Schooling while you hack...

[Vez]

OK this is aimed towards mainly all you happy hackers, who ,like me, don't have any areana....
I was wondering how you go about schooling your horse,
What sorts of things you do schooling wise,
How do you get them supple!?! ( biggy for me as I really struggle to find things to do!)
And lastly, how often you do it :D

Thanks :)

[Lucy+MrG]

We have a school, but i always school out on hacks. Carry a schooling whip and give all the normal aids, Use bends in the roads as corners :D. Have to turn around for a car? Do a turn on the forehand :P Etc.

[xloopylozzax]

we use tonnes of leg yielding, practise straight lines, collection and extension, transitions etc

we dont have a school and they get to a decent standard to be shown and ridden by ride judges (good consistent proper outline, responsive, they concentrate and dont get distracted)
also build good topline with varied terrain and can cope with bad ground unlike most molly-coddled show animals.

we get half decent results as well, you would never guess!

[The Original Crazywoman]

Another question for those of you who school out on hacks - do you ask for an outline for the whole ride? I tend not to, as it's chill out time for me and my mare when hacking - but I do often ask for an outline if we do any road work when out.

But I was talking to my RI the other day who felt that the whole hack should be either in an outline, or relaxed - and it wasn't good to ask for an outline as and when.

Just wondered what everyone else does? :confused:

[doris]

I'm confessing to be a bit of a schooling slob! If I'm riding down our quiet lane and there's no traffic about, I will ask for some half-halts and if I'm feeling particularly enthusiastic, I will ask for some movement away from the leg and do some sort side passes from one side of the lane to the other. Other than that, I have to wait until the weather dries up and I can use my little menage bit of the paddock without turning it into a bog.

Um, having just read what I've written, I'm thinking I really should do more.

[BabyBear]

I'm just starting to do this too as I've moved to a yard with fab hacking but I don't want to get lazy and just let him amble along. I have a really good book called "Schooling while you hack" that I'm using for inspiration - at the moment we're only walking so I've been doing too walk to halt, rein back, some leg yielding and just asking for some left and right bend.:)

[Clava]

Another question for those of you who school out on hacks - do you ask for an outline for the whole ride? I tend not to, as it's chill out time for me and my mare when hacking - but I do often ask for an outline if we do any road work when out.

But I was talking to my RI the other day who felt that the whole hack should be either in an outline, or relaxed - and it wasn't good to ask for an outline as and when.


Just wondered what everyone else does? :confused:


I ask for an outline some of the time, especially if she's being spooky as it helps for her to concentrate on something else, but some of the ride is always relaxed too.

[Joyscarer]

I use the road edge as a guide.

Because they are used to having to be over to the left this is great for teaching leg yeilds and half pass. You have a guide to work to for your other laterals too like shoulders in.

I used hills for canter to get her really bringing her back legs under her, great for collected work.

I use unpredictable terrain to get her thinking. Tou can leg yeild rond patches of mud.

I use tree roots to get her to pick her legs up and balance herself and because they are not a predictable space apart you can use them for lengthening and shortening strides - something we still struggle with!

I don't always school or ask for an outline but if Joy is spooky I do!

I have nowhere to work on a circle or do serpentines though and this is the biggest factor that is missing from our work :(




Check out 'Schooling as You Hack - Getting Your Horse Fit' by Daniella Bolze. ;)

[Ruskii]

I use the road edge as a guide.

Because they are used to having to be over to the left this is great for teaching leg yeilds and half pass. You have a guide to work to for your other laterals too like shoulders in.

I used hills for canter to get her really bringing her back legs under her, great for collected work.

I use unpredictable terrain to get her thinking. Tou can leg yeild rond patches of mud.

I use tree roots to get her to pick her legs up and balance herself and because they are not a predictable space apart you can use them for lengthening and shortening strides - something we still struggle with!

I don't always school or ask for an outline but if Joy is spooky I do!

I have nowhere to work on a circle or do serpentines though and this is the biggest factor that is missing from our work :(




Check out 'Schooling as You Hack - Getting Your Horse Fit' by Daniella Bolze. ;)

Dumb question of the day but what's the difference between a leg yield and a half pass ? :o

[Vez]

Dumb question of the day but what's the difference between a leg yield and a half pass ? :o


Its the different direction of the bend of the horse. Half pass is bent in the direction of the way you are going where as leg yeild is in the oppisate direction to the way your going. There may be others but I'm only doing leg yeild at the moment so sorry if its wrong :o