THE BOX

This final exercise encourages engagement of the hind end and shows that you don’t have to go over poles to use them effectively. Make a square shape using several poles as shown in the photo. If your horse gets fidgety because he doesn’t understand the exercise, the gaps are there to allow you to walk him out and come back in at another corner. It’s important that your horse doesn’t feel trapped.

n Start with a big square and walk between the two lines of poles. As your horse develops his ability to lift through his frame and bring his shoulders around each corner, stepping under with his hindlimbs and lifting his shoulders, you can make the square smaller.