[Amber.Molly]

OK... so now that I'm done exams (YAY!!) I'm trying to figure out a 'training' schedual for my horse. For those of you that have seen my previous threads, I have a lot of work to do on both him and I.

Background..
I'm 22, been riding for years, haven't had formal lessons since I was 12, and currently don't have the $$ to take lessons.

Horse (Pablo) is a 5ish year old gelding, had a month of feedlot training, and I am using him for Drill Team this year. He loves it! I think... if a horse can love what they do. But I have a lot of work ahead of me to make us more of a team.

Anywho! The things I was working on before... were...

• Travelling with nose to the inside of a circle
• Rollbacks/turn on the haunches
• preventing him from dropping his inside shoulder

BUT... I want to start from scratch with him, because everytime I have a problem it ends up being related to something much more basic. My problem is... that I just don't know WHERE to start.

I have the Clinton anderson DVDs - Gaining respect and control on the ground... and I'm going to use those and do a LOT of ground work with him, but I also have to be riding him so that we can improve during our drill ride.

SO! My question... where do YOU consider square one? If you were stepping back, and wanting to start fresh what would you do first? (other than ground work)

[horseyfrk145]

Well, by 'other than ground work' do you mean what would come after that? Because that IS square 1.

[TooSweet]

Well after experiencing the trials and tribulations of starting from square one with my youngster Russia the biggest thing I can say is groundwork is most deffinitely the key. I know you're already planning on doing it but really once things come together on the ground it's almost too easy undersaddle. As far as square one in the saddle goes I'd say start at the walk and perfect all your cues until he responds as though it's second nature. Lots of leg yields, rounding, and just basic dressage is very beneficial.

[Rhythm 'n Blues]

Next steps after ground work for me are as follows:

Lunge training, until the horse goes calmly forward off my voice, in side-reins and without. This includes all transitions (trot-halt, canter-halt, and even lengthens and shortens in trot and canter)

Then I get on, and work on forward off my leg, while ensureing they are straight, and relaxed. I get 100% everything down at a walk, before even moving up to a trot. That means 100% perfect halt off of just seat. Then I move up to trot and the entire cycle starts again. Once that is down pat, I will add in some leg yeild, and lengthen and shorten of stride before I even attempt the canter. One all of those are comming along, then I start working on the canter.

This is how I start all the green beans, be it backed or not. I have had great success with this method, however I do always tweek it a bit for each horse, but the just of it is as posted above.

[EquineJessie]

Just to add to everything Rythm 'n Blues said, I'll make sure the horse is always following his head. My horse likes to pop his shoulder and drift...

Make sure you're always completely straight. Straight meaning if you're going forward or backing up, the entire body is in a straight line. If you're on a circle, the entire body is arced to follow the circle. If you're sidepassing, no energy is leaking out through the shoulder or rear... If you're doing a turn on the haunches, only the forehand is moving or if you're doing a turn on the forehand, those shoulders aren't involved at all.

Once the horse is straight I'll do a lot of counter arcing, side passing, leg yields, shoulder ins, shoulder out.... basically all the lateral work. Just asking for a step at a time... All I want is with each ride to get the horse a little more responsive to my leg, seat, and hands. Also, I want the horse to 'carry himself' a littler more -- more lifted back, more roundness, more suppleness etc

[John]

Some Basic Truths about Horses Exactly what you said RESPECT and CONTROL before all else.

[Amber.Molly]

Originally Posted by horseyfrk145

Well, by 'other than ground work' do you mean what would come after that? Because that IS square 1.

After ground work... as in square one once you're in the saddle.



Thanks for the replies I never really thought of lunging.. it has never really been a part of my 'routine' as of late. I used to free lunge in a round pen when I boarded my horses, but don't have access to one at the moment.

Square one will be the walk. I felt as though I was accomplishing a lot at the walk over the last few months, but I shall try again. And I think I shall do it bareback... so I can further improve my balance. More bending, more flexing, more turns and serpentines... I'll have to put a daily plan together I think.

John that post was GREAT. I really enjoyed reading it