Why am I not excited

[chunky monkey]

Ok maybe I am a little.

For the last two weeks I've been able to watch the construction of a ménage at the yard. Another week and I reckon it will be complete. I've been at the yard 10 years and just been a happy hacker. I've ridden in a ménage a few times over the years but I've always struggled with my balance at the ends. I have nearly come a cropper on a few occasions. I've always struggled with my balance.
My riding has improved a lot over the years and since having Billy I have started to teach myself leg yielding and been able to do sitting trot. Something I couldn't do on chunky as he was very bouncy. I partly blame myself for his back issues because if I had learned to ride better earlier, using my legs rather than steering with the reins, I could have kept him supple and he might not have the back issues. I am almost thinking the I now have an opportunity to take him in the ménage and get him flexible. I am concerned though that if I start working him in the menage it could cause the back to swell more. At 21 can you get a horse supple or is it too late for him. Also as he doesn't understand what my legs are asking I can see him fighting me and I can see me getting frustrated. I'm not sure its fair for me to put him through it.
Billy on the other hand I don't want him to go like chunky so this is a golden opportunity for me to learn to ride properly and he's at the perfect age to bring on and educate so I should grasp it.
It just scares me the thought of riding those bends. I also got bored before as I didn't understand about schooling. So I just rode round doing walk and trot and changing direction. So I am slightly excited to think I can now learn to do shoulder and haunches in etc.
Part of me is saying I'm not going to use the menage I'm going to hack out that's what I like doing. I like having a good canter across the fields. From November to February it will be a huge advantage with the dark nights to use the menage but just now I'm trying to convince myself I don't want to use it.

 

[carthorse]

Use it as an opportunity to get some lessons on Billy. If he's really green & you've got a good riding school near you then it might be useful to have a couple of private lessons on another horse first so you can focus on you, but that's not essential & to be fair it's sometimes easier on a horse you know. Don't go riding too deep into the corners to begin with, wait until you're both more balanced first.

Would itbe worth getting Chunky checked by a physio first & get some in hand exercises you can do with him in the school? Pole work can be good at getting them to lift & strengthen, likewise in hand lateral work, and if you start off on the ground it'll be easier for him & you can see what he's doing too.

 

[Jessey]

You'll reap the benifits in winter have a look at some schooling books, I particularly like cherry hill's 101 arena exercises, I think having a plan of what you are going to do and challenging yourself in a progressive way is key to enjoying schooling, it is for me anyway

 

[orbvalley]

From experience no I wouldn't take a 21year old in a school if they're stiff and have never done that type of work before. IMO I think its probably too late & unfair but that said doesn't mean you couldn't do suppling groundwork in there with him which I think would be of benefit.
Ref. Billy - a good RI would be the way to go if you're not used to schooling. Just one lesson a week would do & be enough for you to practice a bit on your own in between for short sessions.

 

[newforest]

Who says you have to ride in it? You can do things on the ground and build yourselves up. Longrein and lunge using all of it. I don't do the 20 metre circles.

I don't do weekly lessons that would bore me. I do one every three months.
Today we lunged using most of it and included raised canter poles. I do more on the ground than ridden to be fair. I find the space too small for ridden although it's 20x40.

 

[Star the Fell]

Was going to suggest in hand work! Was beaten to it.

 

[OwnedbyChanter]

Schooling is fun and can be addictive when you start seeing the benefits to your horse and your own riding. That feeling when you get it right is amazing. I actually have. Beeper in my watch to stop me after an hour or I can get carried away.

There is so much more to using a school then just circles

 

[Skib]

I dont think you should run yourself down so much. Most schooling can be done out hacking and riding a horse forward (no corners) is always good. Yes, your being able to ride in a school has advantages - like you said, in bad weather or after dark.

So yes be happy. There are so many exercises just in walk and with four poles that you can try with a horse in the school - no stress. That I wouldnt think of it as a place where you needed to change your style or ride "properly" whatever that is.
There are lovely things one can do in a school (but not safe out hacking) like ride with no stirrups. Ride bare back. Ride without using the reins. Ride with your arms out sideways or above your head (pony club games). Ride down the centre line with your eyes shut and see how straight you can go. People on NR think of school as a place to ride correctly - but it gives you a chance just to have fun.
Unlike hacking, a school also has space width-wise for turns and circles. That is on the down side for an old horse My Maisie was completely forbidden the school. But I personally was allowed a couple of times to ride her in a school just briefly - as a young RI wanted to sort out my misery on trotting diagonals. Nothing to do with schooling Maisie. Riding a horse in a school is not the same as schooling a horse in a school.
So you need to judge your horse. But at the end of the day it may be better for an elderly horse like my share to go into a school to have a wander - todo ground work or carry a rider - than not to be ridden at all.
For me, a school has another advantage - as a comfort zone after a fright. After a hair raising hack - i.e. she had a habit of spinning round and running for home, I took my old share into the school to calm my own nerves. But also to make sure I had her compliance.

Something else about schools - because I notice you run down our accomplishments as hackers - For some reason (and you dont need outline or collection or anything fancy) if you ride in the school people suddenly say you can ride. It is the audience, the being seen, that could wreck it for you.

Just keep in your mind how good she is to hack and how good you are with her. And enjoy the extra opportunity to be with her.

 

[carthorse]

Some very good points there Skib.