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  Discussion on Extensions & Collections
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Posted on Saturday, Jan 1, 2000 - 1:25 am:

I have a 13yr old QH X Mare. I haven't got much information on her past training but I know it doesn't include doing extensions and collections!
When I give her the aids she is confused and gets faster or slows down! I would like to start working with her on this area but am unsure. Can anyone suggest an easy uncomplicated way to train her and me along the way?
S.S

Posted on Saturday, Jan 1, 2000 - 4:17 pm:

Hi Hiran,

I'm training a young horse who also speeds up when I ask her to do something new. Unfortunately, they simply don't understand what you ask of them. When you're used to riding a seasoned horse, it's very easy to forget that giving a certain aid doesn't automatically compute for a green horse (or for a horse that has never been asked to do extensions or collections for example). In my case, it's a matter of repetition, lots of patience, half halting her if she speeds up, and slowly trying to show her what I want. Once they get it, it's like a lightbulb goes off and you're wondering why it was so hard in the first place -- but in most cases, don't expect to get it overnight... Just keep working with her and reward her the instant she begins to do something correct, even if it's only for one or two paces.

Are you working with a trainer? It might help to have someone come in and work with you and your horse to help you through this. For us, it has made a world of difference. Trainers can often give you a different perspective/method of training which might work better for this particular horse. It could be something as simple as setting her up correctly before you ask for the aid.

I think if you're consistent (and patient!!!), you'll see results.

Posted on Monday, Jan 3, 2000 - 12:29 am:

Thanks for your help! Unfortunately I am moving away from a riding school to agist at my friends farm as the distance to the closest riding school is too much! Although, I'll have more time to work with her so hopefully we will get it accomplished! Thanks again for your suggestion!
Shemarrah - (hiran is my dad)!

Posted on Monday, Jan 3, 2000 - 3:18 pm:

Hey Shemarrah,

You might want to check and see if any local coaches are willing to come work with you at your farm -- there are plenty that are willing to travel. I own my own small four horse farm and have a coach come in once a week. It costs a little more but is well worth the money.

Keep working with her and be consistent -- I'm sure she'll figure things out...

Good luck!

Posted on Monday, Jan 3, 2000 - 5:27 pm:

Hi Shemarrah,

Can I also recommend two books by Jane Savoie:
Cross-Training your horse and More Cross-Training.
She covers the ground work very nicely with beutiful pictures and describes what can go wrong and how to deal with it.

Teresa

Posted on Saturday, Jan 29, 2000 - 10:20 pm:

Thanks

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 23, 2001 - 6:20 pm:

There is an excellent book called 101 Ring Excersizes by Cherry Hill, which shows and explains excersizes you can do with your horse to work on extension and collection. Clicker Training is also useful for this sort of training because you can pinpoint exactly when they do what you want-in fact it's good for just about anything!
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