training?

[Cassie]

OK, so I'm thinking of riding english with Shadow when I move. Do you think I'd be able to take lessons and apply that to training Shadow? Does she really need a professional trainer?

Whats requiered for dressage at the lower levels?
To teach a horse to jump do they need to have a particular form going over the jump that is something that has to be trained?

I've ridden her a few times english and she went with no problem, she didn't care about the change in saddle or anything, and she can direct rein so she already can steer properly for english. Do you think I'd be able to do it?

[FreeStyle08]

yes any horse at lower levels will be able to do it.

and for the lower levels you want a light but steady contact and there head little infront of vertical which means if you draw a strait line from the horses nose to the ground vertical would be perectly straight but for intro you want it at a slight angle out word.

or if her head was behind vertical it the line would head tored her front feet.

and you need to teach her to seek contact which means that if you gave her a little slack in the rains then she will lower her head and try to find that contact.

another thing you need to teach her is to engage so with every step forward she pushes off with her hind quarter and not her front.

and for turning it is part of direct rain but your really the inside is to show her were you are going and then you basicly push her around with the out side, so you out side thigh and rein

but yes lower levels like intro and training level are VEARY achevable with a few basic lessons from a trainer. and depinding on what she does and how quick you learn you may be able to go with like 1 lesson every 2 weeks or so. depinding on how shadow takes the contact and stuff.

[Cassie]

awesome, thanks for the info. We've got the engaging part because in reining the horse needs to be pushing behind to score points. Especially in the small circles. You can be going really slow but if the horses isn't pushing behind you wont get the points.

What kind of monuvers are involved in the lower levels? Is it just walk trot canter?

[FreeStyle08]

there are 2 intro levels and that is walk trot

then there is training level 1-2-3 and that is walk trot canter.

but the higher the level the more ingagement you have to have. but you have to have contact on the rains all the time unless its a free walk. and that is suppose to show the horse strechting his neck and back

and you dont want a really slow canter you just want basicly the horses natural engaged canter.

right now (english or western) you can work on the contact part all you want to do is get her use to feeling your hand in her mouth the hole time. and not fighting you with wanting to stop or throughing her head.

[Cassie]

ok thanks!
I'm leave for a show on Friday so until then it all strictly tunning her up but after that my trainer leaves me alone to just work on her frame until a few weeks before the next show which is in July. So I was thinking about working on extend trotting. Do you think thats something I should work on now?

I think teaching her to want the bit pressure will be helpful in the reining to because their head should be low so on a lose rein she'd put her head down. Can I work on getting her use to having the rein pressure on all the time in a hanson correctional? Because I don't have a snaffle. My trainer does but I think he'd stop being my trainer if he knew I was using it for english purposes.

[FreeStyle08]

Ok NO on the extended trot. because that can wreck your working trot you wont start your extentions untill you hit around 2 level.

I am not sure what a hanson correctional bit is but as long as if you put pressure in her mouth and it doesnt pinch or some other pain in her mouth then I dont see why not.

but if she really starts fighting you with the pressure then treat her like a baby and when she takes a few steps forward with out throughing it (or what ever shes doing) then give her the rest of the time on loose rain and after about 1 week or so of it extend the amount of time you have pressure.

[Cassie]

The hanson correctional is just like a broken curb so theres 3 peices inside the mouth that can bend and then theres shanks. I'll just make sure theres pressure but its not to hard, does that sound alright?

[FreeStyle08]

yes that is fine but I would ride 1 handed with some pressure if you are using a shank.

then later you can switch into a snaffle. later on when you get a chance.

[Cassie]

Well right now I have to have her putting her head about a foot off the ground when I apply light pressure by picking up and squeezing so I dont know how well it would work with 1 hand. It teaches her to escape from the bridal by going under it. Because of that I doubt she'd fight the pressure much.

[FreeStyle08]

well the only reson why I sugested riding 1 handed is becuase shanks are made for 2 hands and direct raining, or you can ride 2 handed but neck rain for now. until you switch into a snaffle, and if i were you I would switch fairly quick becuase a snaffle will put differant preasure in there mouth then a shank will.

[Cassie]

My trainer would have a fit if I put her in a snaffel so I cant really do that. But ya, I'll neck rein her when I do it. I wont do it every ride either until I have the chance to put her in a snaffel.

[FreeStyle08]

OK that sounds good.

once you have her use to preasure were she will go freely then teach her to reach for the preasure. so if you let her have a little head she will reach down and try to find that contact.

[Cassie]

ok thanks

[FreeStyle08]

NP work on the stuff there and then message again and I will give you some more to work on.

[Cassie]

will do, thanks