Reining Exercises - what are your routines?

What reining exercises do you like to do when working with your horse? I'm thinking outside of lessons... when you are riding to keep your horse exercised and tuned up or polishing what they currently know. How do you keep your horse (or yourself) from becoming bored and repetitive?

Pretty much a newbie, but the trainer tells me to vary each time. One time focus on the spins, another on the circles, etc. Mine will be really different, since once he comes back to me he will have his sliders off and we will be practicing many things outside of a ring. We have great trails that are mowed paths, basically, about 8'wide. Plenty wide enough to do many many things to practice.

I like what Franknbeans said. Everything you do in the arena do outside of it too. It keeps your horse fresh and not sour to the arena. A lot of people don't but that's why their horses are bored to death and start getting ring sour. Wouldn't you?

Depends on the level of training the horse has as to what I will do. However what I do do with ALL of them is a lot of side passing moving them around hips shoulders rib cage and so on. Then shoulder in shoulder out and so on. These are things that can be done anywhere also and does not matter at what level of training the horse is at these are all things that are very good for the horse.

Then there are other things I like to do depending on what I am working on.

My current boarding facility has no trails... but it has a nice indoor, outdoor and good footing, so that was my trade off. I have to trailer out for reining lessons/training. So I'm looking for input on new things to try while I'm on my own. It gets a bit dull and if I'm bored I'm sure that my horse is. She's solid in her maneuvers, was trained by Pete Kyle, and is teaching me the ropes :) For moving over to reining I purposefully chose a horse that knew more than me. No point in us both being green.

NRHAREINER- thanks for the tips. Any particular exercises you like for working on flying lead changes?

If you can move the horses hip over at the lope with ease the FLC should come very easy. Also once your horse gets it get them to slow down and even walk after. This will keep them from rushing after the change.

I heard to always dismount in the center, since that is where your more intense things normally happen (spins/lead changes) and it makes the center a more calm place, and to never ride your horse out of the arena, always dismount. That way your horse doesn't sway or duck towards the gate on your circles:)

Yes, I was also told to dismount in the centre of the arena. It does two things. Firstly it ensures the horse understands that in the centre of the arena its not always about doing intense stuff there. Secondly, it also helps to dismount in the centre, so the horse doesnt start to rush out the gate. If you vary also where you dismount (but always away from the gate) then you keep your horse guessing. I'm only just starting into the western/reining side of things (very much a learner) but have been to a couple of clinics and was advised of these things then. Cheers Fiona (from NZ)