Alexis Cole and Mapledurham
Series 2
Schooling hacks
body building and fun
W
e should I suppose now be well into our season but in reality, most of us are probably just getting back into the swing of things. So, I thought rather than heading straight in to target training as was suggested at the end of the last article we could look at the schooling hack and some hills. The schooling hack should always be a part of your week – it can progress in length and intensity depending on your level of competition expectation, fitness, advancement of a rehab programme. It can make boring schooling fun, slow work more interesting and is a great way to take a look at some of the outdoor “issues” (puddles, killer logs and life in general) and help to improve some of your rider fitness and balance – this is a partnership and this is the time to weld it together. The difficulty is usually knowing where to start and to be honest after all the uncertainty of late and lack of purpose, maybe just to be out is what we need: a bit of time on the outside is good for you and your horse's mental health. But I think we all agree slopping around on the buckle end is not doing anyone any good so let’s make it worthwhile and fun!
16
training
Roads and other hard, flat surfaces
There is no getting away from it we really do need to do some work on these surfaces – it’s great for strengthening, flexing and straightening. As your horse’s foot connects with a hard surface, concussive forces travel up his leg. Exercise here can help to strengthen bone, muscle and tendons. Remember, your first priority on the road is to stay safe. A businesslike attitude can give your horse the confidence to face traffic and spooky objects on the roads. Softly flex your horse in either direction. This can build towards shoulder in and will help you get past the killer bins, barking dogs and road works. You can gently flex his neck (and therefore, eyes) away from the scary situation. Trotting on roads is a controversial subject, with much debate about whether increased concussive force is good or bad for your horse – every case is individual but in my book you need to do some – keep it light and collected not hammering along – for maximum benefit and minimum concussion. At some point at a ride you WILL need to trot on a road – practise, need I say more!
So let’s look at some straightening exercises... trotting in a straight line changing the rising diagonal every 10 strides. A flat surface will show up an asymmetry in you and/or your horse, as one side may feel slightly more secure or one of your legs might wiggle. Your horse may feel stiffer on one diagonal or drift or wobble to one side. Aim to feel the same on both diagonals. If you find it hard to keep to one diagonal for 10 strides, take it down to every 5 strides / it might be easier with a wiggle or stuck horse doing x 5 to be rewarded with an easy x 5! It is also a great warm up/settle down/listen to me exercise!
Bridleways, commons and soft wide forestry tracks
Try using the sides of the track as a guide for staying straight and then practise leg-yielding back and forth across the track as you move forward. Start in walk and progress to trot. Use whatever is around when out and about to school – step over logs, zig-zag through trees, leg yield puddles and scary monsters. Allow your horse to stretch and step carefully over a rooty path. The more creative you are the more you’ll build your horse’s strength, flexibility and mental dexterity. Rough ground will no longer be your enemy on a competitive ride – you drop the reins and allow your horse to do his job!
regulars | endurancegb.co.uk
