What to do with out tack...

[Silver1]

Ok, I'm looking for training to do to help me work on Showmanship, Trail courses and Driving using only the following equipment:

Halter, Lead Rope, Reins (Bridle can't be used till I get Mear's teeth floated) about 30 feet of rope and a lunging whip.

When I don't have tack I normally ride Mear in a halter, or nothing at all, how ever, we also don't have any mounting blocks either and there is only one arena where her hooves sink into the sand deep enough to make it possible for me to volt onto her back. Her being 16.2 and all.

We've been working on backing up between objects till she's absolutely perfect, and doing bows to stretch and develop her topline. We've been trotting in hand (She'll actually do it now) and we've even started doing turns on the haunches.

Any suggestions?

[Waikato Valuta]

sounds like your doing well.

You could try long reining her in a halter I've done this with my boy and he was great.

Also just try all sorts of different exercises.

I will list a few.

leg yeild (by swinging rope to step sideways)
small jumps (on the lounge)
trot poles (on the lounge)
hacking (one the lead)
trasitions (while leading)
balance (up and down hills with trasitions And bare back rididng)
Tricks (kiss, hug, act ahamed)

Tell me if you want info on teaching tricks.

good luck

[galadriel]

You can use a muck bucket upside down for mounting.

When I started Duchess long lining, I did it with 2 20-foot ropes with a snap tied on the end, each snapped onto one side of her halter. She spent a lot of time with her nose to her barrel looking at me and trying to figure out what I was doing, at first...she eventually got the idea. She steers as well long lining in a halter as she does riding in a halter.

Once she's got the idea of long lining you can go ahead and start driving her around, getting her used to the idea of being driven in strange situations. You can drive her around the farm, in the pasture, up and down the driveway :)

[Silver1]

great idea! Now if only I could find a way to make a surcingle I'd be set!

[Waikato Valuta]

you dont need a sercingle.

it helps but you dont have to have one.