What's the most important exercise for you (and your horse)?

Sunnypony

What's your favorite exercise with your horse? What's the most important exercise for you (and your horse)?
I mean the exercise of which you had the most benefit for you (and your horse)?

Mandy'sMarty

Spending undemanding time with her. Allowing myself to 'become like a horse' and just simply be with her.

PasoBaby_CarolU

I think it depends who you ask. I think my most important exercise with them is pleasure riding. We both enjoy seeing new places and exploring together. But, if you ask my horses, they would all agree that the most important exercise for me is hauling hay.

becdubie

That's a tough question. I think it depends on when you ask me and what's going on. 2 months ago the most important thing was getting medicine into Bubba. But today it's about gaining harmony at a trot with Both the boys...

Although ongoing every day all the time...it's petting them every day, showing I love them by petting them is the most important.

Sunnypony

Ok, then I ask for the most important exercise
- to improve your riding
- to improve your relationship

easier?

Mandy'sMarty

After spending undemanding time with Mandy to establish the bond between us, the next most important exercise is for us to do something that we both really enjoy.

We both really enjoy trail riding and distance riding. Going to new places and spending hours together exploring trails. A few summers ago Mandy and I spent two weeks traveling to Wyoming for wilderness camping/riding and then back home to Georgia. I spent 8 to 9 hours a day in the saddle for five days. That experience taught me that we both loved the same thing. And the more time I spent in the saddle with Mandy, the better my riding and our relationship became.

Since then, I strive to re-create that experience with endurance rides. At the rides we attend, we are typically among the very few who arrive in a 2-horse bumper pull trailer and set up a simple tent camp. Almost everyone else has a large trailer with live-in quarters. Horses are herd animals that do not sleep the hours we do. I know that Mandy appreciates knowing that me and my lab, Bodacious, are sleeping next to where she is high-lined to my trailer. We are a little band of three.

becdubie

Relationship
Hands-down the most important in our world. love3

becdubie

PasoBaby_CarolU

I'm not sure how old you are Caroline, but I am in my 50's and have ridden since I was four. I ride with probably a hundred different people over the course of a year. So I'm answering this question a little differently then you might expect. I think the most important thing for my riding is to stay in shape physically. I see a lot of people hurt their horses unintentionally by being overweight for that horse, by pulling themselves up with their arms, balancing with their reins, being stiff or uneven in the saddle, or having to ride when they should walk, just because they are in too bad of shape physically to walk in that country, or remount without a block. I think staying in shape and limber is critical, and more critical the older you get.

The best exercise for my relationship is to spend some time each day with each horse doing what they like best. For different horses it is different things. Most of mine like being groomed, but all have a 'sweet spot' that they like scratched or rubbed. Most of my mares like their teats cleaned, Rosie loves to perform, and my filly loves to play, just about any game will do, but she likes physical games with lots of activity. I have one gelding who likes to bathe me. I always come in soaked.

When I was young I had a little race horse, she loved to run. The first part of each ride we'd practice our 4-H things, and the second half we'd run all over the hills and dirt roads. She also loved timed events. She was my best friend for over 30 years and she never changed.

So, it is different for each horse.

Blue Flame

For me and my horse there is one exercise that covers all aspects - relationship, enjoyment, exercise and getting our birdies flying together - most probably because he is a food oriented LBI when relaxed but can get LBE/RBE once you get his energy up.

It is point to point grazing. As we progress through the exercise, his impulsion comes up without me having to push. I pick when to go and when and where to stop - so he gets real interested in my thoughts and focus. I also pick the gait and speed. This gets his birdie out in front of him which is a great way of getting a horse straight without using corrections all the time. Since going faster just means he gets to another patch of nice grass sooner, he's more than happy to give the energy I ask for.

Before too long, he'll be stopping without wanting to graze - just stops square and has a look around and listens for what my next idea is. I think part of this change is that in his eyes I have passed his test that I will consider his feelings - its a trust thing. Once he gets into this frame of mind, I'll do a few exercises like canter departs or some more precise lateral work, then gradually bring the energy level back down.

I'll usually finish by dismounting wherever we are, (I try not to end the ride in the same place all the time) removing the saddle and just hanging out for a bit. Then we'll just mosey on back to the place where I'll do all the stretches and grooming/feet etc. hand grazing as we go. If it's only 100-200m away, I'll carry the saddle otherwise I'll just loosely girth him up with it.

The most important exercise for me is to be always trying to read where my horse is at. If I don't have his mind, then nothing else is going to be worth doing with him. Getting his trust (that I will listen and consider his feelings) is the key to his heart and is the difference between a good ride (where we are listening to eachother) and a normal (where I dictate) or bad one (where we argue).

sebocat

I took lessons last year. The single most helpful thing was the transitions. Taught me to use my seat and the energy in my body. Taught Paco not to anticipate, got him fit, and he seemed to have fun.

Next important was the pole bending, but now how you might think: I used them to help keep my circles even, to mark placed for change in gait, I would ride along them and stop and sidepass through one.

Paco gets bored easily. These were good exercises to keep him guessing and both helped my riding and our overall communication.

Hertha

Impossible for me to answer because there are many, many little moves we have learned together to lead us into self-carriage with nice flexion, first on the ground, and now she is offering it at walk and jog when riding.

Alex Kurland's exercises with cone circles and Carolyn Resnick's ideas with the Ueberstreichen Exercises have all sort of amalgamated in what we do and it's all a heap of fun. Boots offers the new ways of moving as her way of 'having a say' in what we are doing.

Other than that, I also enjoy what Blue Flame explained so well. We do a lot of that too.

jackspark

The most important exercises that I have ever done, with any of my horses, HAVE to be the WHR. After that I'd have to say targeting with the clicker

gaitinalong

To improve relationships: I have four horses, I spend 2 - 4 hours every day just doing every day handling. I have never done lunging games, "join-ups" or whatever else the New Methods say to do. I learned how to be one with the horse from the best - my granddad who was a generation ahead of the Dorrance Brothers.

I don't need a lead rope on anyone when I trim them or bath them. I don't even need a halter on my BFF of 21 years to do any of that.

To improve riding: I've been training and riding 52 of my 64 years - bareback 95% of that time; sliding my horses down hills, digging up the other side, swimming rivers. All I am worried about these days is just being able to ride, because all my old war wounds are really catching up to me. Once I get on I can stay on because again -- I handle my crew every day in a very informal manner. When I say "you owe me a nice ride", I can put them next to a gate, or the trailer, climb on and nobody lets me down

becdubie

Thought this would be fitting for this thread. Here is an exerpt from the PNH newsletter I received today. http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/...mp;id=93037d56d0&e=15afc7afdd

Many people think they have great relationships with their horses, but let’s take a look at what a “relationship” between horse and human really means. Does he see you as friendly and trustworthy and a worthy leader?

Think about and answer the points below….
■Does he come to you as soon as he sees you or turn away and leave?
■Does he prefer your company or the company of other horses?
■Does he let you touch him everywhere or does he have spots he’s worried or defensive about?
■Does he do what you ask willingly, or does he argue with you or get skittish and bracy?
■Does he move confidently where you ask or does he balk and shy and try to go the other way?
■Does he become more relaxed in your presence or more tense?
■Is he calm when you are calm, or does he act as if you aren’t even there?
■When he’s afraid, do you get tense and hold him back or can you stay calm and focused without making him feel worse?

bit

Had to think about this. Probably the water hole rituals because it cemented our bond. Gave me a clue how to be a better partner, how to read my horses, and not take things so dang personal. It changed everything for us. That's it, too. We are now an "us". No more them and me.
As far as working with them, probably finding a soft feel. You can get that right on the ground, translates right to the saddle. Flexing, but not past 90 degrees, and not pulling that head around. Asking with a soft feel, lots of releases, and making sure those ears stay level and nose doesn't tip.
Learn to read your horse, spend time with them just hanging out, reading a book and shut up, for God's sake in your mind. Stop the chatter, and plug in to your horse. When you touch them, give comfort, don't take it.
And most importantly, exercise their right to have an opinion. If your horse says "please not today" for riding, figure out what else might be something they would like to do. Learn to listen to him. Respect his opinion and he will respect yours. What ever you want from your horse, be sure you are giving that same thing back to him.

ErinR76

everyone has given really good answers and have covered most of what I would say.

But there was one exercise I learned in a buck clinic that has proven invaluable. He did say don't pick one thing and drill it to death; one participant asked what would most help her and her horse, and that was his answer; no one thing. Just a little bit of everything we learned over the course of the clinic...do not overdrill and drive your horse nuts!

That said, there was one exercise, where you walk four steps forward, disengage the hq to the outside of the circle for four steps, then bring the forequarters through four steps so you end up travelling in the same direction (as in an arena or straight line) as before. It's very much like a dance step, and teaches the rider and the horse where to put its feet and when to cue the horse at the right time so he can get there smoothly. To do it well, the four 'corners' of the horse will be moving evenly, with cadence.

This exercise not only taught the above, but on the rare occasion my horse gets excited or out of sorts on the trail, I go to this exercise because it gets her mind concentrating on something she HAS to concentrate on, and it is very calming. I will try to see if I can find a video of it being done.

Ok this has the elements of it in there; disengage the hq and then bring the fq through. In this vid, he is not doing the 'counting four beats' cadence, but you can figure that one out. Count 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMUWZr61dhQ

I tried to draw it:

Hertha

Good one, Erin.

I've done a bit more thinking and I think this one is worth mentioning.

The groundwork Shadow Game.

Can the horse move along confidently at the handler's shoulder with nice smooth halt - walk, walk-jog, jog-walk, walk-halt, halt-back up transitions?

First with a fence on the far side, then out in the open and then at liberty.

Hertha

In term of riding, I think the whole:

EYES, BELLYBUTTON, LEG, REIN concept is very good. Especially if it is done as a program with something like the cloverleaf pattern.

And without the exaggerated rein that Parelli teaches for beginners. Just a quiet slide down the inside rein to a point of contact and the rein hand anchored to the saddle and released at the slightest 'give' seems to do the trick.

It's certainly making Boots into a handy little horse (most of the time

).

Malcolm

Good question Sunny pony. I ride with an Austrian and we can both understand horse language. He yodels after the third Heineken

As the others have said there are as many answers as people and horses. I tried to think of mine for all horses regardless.

There is a window of opportunity your horse is a new one for you to gain their trust and respect instantly by protecting them from the antagonistic herd.

To me the exercise that is the most formative is taking a young green horse out into unfamiliar territory. So you've worked on winning trust at home and laid the most important foundations but the next step is taking the colt into the wide world for the first time without a schoolmaster horse.

This requires you giving the horse confidence and being prepared to dismount frequently and play the touch game.

My most profound experience was with my old grey Kasha who I buried recently. When he was a colt I rode him oout alone for the first time. He was afraid of a few things but became terrified when a herd of Fresian heifers came running over to look at us and my small Dachshund. He had never seen black and white cattle so thought they were Martian monsters. We had to cross the field they were in so I got off, opened the gate and chased them way but they circled back. He was trying to climb into my jacket and shaking in fear.

When we got out the gate on the other side, the heifers came running over curious at my little dog. She ducked under the gate and chased them yapping. I fell over laughing. When we went throught the next field there were Fresian cows with not interest in us. He suddenly pulled the reins from my hand and gave chase.

He would not be made a fool of again and was unafraid of anything, including Ostriches. That stayed with us forever.

Am busy with a delinquent colt that some Parelli people lost their nerve with and gave me first to work with and then to keep. It reminded me of how therapeutic the green horse work is for the human. You have to think positively and have your sense of humour with you always.

Malcolm

Sunnypony