# Exercises to help a green horse with balance



## EvilHorseOfDoom (Jun 17, 2012)

Another girl and I are currently working with my friend's 5yo green TB mare (with her permission, she's working 7 days at the moment). She's a lovely little thing, but only about 14.2-3hh and very narrow set. We're teaching her not to lean or rush by doing lots of walk-halt and trot-walk transitions and getting her to walk on the buckle. Also building up muscle with trot work.

However, she is quite unsteady in the turns and not helped by a big TB body on four eensy weensy little legs set very close. She also doesn't have much lateral bend yet so tends to lean in the corners like a little motorbike! Does anyone know some good exercises, either ground or ridden, that'll help her develop lateral flexibility and balance? 

We're concentrating on getting her working nicely in a straight line for the most part but we'd like to introduce some other basic stuff during these sessions to keep it interesting (for her! her greenness keeps it interesting enough for us).
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## HollyBubbles (Jun 22, 2009)

Hmmm, maybe serpentines, figure 8's and polework to get her thinking where shes putting those hooves.

Possibly hillwork as she has to think of where her hooves go with that too, so her co-ordination may get better aswell as muscle building.

But i'm sure other more experienced horsepeople will have an opinion on this as mine is only from limited experience used on an 8yo ottb


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## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

I would work on getting her bending with serpentines and circles . ground poles can help with making her pay attention to her feet.
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## EvilHorseOfDoom (Jun 17, 2012)

Thanks to both of you! I was having a complete creativity block.

We already do figure 8s to get her to relax a bit more but serpentines will add variation and get her thinking a bit, so that's a great idea. We've got plenty of poles and I might have a go at lunging her over a set first, to see how she negotiates it. She does do the occasional harebrained thing so I like to test on the ground first 
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## HollyBubbles (Jun 22, 2009)

EvilHorseOfDoom said:


> Thanks to both of you! I was having a complete creativity block.
> 
> We already do figure 8s to get her to relax a bit more but serpentines will add variation and get her thinking a bit, so that's a great idea. We've got plenty of poles and I might have a go at lunging her over a set first, to see how she negotiates it. She does do the occasional harebrained thing so I like to test on the ground first
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I know the feeling haha, I prefer to test things on the ground first too :lol:


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## EvilHorseOfDoom (Jun 17, 2012)

HollyBubbles said:


> I know the feeling haha, I prefer to test things on the ground first too :lol:


I can just see her randomly crashing through them or thinking she's trying out for the long jump in time for London :lol:
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## HollyBubbles (Jun 22, 2009)

EvilHorseOfDoom said:


> I can just see her randomly crashing through them or thinking she's trying out for the long jump in time for London :lol:
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


oh lord haha thats exactly what mitch did:lol: I had to physically show him how to trot raised poles.. He stood beside them looking at me like "what you doin mum?" he got it after that though :lol:
They're such a laugh, so much fun


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## EvilHorseOfDoom (Jun 17, 2012)

Haha yes I might end up jogging them myself to demonstrate. They can be such sillies sometimes (although they probably think we are with all the nonsense we get them to do).
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## StephanieMills (Jul 5, 2012)

I would do really shallow serpentines, barely any curve at all to them, focus on asking for the change in direction (don't even worry about bend at this point) through the placement of your legs and switching the forward/backward leg, just getting her to pay attention to your legs and that they mean something. Once she's gliding from one direction to the next you can start adding more bend to each turn, working your way up to "real" serpentines.

I would also work on spiral circles, start out with a small circle and ask her to step sideway as she walks forward to expand the size of the circle (then you can go back down if you want). I would start both exercises at the walk and practice the walk for a couple of weeks before adding the trot.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Just riding!! The only reason they have balance issues is because they're still working out how to balance their weight AND your weight.

But Holly is completely correct IMOP of fabulous ways to teach them to balance themselves AND a rider in different situations.

It's like trying to balance a book on your head. Standing still you can do it. Now try it on one foot, not try walking with it, not try making a circle. Different kinds of balance ;P


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## EvilHorseOfDoom (Jun 17, 2012)

Thanks all! The girl who leases her and I will work on this stuff while her 'mamma' can't get down to ride - even just her maturing over the spell has helped, she doesn't stumble and overreach anymore. So we'll just practice all this stuff with her - she's incredibly willing and eager to please which makes the job a lot easier.
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