# Loose schooling



## annaellie (11 November 2008)

Am a big believer in loose schooling and sadly not allowed on my yard Imo I feel it makes work fun for the horse and Have learnt a few of my neds to jump without the inteferance of rider and the ones I done this never put in a refusal they always sorted themselves.


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## xnaughtybutnicex (11 November 2008)

I turn her loose in the school but don't school her over any jumps.


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## Colleen_Miss_Tom (11 November 2008)

I have always loose schooled, Lets them get whatever it is out of their system


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## sarahhelen1977 (11 November 2008)

Preparing for grading, so definitely, although haven't got fence high enough now I have moved him back home and don't have an indoor arena to use!


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## Theresa_F (11 November 2008)

I regularly loose school for two reasons - one I think it helps the horse to think for itself and is also a good test of how well trained it is to your voice.  I also prefer it to lunging as less stress on the joints.

The second reason is if I only have a little time, I loose school my two together.  They have a few moments of cantering around and then settle to trotting and walking, with changes of rein like a pair of large hairy circus ponies.  OH and I enjoy loose schooling them, and I have to say, I think they really enjoy it too.

Unfortunately my last yard banned it due to those whose idea of loose schooling is to chase their horses round with whips at flat out gallop or have not put the time into teaching the horse to loose school, so again it goes round like a nutter tearing up the surface and crashing into the fence.

Mine are taught on the lunge first and then I have two lunge reins together so they have the whole school to work in, when obedient, I then take off the rein and they continue to go as if on rein. 

Cairo and Jemima were my original "circus horses" then Cairo taught Chancer how to go together, and finally Chancer has taught Farra to go together.  The last bought a lump to my throat, seeing my little boy showing the new girl how to do it, when a few years before, he was being shown by the old boy.


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## Ziggy_ (11 November 2008)

I loose school my mare regularly. We go large round the track, do 20m circles, 10m circles in the corners, direct transitions, even turn on the forehand. She point blank won't jump without a rider though.


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## Colleen_Miss_Tom (11 November 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
I regularly loose school for two reasons - one I think it helps the horse to think for itself and is also a good test of how well trained it is to your voice.  I also prefer it to lunging as less stress on the joints.

The second reason is if I only have a little time, I loose school my two together.  They have a few moments of cantering around and then settle to trotting and walking, with changes of rein like a pair of large hairy circus ponies.  OH and I enjoy loose schooling them, and I have to say, I think they really enjoy it too.

Unfortunately my last yard banned it due to those whose idea of loose schooling is to chase their horses round with whips at flat out gallop or have not put the time into teaching the horse to loose school, so again it goes round like a nutter tearing up the surface and crashing into the fence.

Mine are taught on the lunge first and then I have two lunge 
reins together so they have the whole school to work in, when obedient, I then take off the rein and they continue to go as if on rein. 

Cairo and Jemima were my original "circus horses" then Cairo taught Chancer how to go together, and finally Chancer has taught Farra to go together.  The last bought a lump to my throat, seeing my little boy showing the new girl how to do it, when a few years before, he was being shown by the old boy. 

[/ QUOTE ]


Ditto 

My 2 year old will loose school as if there is an invisible lunge line there 
	
	
		
		
	


	





She will walk, trot and canter and even halt just from me using my voice . 

She will also change direction .


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## Booboos (11 November 2008)

I used to loose school when I was at a yard with an indoor school and I just considered it another way of schooling. The horse was expected to listen (OK the odd buck is fine, but he did have to slow down, walk, trot and canter when I told him to) and it was a great chance to let him jump higher than I was comfortable with.


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## soph21 (11 November 2008)

I would if I had a school


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## Kenzo (11 November 2008)

Never really tried it with Mackenzie yet to be honest because when I thought him to lunge etc I had a few minor issues where he thought he's get out of it by trying to attack me, not great when you have a horse coming towards you wanting to kill you but touch wood that was a long time ago and after standing a firm ground and a words with him and not letting think he could tell me what to do, he's been fine.... apart from the occasion face pulling an ear gong back, but he seems to enjoy his school work now and aims to please bless him.

Still not sure what he's make to loose schooling though, might given him reason to think arhh you aint any control of me and think I might try running at you again, so I don't really want to upset the apple cart I guess.  Plus our area is on the small side and is just fence and rail, so its not the best place to loose school I don't think...or is it?

I do lunge along the long side of the arena though, so we dont just go round and round and round.

Might give it whirl though, but if I'm on crutches next week, I'll blame you loll!

But yes I used to with my others, its a great way of seeing them move without any restrictions and you can learn a lot from watching them which gives you the opportunity to improve on the areas you need to work on.


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## Pink_Pampas (11 November 2008)

Yep - my boy enjoyed it.  Would school himself and jump!


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## Bettyboo1976 (11 November 2008)

first time I loose schooled my mare.. she tried to kick my head in!  nice!


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## Colleen_Miss_Tom (11 November 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
Never really tried it with Mackenzie yet to be honest because when I thought him to lunge etc I had a few minor issues where he thought he's get out of it by trying to attack me, not great when you have a horse coming towards you wanting to kill you but touch wood that was a long time ago and after standing a firm ground and a words with him and not letting think he could tell me what to do, he's been fine.... apart from the occasion face pulling an ear gong back, but he seems to enjoy his school work now and aims to please bless him.

Still not sure what he's make to loose schooling though, might given him reason to think arhh you aint any control of me and think I might try running at you again, so I don't really want to upset the apple cart I guess.  Plus our area is on the small side and is just fence and rail, so its not the best place to loose school I don't think...or is it?

I do lunge along the long side of the arena though, so we dont just go round and round and round.

Might give it whirl though, but if I'm on crutches next week, I'll blame you loll!

But yes I used to with my others, its a great way of seeing them move without any restrictions and you can learn a lot from watching them which gives you the opportunity to improve on the areas you need to work on.  
	
	
		
		
	


	





[/ QUOTE ]


If hes running at you, make sure you have a nice big lunge whip, get him to back off you , He needs to respect you and your space , He will start to listen hopefully . 

Whats he like if your trying to catch him from a field ?


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## hedgehog1 (11 November 2008)

I think it can be a great benefit for loads of reasons - it teaches them to think for themselves, great way to look at a youngsters techique, handy for introducing fillers, teaches manners and they seem to enjoy it if you do it sympathetically. And someone else said earlier its handy if you havent got much time.


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## natalia (11 November 2008)

brilliant way for getting young horses confident over  a fence and teaches them to sort themselves out. I like to loose school over small grids ect. as it teaches them to get them selves out of trouble and grow that extra leg. Best thing for horses that need to perfect a technique and there are hundreds of jumping exercises you can do loose.


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## *hic* (11 November 2008)

I have done but don't jump anymore as I have a young mare who, once she gets it into her head what she's doing, just thinks that the arena fence is another jump and buggers off. I have to say that that's why we thought of eventing her though - when the arena fence is a row of 4' haybales and she just cruises out over the top . . . . mind you my 12 hh Section A followed her out but that was more of a scramble.


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## MagicMo (11 November 2008)

I don't loose school because the fencing in our arena is low and my rather clever pony knows how to open the slip rail     
	
	
		
		
	


	





I know this because I foolishly tried this many years ago when I first had him. I unclipped the lunge line... he trotted straight over to the gate, let himself out and cantered happily back down to the yard to raid the feed room!


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