Schooling Help, Dilema?

Good things to do is to practise sit deep in the saddle, and tall. Let your legs hang long and wrapped around his sides, use them but also practise using your seat to build up the speed and and rhythm of the walk, swinging your back and hips (while staying glued to the saddle), and allowing him or her to walk forward, then slow the swing of your back and hips to slow the walk down to half the speed, walk like that for a few strides, and then swing stronger to allow her to walk on again. Then practise with the slowing of your seat and see if you can stop altogether without putting any more pressure on the reins other than a steady contact. This will teach the pony to listen to your natural aids and will help get his hind quarters under him.

You could also build up fitness without hammering his legs by walking him up hills on the roads, still under saddle, though if he has had a leg problem, you might need to plan your route so that you do not have to come back down it.

If it is a tendon problem, I imagine that you will be increasing the times by a few minutes every other day and you could vary the route as much as possible, and I would not consider turns on the forehand or leg yielding unless the vet says it is okay as these are quite strenuous on the joints.

I had a pony with a similar problem and we had to be careful. When it came to trotting, it was one minute and not a second longer to start with, increasing every few days, with breaks in between, total walking two hours and though the temptation to do more is strong, it is vital to stick to the rules and take things slowly in order to prevent any set backs and the pony will have less problems. You sound as though you are going to be sensible and I wish you both well.

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Hello,

I´m not sure if you should do such intense work with him when he´s just recovering.

If you do teach him shoulder in´s and such (which I´d also recommend otherwise) make sure that your vet is ok with it. Because these exercises also require a lot of bending and stretching.

If that's ok with the vet go for it. Other than that you could introduce some pole-work( is it a closed road you walk him on?) or let him walk over tires, or an awning/ canvas cover or such like.

To work on his gaits and accentuation you could also do some groundwork with him, like teaching him to lift his legs when you touch them with a whip, (ie the spanish gait).

I hope this was somehow helpful. I wish you Good Luck for the amendment.

Its difficult to think of exercises you can do on the road, but if you have access to a sand ring or indoor arena, then work on bending around corners, leg yielding off the wall, turn on the haunches and turn on the forehand. Also try and do a 10metre circle in the middle of the ring, and then go straight, and then another 10metre circle. It really helps horses stay limber and listening to you, especially older horses. I hope this helped!

1)Shoulder in,

2)Shoulder out,

3) Haunches in,

4)Haunches out,

5)Hass pass (oblique)

6)Collected walk,

7)Extended walk

8) Using your driving aids in rhythm with his foot fall

That should keep you busy for 6 weeks or 6 months!