Help - Working in an outline

[Maclynky]

Posted by Horse Mad Lad's Mum :-

I bought my horse in June and have just moved him to a new livery yard where I am able to ride and school him a lot more than at my previous yard, I also have weekly lessons. He's never been properly schooled before and is having difficulty working in an outline. Can now stand in an outline with a very soft contact which is progress. When I have him stood correctly I move him off into walk but his head immediately goes up. I do a lot of transitions, walk, halt, walk and trot, halt etc etc and also turn him in smaller circles which does encourage him to work lower although he still has his nose sticking out. I work with my hands low and wide to encourage him to drop his head - does anyone have any other ideas or tips that may help me or is it just a matter of time. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[teach1]

sounds like you are trying most things to encourage him. the main thing is that he has got to learn to accept the contact and the leg, so that he moves forward from your leg to your hand. your rein contact must be consistant so that he has a secure contact to work in to. if he's never done it before, it will take some time.

you could try working him on the lunge or loose in either side reins, or something like a pessoa lunging system. this will help to guide him into an outline. when introducing side reins, always do it gradually so as not to restrict him and make him panic.

[knockaroo]

take it your riding from your leg into the hand, keeping the impulsion can help, but don't just let him get fast. How strongly developed is his back, if your own legs can cope with it try riding in a light seat for about 20 minutes or so [slightly tipped forward wieght into legs].This helps him to bring his back end underneath and develop the back with less pressure on it. Have you tried in halt and walk using pressure with the left leg whilst flexing the neck to the right for a few strides then swapping to the other way and so on.. my horse was was long and weak when I first got him luckily I had help from a dressage judge she taught me different tricks that she used when training horses, sorry it's long winded. good luck.:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Maclynky]

Thanks Knockaroo I'll definitely try riding with a lighter seat as he is still developing muscle and getting stronger after not doing too much for a few months. Thanks for your responses.

[knockaroo]

That's o.k I'm always open to listen and take on board any new advice and opinions myself, all horses and peple being individual what works for one may not work for another but it's always good to try. and if nothing else it should give you good butt & thigh toning. I've not long joined this site and I've learnt something new each time.:p

[teapot]

IMHO and I'm not trying to cause offence but if he's never been properly schooled, I would concentrate on working him from behind, getting him forward and engaged before you work on getting him in an outline. Once his back end is sorted, then the front end will come more naturally

Try schooling him on a 20m gradually spiralling down to 10m, then leg yeilding back out. I've done it many a time and found it made a difference to the horse I was riding.

[RaThEr_Be_RiDiN]

i have to agree with the above. If your horse hasnt had much schooling his muscles are probually not very well develped so he finds keeping te "required" outine difficult. Have you tried working him long and low?

[cvb]

Horse Mad Lad's Mum (HMLM ;) )

I quite like Mark Rashid's approach to this... you say you are already asking for softness in halt. Do you just ask for the poll to flex or do you feel you are really getting more of him soft ?

i.e. if you asked him to yield with one rein to the side, would he brace against it ? check that out first so you know you really do have him soft in halt.

Then ask him to stay soft but walk on. I know you say you have already done this, but just try it a few times - you are aiming to get 3 steps soft and then you will release the rein contact and let him stretch... then halt and ask again... if he does this and you get the 3 strides you can

(a) start asking for 5 strides 9then 7, then 9)

(b) ask from within the walk.

Now if he braces every time you ask for halt to walk, also ask from within the walk. As you are walking along, check you are breathing, and that you yourself are soft, not tense, etc

Now ask him to soften and again you are looking for 3 strides in a row. If you get 1 or 2 - keep asking. AS SOON AS you get 3 strides in a row, let the rein out and let him stretch. Let him work out like this for the same amount of time that it took you from starting to get the 3 strides. Then start over. As you repeat you will find that he offers it more quickly, and starts to be more consistent.

One of the reasons I like this approach is that in asking for less, you also give him time to develop muscle, balance etc :D

Once you get 3 strides consistently, you start over and ask for 5 before you release. You often find that when you start to ask for more, in the short term it will feel worse - but then improve again. Just be calm and consistent.

then to 7, 9... and then try in trot :D starting at 3 strides again...

Make sense ?

EDIT TO ADD: I should say, this is about asking for softness. You need him to be soft before you can ask for anything else e.g. collectionl lengthening etc etc

[Maclynky]

Thanks CVB some really useful tips. When you say ask him to yeild with rein to one side do you just mean opening the rein and seeing if he turns into it. Sorry if I sound thick but want to make sure I understand before trying it. Thanks.:rolleyes:

[cvb]

No such thing as a dumb or stupid question :D

When you say ask him to yeild with rein to one side do you just mean opening the rein and seeing if he turns into it.

Yes I do - but its important that you allow with the other rein...

What Mark Rashid was asking people to do is put their "asking" hand to their thigh - this means that when the horse gives, the rider does not carry on taking so there IS some automatic release for the horse :)

Try this with another person - stand face to face, and then raise your arms so your palms are facing the other person, and match palm to palm. Elbows are bent, arms should be soft. Now each person wants to try and get past the other...

you will find you can feel any braces or tension or hard spots :D You will also feel if either of you gets aggressive in trying to get past the other one... thats exactly what the horse will feel if you try and "take" softness rather than letting them offer it.

In a way, this is what you are looking for with the horse. Its just a check to see if there are any braces left in there or not. Its easiest to start with this just in halt...

[Maclynky]

Thanks - my instructor lunged him for me tonight in side reins and he went really nicely. I then rode him and he was sooo much better - a lot softer. I also asked him to yeild and he did it so soft and nice. Really pleased and think I will now be more confident lunging him, have shyed away in the past as he tends to fight the side reins but watching him tonight with my ever so calm instructor he soon settled. Thanks for all your help.