Need Inspiration for Between Lesson Practicing

[grey_mare]

I am feeling so uninspired to practice in the ring between lessons. I am much more inspired to practice lesson stuff out on the trail (getting the horse soft and round, half-halts, leg yielding, etc). The problem is, I am at the point where I never go into the ring anymore to practice. Just the thought of riding in the ring feels so BORING. I am having a major block against riding in the ring. Thoughts? Anyone have any inspiring ideas to get me back in the ring?

[366474]

Signing up for a schooling show usually helps me. It gives me a lot of motivation to practice. Good Luck.

[veezee]

I agree that riding in a ring can be boring but as the previous post said-sign up for a schooling show. That will help motivate you to practice in the ring. If not, happy trails to you. You can enjoy the outdoors and work on your dressage lessons at the same time. If that's what keeps you and your horse fresh and happy-keep doing it and have fun.:)

[lizathenag]

If you don't want to ring in an arena, don't. This is supposed to be fun. I am happy to ride in the arena or anywhere!

[poltroon]

You can also ask your instructor for "homework" to practice, or get a book of schooling patterns, like de Kunffy's Menage Patterns. Or try something different. Borrow a jumping saddle and canter a course of poles on the ground. Hike up your stirrups and practice a galloping position.

But hey, it's okay to ride on the trail and practice there. Whatever works.

[angel]

Go in the ring and pretend you are training your horse for reining.

[merrygoround]

You don't need inspiration. You need discipline. Unless of course you have no interest in progressing up the levels. Not everyone does. I find that signing up for a show, induces desperation riding. Schooling the figures over and over. Not the answer.:no:

The answer lies in putting yourself in that arena, and starting your warm up, and then progressing through your ride, pausing to repeat an exercise that didn't come out quite right, til it improves, maybe not to perfection, but you're not going to get that every day.
Spend 20-25 min max at hard work, after your warm up-then go cool out on a long rein.
Then on days you do goof off, goof off. Just don't allow too much inconsistency, or it'll come back to bite you in the end-- usually your end. :D :)

[kdail]

Variety is the key for me. I think getting out of the ring is great for a horse's brain, and for a rider's brain. I try not to do the same thing two days in a row. Some days we work in the ring, but only after we've taken a short mosey around a nearby field to warm up using some hills (helps warm up my back as well). We'll do our ringwork, then finish with another nice mosey anywhere but in the ring. Some days we only work in the field, but we still work on our homework exercises out there. Some days we just trail ride. On the way to the barn I try to think about my riding goal for the day, instead of feeling like I have to do "one of everything" in our ring work. Sometimes that goal has to be modified once I step in the saddle and see what my horse offers for the day, but I try to end each ride on a positive note.

By all means, work outside the ring if you want to. Riding is too much work not to be FUN! Enjoy the journey.

[slc2]

"Menage".

I especially like the Menage a Trois exercises.

It's true, though, you have to be willing to do a certain amount of work in the ring. If it's 'boring' you may be easily bored with the training process, or you may be making it boring by repeating the same things too much.

[flshgordon]

so what's wrong with practicing a lot out of the ring? Your horse will be nice and forward out on the trails and you get the added benefit of teaching him "straight" without the crutch of the arena rail. You can't school outside all the time but I would do it as much as possible and maybe ride in the arena once a week....that shouldn't be too boring for either of you.

[BaileyTW]

I actually find it easier to school some things on the trail. like cantering. I have a huge mental block about cantering in a ring for some reason, but love it on the trail. Trail riding is SO SO SO good for the horse, so take at least one ride a week (assuming you are riding a few times a week) to go out and apply your lessons to trail riding.

Trail riding taught my horse to collect his stride, pay attention to his feet, canter, and jump. Plus its his favourite to go X-country. He lets me know when hes burning out in the ring, and its usually right about the same time as I am, so we take a few rides and just do trails.

[AnotherRound]

"Menage".

I especially like the Menage a Trois exercises.




Please pass the mind bleach.

[Speedy]

It's great to work outside and wonderful for their conditioning. But, for ring work, you might try cavaletti (the book by Klimke on this is great) and the book called '101 Schooling Exercises' (or something like that) for inspiration.

[pintopiaffe]

You need to trade places with those of us who CAN'T ride in the ring...

I don't have a 'real' arena yet. My two 'riding spaces' are good enough, but they are also not rideable at least 50% of the time. It is OH SO FRUSTRATING to have a beatiful day like today--and nowhere to ride but the paved road. :sigh: To know that the snow will melt, and I STILL won't have a place to ride, likely until JUNE as it will be too wet and boggy. :no:

Truly, I don't think that I've ever been "bored" in my life. Burnt out, yeah. Tired, definitely. I've been inspired by mere walk work however... and can't get enough of schooling. I have to force myself to NOT school daily. To do hills & hacks and such for the good of my horse. I usually am spending my cooldown already anticipating the next ride.

I would say you need some inspiration PERIOD. Whether that is for dressage, or something altogether different... competitive trail? Endurance? Hunters? I dunno. But there is nothing boring about striving for the elusive brilliance that is dressage.

Having said that, life is TOO SHORT. DO WHAT PLEASES YOU. (within reason, of course.) Horses are supposed to be fun and stress relief and recreation. For some of us if they border on an OCD or codependencey--eh, that's our issue. You pay too much money for the beast to do something with it you don't like. So do what you DO like.

[woodhillsmanhattan]

Now I am a believer that you can work on something just as good outside the ring as in it. However, working in the ring allows for discipline and precision that you sometimes can lose (even if you are unaware of it) outside of the ring. It seems that you do have the inspiration to improve your riding so that is great! So maybe try using riding outside of the ring as a reward, cut your riding into different sections. Have a goal to acheive when you are in the ring, like a perfect leg yeild or shoulder in, or even something more general like an engaged yet soft and relaxed horse. Remember the best trick to keep from getting bored is to keep you and your horses mind busy! Lots of transitions and constantly change up your movements. Alot of people at my barn just go around the ring at a constant trot or canter. Try to never maintain the same speed or gait or movement for more than the long side. If you horse isn't getting the perfect collected try then lengthen for a few strides, do some circles and leg yeilds then try again, don't fry him and your brains! Then REWARD YOURSELF and your horse. Go out of the ring and play around for like 10 minutes, and maybe a trail ride to cool off. But remember that the ring doesn't have to be boring! Keep yourself busy and perfect your movements or your position, I highly doubt anyone is perfect and there isn't something to focus on to keep them awake!

Now I actually am an equitation rider but read the Dressage board and do simple dressage to improve me and my horses flatwork, but I have a weekly schedule (I am a pretty motivated and organized 16 year old when it comes to horses ;)). Maybe setting up a schedule would benefit you. Mine goes something like this with a little flexibility.

MON: light hack in the field-15 min
TUES: Basic Dressage school-20-30min
WED: Lesson (usually jumping)-45min
THURS: light hack in ring (no stirrups)-15min
FRI: Basic Dressage school or Lesson (no jumping)-30-45min
SAT: Trail ride or hack with friends- who knows how long :)
SUN: No stirrups/Dressage- 15 min

Now keep in mind my dressage work is very simple just to tune up for the equitation ring and we definantly have not conquered anything fancy but could hold our own in a combined training show or the lower levels. And my hacking is just to keep my horse exercised and letting him ENJOY being ridden and me to enjoy riding (unless I am doing no stirrups, YUCK). I also will be really flexible like giving my horse days off, or if I have a show of course the schedule alters a little but that is really what I do every week. That way when I am working on stuff in the ring I just remember that atleast we get to just goof around and have fun the next day!

[slc2]

Alot of people are pretty sick of going around and around in the indoor arena during this long winter.

That said, there are a lot of things you can't accomplish unless you work in an arena. I've schooled in a field, on trails, in the ring...there's definitely a difference. I think it's very good to do all, but the dressage rider that wants a good performance at a show, in a ring, doing a test, at different levels, he has to school at least some in an arena. Doing one corner after another, circling, that alone, a horse needs to be gradually conditioned to do and that conditioning maintained, or he's going to get sore, resistant, injured. I also think horses can be quite happy working in an arena if the work is of good quality and is rewarding (and they're sound). I think horses do like to go outside the ring, but often I think the rider more than the horse doesn't like the ring work for dressage - more because he finds it frustrating and confusing and without knowledge and a goal it seems pointless.

I think the important thing is to have a progressive program that leads somewhere, that's always interesting and rewarding. and I think horses are far less 'resistant' and 'ring sour' when they go just as forward and free in the ring as they do out on the trails....if schooling in the ring can be more 'natural' and active, a horse can really enjoy it very much.

[JackSprats Mom]

I honestly have no idea how poeple get 'bored' of riding in the arena...(nothing personal). Maybe I just have more to work on then the average joe but I have a never ending list of things to do...really it quite depressing how much I have to work on .....:eek::lol: