# Riding exercises for children



## PapaFrita (2 June 2007)

Running a bit short of ideas for my pupils (2 9 year-old girls); They can walk, trot and canter and jump little fences.
I've taught them half halt so they can shorten and lengthen strides and we do lots of transitions to get the rather intractable and stubborn horses I have at my disposal a bit more responsive.  Then there's jumping, but I don't want to put too much emphasis on the jumping because I don't want them to think that that's all there is to riding.
I'd LOVE to lunge them, but it's out of the question with these horses.
Suggestions? Thanks


----------



## Nikiolola (2 June 2007)

What about things like around the world and half and full scissors? flying dismounts and spring mounting???
Can't think of anything else though.


----------



## hussar (2 June 2007)

Why not introduce little games designed to get them to bend, develop balance and have some fun? Like picking balls  off a stand (you'd have to improvise!) and dropping them into buckets at the other end of the arena; or a flag race; or a sort of egg-and-spoon.

Or, if your arena has letters, you could do a mini-quadrille, getting them to mirror each other's movements using one half of the arena each and keep level at the same time.


----------



## PapaFrita (2 June 2007)

Oh no no no! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Couldn't do flying dismounts as horses are around 15 hh (parents would kill me!!) and the girls are standard 9-year-old size!! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Spring mounting is similarly difficult...
I like the other ideas though 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Thanks


----------



## PapaFrita (2 June 2007)

Well, if I could get them to come along at the same time, I think those ideas are brilliant! Thanks


----------



## giggles mum (2 June 2007)

Make a box in the middle of the school, each side made of a standard jump pole. They have to trot down the centre line and halt accurately inside the box....then if the get really good you can have them rein-back out of it. 

Handy pony courses with bending, little jumps, zigzagging parallel trotting poles to negotiate etc are good fun - when transporting a cup of water from one place to another is involved it's even better! 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Any chance you could give them a lesson bareback? That always seems to be a great novelty with kids of that age.

Another thing they love (drawing on riding school experience here! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 ) is drill riding - you could help them make up a freestyle pairs "dressage" type thing - perfectly possible even if horses are antisocial if you work more on the symmetry aspect with them on opposite sides of the school, rather than riding side by side.

Hope that helps - will keep thinking and let you know if I come up with anything else


----------



## gemmagallagher (2 June 2007)

My riding instructor used to put a piece of paper on the saddle when we were practising sitting trot, when we had finished, we had to stand in stirrups to see if paper was still there. Ofcourse my piece of paper was usually flapping around the menage in the wind


----------



## kerry1 (2 June 2007)

An exercise I find good is to build a little jump and put a couple of cones after it say 10-15 yards and get them to stop as near as poss  - put them in teams they find it great fun
Also trotting poles without reins , hands out, hands on head etc


----------



## JessPickle (2 June 2007)

Our intructor does this sometimes, get a plastic cup fill it with water, then they have to trot somewhere and back person with the most water left wins.

Relay races?

like a handy pony type thing, so like you have a pole course they have to wind in and out of, then steeping stones, so they have to get off walk along the blocks leading pony then get back on (if ponies are HUGE get somone to hold ponies at end of line)  

Head Shoulders knees and toes while cantering around.

bending poles with no reins


----------



## PapaFrita (2 June 2007)

Some excellent ideas, thanks


----------



## PapaFrita (2 June 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
My riding instructor used to put a piece of paper on the saddle when we were practising sitting trot, when we had finished, we had to stand in stirrups to see if paper was still there. Ofcourse my piece of paper was usually flapping around the menage in the wind 
	
	
		
		
	


	





[/ QUOTE ]
LOL! I like it


----------



## PapaFrita (2 June 2007)

I like the cone idea. I think horses are a wee bit too naughty for the girls to be reinless though


----------



## PapaFrita (2 June 2007)

Hmmm... I wonder if its a good idea to be encouraging girls to go very very fast?? LOL


----------

