# schooling a young horse



## LYNDSEY (19 August 2006)

Hello everyone, I wonder if any one has any useful tips on excercises for schooling young horses. My mare is four and I am finding it so difiicult to get her to bend, i know she is young but it is quite frustrating. Is there any specific excersices that you think may help or is it just a case of lots of bending and changng of reigns?


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## Super_Kat (19 August 2006)

Pick up your phone and book some lessons with an instructor.


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## LYNDSEY (19 August 2006)

How about saying "why don't you have a look in your area and seeing if there are any good instructors in your area" rather than sounding like a stuck up bitch


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## _jetset_ (19 August 2006)

I agree with Super_Kat... why don't you look into having a few lessons? Maybe look for one in the discipline you are thinking of concentrating on...

I know it made a huge difference for me and my mare when i first bought her. Even though she was 6 years old she had only been broken for 6 months so was like riding a 4 year old in reality!

Good luck!


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## vicijp (19 August 2006)

Why should SK sugar coat plain English? 
 No one here can really help without seeing your mare and you riding - an instructor can.


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## Ecila (19 August 2006)

I did loads of circles and things small to big and when she started to relax she starts to bend, but it has taken me 6 months to get her there!


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## siennamiller (19 August 2006)

SL, I don't think SK meant it like that. You came over as a bit rude then


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## GTs (19 August 2006)

I love it when people use the word frustrating and young horse in the same post...........


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## sojeph (19 August 2006)

bet you're not gonna rush to ask for advice on here again!!!


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## Vey (19 August 2006)

Blimme what a lot of short fuses today!  

Four really is quite young, and the horse's skeleton is not mature at this age, so take it slowly.  Mix hacks and learning about the great world outside the school with schooling - and make sure the youngster does not get over-tired.

Make sure you are establising lots of forward movement at this age, that you have good impulsion.  Keep all lessons short.  It can be fun to try a kind of modified 'barrel racing' - walking, trotting and cantering up to and round a cone, and of course making sure you do this both sides, and don't 'motorbike' or anything.  Lots of transitions.  As flony says, big and small circles, serpentines, etc etc.  But not too much.  Much much better to take your time and keep the horse fresh and enjoying it.


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## serena2005 (19 August 2006)

GTS i love reading your posts, you usually say what im thinking!!

it take ages for horse to bend, and alot of work and persistance and patience, you just need basic schooling skills, circles, transistions... and lessons of course!


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## Super_Kat (19 August 2006)

[ QUOTE ]
 rather than sounding like a stuck up bitch 

[/ QUOTE ]

What a lovely person you are! Oh I don't believe I've ever welcomed you to the forum.....Welcome, It's wonderful you've already started making helpful contributions


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