Post by Calaminty Jane on Jul 30, 2013 10:45:54 GMT -5
Exercises When You Are Out on the Trail
By Jim McDonald – CHA Instructor
With the change in the weather it’s a great time to get out of the arena and enjoy the trail. We all know that there is no better way to spend the day than just being out in nature with our horse and maybe spending time with friends. I often see people riding past my house to get to the state park. I have often observed these riders talking or even texting on their cell phones while riding along the trail. I think when we do this sort of thing and not paying any attention to our horses we are missing a great opportunity to enhance that bond with the horse that we all want so badly.
For me a trail ride is a great opportunity to tune up my communication skills with my horse and spend the time improving my relationship with her. With all of the changes in direction and obstacles it is a perfect time to work on our communication skills. The following are some things I recommend, depending on the terrain and the level of training your horse has.
1. Practice having soft eyes, pick a vocal point way down the trail and see how many things you can be aware of beside that object.
2. Practice your breathing. Deep abdominal breath resulting in deep relaxation and loose joints.
3. Practice asking your horse to relax. Lower his head so that his chin is at the level of his knees. Allow him to stretch out his back and get loose.
4. Check your skeletal alignment. See if you can stand in the stirrups without first having to move forward. Can you walk down the trail in a standing position with perfect balance without having to hold on to your saddle.
5. See how soft you can get your horse in the bridle. When you think you are soft cut it in half.
6. If your trail is wide enough (you only need about three feet) see how softly you can leg yield from one side of the trail to the other. Leg yield around and past trees, rocks and any other objects that you are approaching.
7. If you come to a turn on the trail do a turn on the forehand to change directions.
8. Practice transitions within the gait. Get a walk so slow that if it were any slower it would be a stop then softly bring it up to a working walk.
9. Do walk to trot to walk transitions. See how softly you can apply the aids to get your transition. See if you can get a change with just a change in your breathing.
10. Practice getting your left and right diagonals by feel only looking down to see if you got it right.
Of course safety always comes first, so make sure you can do any and all of these exercises in a safe environment before you practice out on the trail. Doing these exercises out on the trail will go a long way to get your horse really tuned in to you. It will reduce the times he spooks at the squirrel, the rattling leaves or the horse eating chipmunk scooting along. Enjoy the trails and your improved relationship with your horse.