Training Exercises

The following exercises are wonderful ways to help your horse gain confidence, balance, coordination and to help increase your horse's attention span. They are fun!!! Remember, though - if what you are about to ask your horse to do may cause harm to either you or your horse, don't do it! Think of another way to maneuver in a safe manner. If your horse shows a great deal of fear, back up to a "safe" spot, mentally and physically, and continue from there. Use caution and common sense. One doesn't want to drive the horse into a panic mode. Proceed with each exercise in as small steps as the horse needs to remain calm.

---To help get the shoulder up as well as get the attention is to set up a "star" with poles. Set the ends of the poles on something elevated . Sort of like spider legs coming off of the spider's body only the poles would make a spoke-like circle off the center block. *

See the asterik? Imagine there is a crate in the very center with the pole ends resting on the crate; the other end of the poles on the ground. The poles star out from the center.

Now, in hand, ask you horse to walk in and through the poles around the circle; spiral in then spiral out. If the poles are long enough and spaced 3 - 3 1/2 ' apart on the ground, you can then ask you horse to trot around them. This exercise will not only sharpen their awareness of where they are placing their feet and how ... but will also condition the body to keep the should up. After doing this with the horse in hand, it can be repeated with you in the saddle.

---Have telephone poles set up going downhill ... Lay them down on the ground as if they were steps. You will have to dig out a place for each one so they don't roll. have the horse walk "downstairs" and "upstairs".

---Set up jump standards and put a tarp across them | | This helps a claustrophobic horse or helps a horse get used to enclosed spaces. Have the side of the tarp hanging down to form "walls" ... good way to start C/T'ing for trailer loading!!! The jump standards w/tarp? You need to have tall standards if they are all you use to drap a tarp over them. You can use the side of your barn; nail one side of the tarp up on the barn then let it drape down on the jump standard, leaving enough room between the standard and the barn for the horse to pass under the tarp.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic