New horse - she's green & unbalanced...any books to recommend?

[ariano15]

Hi all,

I finally found the most fabulous mare - amazing tempremant and willingness to learn and i've bought her. The compromise I have made is her greeness in the school for her age (she's 8). To give you an idea she's really unbalanced when lunged and can't even canter yet bless her as she's all at 6's and 7's. Obviously i'm getting an instructor involved but in also wondered if there were any book anyone could recommend for schooling ideas/ excercises for green horses?

Many thanks,

Diana

[myhorseisginger]

I'm in a very similar boat - I have just bought a new four year old mare who has done nothing. The best way to teach canter I have found is out hacking -before they can be balanced in the school they need to be balanced in a straight line so hacking out gets them used to the idea.

Book wise, 100 flatwork exercises is good for ideas (but doesn't give tips etc)

Good luck!

[NicP]

Sounds like my 9 year old!

The 101 Schooling Exercise book is good for ideas as said above and it tells you what to use each exercise for but I would mainly take advice from your RI. I tend to work on what we have done in our lessons and am starting to see a bit of progress with Cody.

[horsesforever]

My five year old is just the same! He's getting better in the school but canter is a disaster. I found a great RI, and she has told me to leave the canter well alone and concentrate on the walk and trot and getting those balanced. Then hopefully, the canter will come naturally. She did advise however as someone else has stated, lots on cantering in staight lines out hacking. He manages this fine and enjoys himself. But try asking on a curve or circle, and he has a huge paddy. Only because physically he finds it really difficult so now I dont ask as I feel it's not fair on him.

Just give her time, she sounds lovely but obviously just hasnt been schooled
much so is bound to find it difficult to hold herself together in a confined space. Just be sympathetic and take it easy :) Good luck!

[*Sez*]

I had a similar problem with both my TB and my friend's ISH that I was exercising last winter. As has been said, go back to walk and trot, and work on the balance there. As for lungeing, try just walking over poles, building up to a trot for now, and progress to canter when she is more balanced when cantering in a straight line.
It's just a shame that we can't give the horses the books and ask them to please take note :rolleyes:. Would make our lives much easier! :D

[Joyscarer]

Absolutely agree with the others, stick with walk and trot in the school and canter when out hacking.

Do lots of circles, spirals, figure of 8's and serpentines (I love doing a 3 loop but adding a circle in each bend).

When doing these exercises concentrate on keeping your horse straight and you'll find the balance comes with the straightness.

I got a bit peeved with comments from my ex-yardmates about riding into a contact to get her in an outline. I will only consider aiming for an outline after we have got basic straightness and balance sorted.

[Emz]

Try lungeing her in a pessoa. Its brilliant for asking them to balance themselves and work correctly from behind without forcing them. Use it frist fairly loose on the low setting for 5 mins on each rein then slowly build it up.

[Giveitago]

I wouldnt use the pessoa yet.

Try lunging on an uneven surface. Take it slowly, 5 mins at walk both reins for a week . Then some trot etc.

She'll find her own way of balancing over all terrain then.

After her muscles have developed further then start some riding work.

Be patient, it'll take a month or so.

[ariano15]

Thanks all - nice to hear i'm not alone. We're having a lunge lesson today just to give me some direction and tips and most importantly make sure i'm not making her worse!