KICK START WITH POLEWORK

Set up three poles or raised poles (in the photo above, Holly is using dressage boards) two or three strides apart on the long side of the arena. This is a step up from a warm-up routine and is a great way to ease your horse into a training session. “Placing your horse correctly at the first pole will help him to perform well through this,” says Holly.

Draw a rectangle inside the arena in your head, from one three-quarter line to the other, with the triple of poles along one of the long sides of the rectangle. Planning the route in your head will help you place your horse correctly throughout.

Use your horse’s outside shoulder to keep his shoulders in line with no drifting. Give extra range and scope with your reins — let him stretch his back properly. You should be able to feel your horse really moving.

Just before you hit the track, bend your horse around your inside leg. Create the corner, then trot along the empty side of your rectangle before another turn into the set of poles.

Ride through the line of poles a couple of times on each rein until your horse feels more responsive and is picking up his feet well.