Loose Schooling?

[CarolineR]

I would like some advice and help with how to safely loose school Charlie - 5 year Cob. With the Foot & Mouth restrictions getting ever closer to us and Bridle path being closed down again, I would like to try something different to keep him happy and interested.

We are very lucky to be on small Livery Yard with access to an outside sand school, that is fenced.

I have never loose schooled before so can any one give me any pointers - he lunges well.

Also, does anyone else have any ideas for keeping the horses happy during this testing time and restircted riding. I would like to hear how other people are coping and what activities are they undertaking with their horses to keep them sane.

[claire-louise]

Probably too late but if your horse lunges easily then loose schooling should not be a problem. Just remeber not to chase him or catching him may prove dificult.

[Murphs]

i've just started to try this with my mare as part of my progression on parelli lateral lunging. I've been working her in 1/4 acre of the field getting her used to the fact that we are lateral lunging - ie. she can be as close or as far way from me as she pleases as well as doing some of the traditional lunging in circles. Last week i tried taking her off the lunge line to see what she would do - half expected her to start munching grass but she didn't. I started to walk around the field and got her to follow me - we walked across her trotting poles and then i sent her in to trot on a circle. then asked her to canter the length of the field which she did - she then wanted to go in so didn't push any further. Monday i did similar only this time she was very responsive - walk trot and canter couple of circuits - i then let her go in - i'll be trying to progress this later this week. The key with her to start, i think has been not to force her to do something she doesn't want to do - she now is quite inquistive about what we are doing so it's a bit of fun for both of us.

Re F&M - i've just been doing schooling - learning to jump and my parelli in hand exercises - she's not a hyper mare so she's been able to "cope" without lots of hacking - she is turnout overnight and has run of her stable / yard and small paddock (no grass but she has hay) during the day

[Dizzy]

Murphs, you must be so proud, you're mare sounds like a real star.

At the moment I'm working with my younster Breeze, she's almost 4. I've been doing inhand work using cones and poles where I have her walking alongside, but away (about 3 to 4 feet), I've set up a few different obstacles and work her over and through these, she responds very well, but one of the problems I'm having is when I start to go large onto a lunge circle, she won't go down from trot to walk unless I move in and make the circle small making it difficult for her to balance and carry on going forward.

I don't know much about the parelli way, after reading what you've achieved I'm going to, but in the mean time do you have any advise that might help me.

Carolyn, I'm in the same situation regarding F & M, I know it can't be helped, but very frustrating. My horse isn't yet backed so I work her inhand as I've already said. I've also spent time getting her used to scary things, bin bags, push bikes, tractors, I've even grazed her inhand next to a tractor when it lifts the big fertilizer bags and empties into the spreader thing. She'll even walk over the top of empty fertilizer bags, but I'm out of ideas now, she really needs to see proper traffic but thats not possible.

Alot of the inhand work I do is TTeam, I've made the labrinth and worked her through and over that, its good for making your horse aware of its feet and body and negotiating turns. I've also made the star, this is good for making them use thier backs and concentrate on what they're doing.

I know its a frustrating time, good luck with the loose schooling I've seen it done, but haven't done it myself.

Lesley

[Murphs]

Hi Dizzy

I am proud of Ebony (and myself) as this was quite an achievement - it may have been a one off mind you, i'll let you know after this weekend! Anyway, i also carry in my pocket slices of apple which, when she has done something positively - however small, i really praise her up, tell her how wonderful she is and then give her a slice of apple. As i said before i think the key with Ebony has just been to take small steps and not try to overdo things - keeps her interested and she doesn't worry.

It sounds like you have also done some gret work with your mare - remember she's only 4 and is still learning, Ebony is rising 11 so would have already had the basics instilled in her (i've only had her 18 months and she was quite nervous and wary when i got her so i've worked hard on getting her trust). I use a lot of voice commands - crisp requests to move up a gait and slower requests when moving down so - Trot ON and wal - king. I have more problems with the halt on the lunge (perfect from the saddle!) and i do have to shorten the lungeline to get her to halt - i'm going to try the high praise and apple reward when she halts to see if that works

Most important thing though is that we are both enjoying what we are doing and taking it one step at a time.

[Dizzy]

Hi Murphs, tried something similar with Breeze today, I worked her over and through the labrinth on both reins, did walk on and halt and when we finished I clipped her off the lead rein, just to see what she would do.

Firstly I walked towards the gate knowing she would follow as she's looks forward to her little feed after work, anyway I turned and set off back up the field (its just a small paddock) and walked back to the poles, firstly I walked over them and she happily followed with her head hanging beside my right hip and she was sort of mouthing but with her mouth closed. I then turned, entered the labrinth and walked round it, I was amazed she still followed, she finds the labrinth hard work because of the tight turns, she only over stepped one pole but corrected herself and carried on. Needless to say she got 2 pieces of carrot and a huge bear hug. I've had a smile from ear to ear all afternoon.

Thank you for posting what you've been doing, I have always worked from a line or lead rien. Breeze isn't backed yet and really needs to find abit more balance and coordination before I ride her, she thoroughly enjoyed having her own independance and I was amazed she attempted and almost succeeded in going round the labrinth, she does find this hard work.

Keep dropping a line now and again about how you and Ebony progress. Do you know if Pat Parelli has a website, I'd love to try his games, I've given all my old mags away.

Lesley

[Murphs]

Dizzy - it's a great feeling isn't it! I don't think we give our horses enough credit sometimes - yes i will let you know how things progress, be great if you could do the same.

Parelli does have a website but it's more to sell you things rather than give anything more interesting. Anyway it's www.parelli.co.uk I bought his book from amazon. Take a look at www.kbrhorse.net and go to the training page as most of the stuff on there is natural horsemanship

Debbie

[Dizzy]

Murphs you're so right its an amazing feeling, knowing she did this because she wanted to, instead of because she was being asked to, has inspired me.

Thanks for the websites, I've had a quick look through and added them to my favourites, I agree PP is mainly comercial, but the KBR has lots of reading, and looks very interesting.

Look forward to swapping progress reports, Breeze is one of my favourite subjects.

By the way Breeze runs out with a Fell x called Ebony, though they are friends Breeze is now challenging Ebony for her place in the herd pecking order, so its a bit of a love/hate relationship as neither will give, but if you take either one out of the field the other stands at the gate waiting until the other returns, then they walk up the field and head off in different directions and make a point of ignoring each other. It's strange to watch, as when they fight (which is on a daily basis) there's no holes barred, yet they are the only two that wait for each other when the other is absent.

Anyway speak to you soon,

Lesley