 trot poles in a fan with 4 small footsteps between the middle of each pole
- Place one pole vertically on the outside of the fan as a guide pole
- Place another guide pole vertically on the inside of the fan
Canter Pole Setup:
- Lay a single pole out on a bend
- Place a guide pole vertically on either side of the canter pole, again one on the outside and one on the inside
HOW TO RIDE IT
TROT POLES
- First, make sure you have an active and engaged trot with your horse moving forward and off the leg.
- Bring them onto a circle, but going around the exercise to start. This is to get you and your horse in the circle ‘mind-frame’ and allows you the time to ask for an inside bend.
- Once happy with how your horse is moving, bring them into your set of trot poles, starting over the centre of the poles first.
- The placing of the guide poles, will help keep your horse on track before and after the trot poles.
- Do this a few times before you start asking your horse to move out on the circle, aiming for the outside of the trot poles.
- Next work your way back in until you’re riding over the inside of the trot poles.
- Make sure to repeat the above on the other rein to give both reins a good workout
CANTER POLES
- Depending on your horse’s weaknesses, you might find they struggle a bit more with this exercise in canter. You also might find that they have a rein that’s much weaker than the other so you’ll find this very beneficial for supporting them on that weaker side.
- Similar to the trot poles, do a circle of canter around the exercise first so you can establish your rhythm on a circle.
- Once ready, bring your horse over the canter pole making sure to support them with your outside rein and if needs be, opening your inside rein a bit wider to encourage them around the circle.
- Do this a few times on each rein until you feel your horse is supporting themselves around the circle
- Step it up by turning the canter pole into a raised cavaletti, ensuring your horse uses themselves effectively over the pole
Tips for this Exercise:
- Keep a steady, even pace through the exercise, using half halts on the outside rein to manage your horse’s speed
- If your horse is prone to drifting out through the shoulder, make sure to lift and keep a steady contact on the outside rein while supporting their body through the turns with a strong outside leg behind the girth
- Use your guide poles! They’re there to help and support so use them to help guide your horse through the exercise.
Check out how I got on with Cosmo when we tackled this exercise…
As these exercises are aimed at young horses, they tend to be quite simple but also something that should challenge your youngster. Myself and Cosmo struggled with this canter part of the exercise way more than I thought we should but we got there in the end eventually.
Give it a go with your youngster and let me know how you get on!
Thanks for reading,
ORLA
No Bucking Way 