Quicken his reaction time
EXERCISE 1:
This exercise will help you understand how quickly your horse reacts to your aids. Before you start, it’s important to set a goal in your mind of how you’d like him to react and keep this consistent every time you practise. Bear in mind your horse’s experience when practising this exercise. If he’s a youngster, give him more leeway than you’d expect from an experienced competition horse. The goal posts will change throughout his career as his confidence grows, so it’s important you always consider his experience before expecting too much.
How to ride it
SET IT UP: Ride this exercise on a straight line, either in the school or while out hacking.
a) Ask your horse to halt on a straight line by a clear marker (for example, at H in a school, or by a tree on a grassy track). b) Halt for a couple of seconds. c) Use your leg aids to ask for trot as quickly as possible, noting how long it takes for him to react. d) Trot a few strides and then walk, before returning to the same starting position to repeat.
RIDE IT: At least five times, noticing how he improves each time. If needed, try more. As you ride this on a straight line, it’s not essential that you try it on both reins, but feel free to do so as part of your schooling.
THE NEXT LEVEL: To up the ante, adapt this exercise while you’re in motion. Try it in trot, pushing the trot on for a few strides before collecting again. You can also take it up a level by doing halt to canter. Try not to worry about how it looks (for example, if he’s working in an outline), the important thing is achieving a positive reaction from him to your leg.