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By: Riley Hovis
on May 29, 2012
in General Questions
Rating: 1
My horse has been out of training for a year, and my trainer has now been riding him, but I only lunge him. What kind of excersises should I do? He is a Dressage horse, so nothing with jumping or poles.
Like lucinda mentioned hill work is excellent.Start off slow and progress as it meets your horses needs. Also I'm just now getting into english so I might be wrong but your dressage horse should be able to use trot poles. It will teach them to pick up their feet at the least along with other more useful things I'm sure in dressage not dragging your toes is a good thing. Another good exercise is doing barrels and poles, sure it's more of a western thing but it makes your horse bend and collect it's self as well as building up stamina and confidence as you increase your speed. Horses get bored and adding some thing new keeps the routine fresh. There's more to barrels and poles then meets the eyes you have to keep them from pushing their shoulders out and keep them moving from the hind with out falling on the forehand and if your cantering/loping you have to do flying lead changes so it builds up balance and quicker lead changes.
Just remember to pace your self like you would any thing else.
What I'd suggest is starting slow, lunging first 10 circle right and left at trot and canter. Then when you mount up, do some 10 meter walk circles each way and flex and counter-flex on the circles to loosen up his neck and jaw. Once you start trotting be consistent and be sure to repeat what ever you do one direction equally in the other direction. You'll want to start with larger 20 meter circles and gradually work your way into smaller one when he's stronger. I like 5 loop serpentines and you can make transitions or just half halts when you cross center line to re-bend. It's good flexing and sending for you too. Lastly, end with stretching circles and really get a full over strided swing as the horse reaches long and low. I like to stretch in all 3 gaits but if you're new to it, start at the walk and trot. You just want the horse on the bit reaching as you let the reins out.
Good Luck. And for you, do plenty of core exercises and walking lunges : )
