Excersize Ideas?

Okay, I have a few ideas for excersizes. Like trot poles and stuff. Does anyone have any cool excersizes to try with your horses you want to share? Post them here!

Excersize 1

/ = Diagonal Trot Pole

/
/
/ Try to go through the middle of these.

My images won't upload, so forgive my terrible symbol images.

Set out a jump, the block should be under the letter B. Then set up a jump at E. In the centre (X) put out a trot pole. Go large, avoiding the jumps. At A, trot a circle to get your horse listening. Trot him over the pole. Then trot over the B jump. Then the E one. It's a good way to practice with courses and a very simple excerize. When your comfortable, put jumps up at A and C.

A Good control excerize is to set up a square with trotting poles. Trot through it so your horse is happy. Walk him over it. Halt in the middle. Try again and again at a trot. It will be quite hard, but it's a good way to get him listening.

Games.

Musical blocks - Trot around then race to get a block.
Races - Always a good time. Include small jumps or trotting poles. Even make it into a relay. Put a jumping block at the end with annobkect on it. Someone collects the object and races back. The next rider takes the object and places it back on the box. This goes on.
Red light green light with a twist:

Red- Stop
Green - go
Swerve - serpentine
Roundabout - circle
Faster
Slower

A good game is to have permission to use a field. Hide objects there and give participants a list. They have to find the objects.

For this you need a few jumping blocks or things of about that height. Set them out randomly. Place objects on them. Half of the objects should be UPSIDE DOWN. The other half should be UPWARDS. Half the riders into two teams. One trmeams turns all objects upside down. The other turns them the right way up. By the end, whichever teams has the most that way wins.

I love these exercises.

Start out with them as trot poles, and gradually increase to x-rails and small verticles and as you progress and improve, gradually increase the heights.

Spend QUITE SOME TIME with them set as trot poles! I cannot emphasize that enough - do not rush to set them as "jumps" because you will get into trouble!

Cool. I know I'm going on a bit, but here are yet MORE ideas.
(I made this thread and I'm going to use it. )

Hacking

Does you horse or pony go bonkers whenever you leave the safety of the arena? Try a few control excerises.

1. Tack up and ride to the paddock.
2. If there is another horse you share the paddock, make sure they are out.
3. It's not an arena, but a paddock. It's more free. A good idea is to keep the gate open, making it less like a school and more of an open space.
4. Pretend to "hack" him. What really works to make the effect more real is to put up orange cones, maybe a car near the paddock. Other riders in adjacent paddocks help make it seem real.
5. After a few days, clip a leadrope onto his bridle lead him along at a walk and a trot. When you feel happy, unclip the rope and mount.
6. Before you hack, warm him up in an arena.

Roadshy horses.

Do you have a pony or horse that can't stand roads?

1. Park your car in the yard with the engine running.
2. Tack up.
3. Lead your horse away from the car.

/= horse and you
)= car

4. ) /
5. ) /
6. ). /

Once he seems happy with the noise, circle him towards the car. You keep hold of the reins, but don't drag him towards the car, leave them still.

If he tries to bolt (before trying this make sure your yard gates are closed) let him. Then catch him, and lead him back to the car. Stand by it, letting your horse examine it. You should be one step closer to beating his fear.

This may sound mad. You need an open space. If you board at a barn, inform the owner of your issue and ask if it's alright. Park your car, running, in the middle. Place orange cones along the side and possibly road hazard signs. As some horses spook at these things, try and include them:

Leaves
Signs
Cones
Cars
Sticks cracking
Other horses
People
Fast moving things

Ride him through it. Remember, patience and persistence is the key.

Ok, I know I'm posting a lot on here. My web browser cancelled on me twice, and I lost a lot of my Excersises. I come up with maybe two or three then it cancels and by that time I've come up with more. So that's why I'm posting on here spool much.

Back to the basics.

It's what a lot of riders can firget when they're jumping four foot. It's not boring, but important. Your horse could lose confidence with flat work if you get ignorant. To make it more 'fun' for you and your horse, here are some basic things to practice.


Horse Training - Flatwork

Besides from these, try this simple routine.

Halt in the middle, mount.
Walk around, ten m circle at C
20m circle A
Halt at B.
Walk down the centre line from C. Halt at X.
Walk on.
At E, change diagonals.
Try and acheive a bouncy springy walk.
Trot at C.
20m circle at A.
10m circles at B E and C.
Leg yeild this time round.
Leg yield.
20m circle A.
Canter at C 20m circle.
Change rein from K to M.
Canter at A 20m circle.
Walk with lots of circles and practice at leg yields.

After this routine, you can do a short jumping session for about five minutes. With ten min pole work previous to this.

Make sure you cool him down, again, practice at leg yields and circles, with transitions from walk to halt.

MIEventer...those are great exercises! I can't wait to try them.

I think MIeventer's excersize 3 is really good. Also to improve balance try bending and keeping your horse balanced while you switch diagonals from right to left going the same direction.