Fun time just got boring...?

Question

i consider myself an advanced rider (im confident in all gaits, jump about 3ft, tack up, groom, simple dressage, hack out ect)

and now my fun time with my horse has got boring.

we used to just in the evenings we would walk around the field, trot a little and try new things like half passes, extended trot ect but now it is a little boring.

im looking for a new bonding activity but i dont know what i can do to stop me getting bored now.

i diddnt know if anyone had any suggesgions because its every night and i just dont know what to do anymore. i ride english so it would have to be something i can do with an english seat.

i just love bonding with my horse but im really stuck for new exersizes.

i dont want anything like "around the world" or games like that but im willing to try something new.

someone suggested we try mounted join up and that was fn for a bit but...

if you have any ideas... please say!

Answer 1

you could try things like various bending exercises like:

THREE LOOP SERPENTINE

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=h...

at the walk, divide the arena width- wise. be sure to move any obstacles that are in the way of your three sections. bend through each turn. may be a very boring exercise for you but will become much more fun when performed at other gaits. try this at the trot, changing your diagonal each time you reach the center of your turn through the arena. then try it at the canter with simple lead changes at the center of your turn through the arena. try it again at the canter but this time with flying lead changes(if your horse can)

SPIRAL IN CIRCLES-

Spiral in circles are always fun for horse and rider. Start with a large circle and spiral in with every circle then spiral back in. Note- your horse will want to stop more towards the middle of the circle. KEEP HIM GOING! Tip- on the larger circle part, bend your horse towards the center of the circle, when the circles start getting small, counter bend. this will help  your horse stay balanced. This exercise makes your horse more agile and makes him work hard without working too hard.

another exercise you can do is set up a cross with 4 jumps and jump them with different combinations. you can find many vids of this on youtube.

you can also do grids & keep raising the jumps.

for a game, chasing charlie is always fun. raise the jumps until your horse refuses, you fall, you dont have the guts to jump it, or there are no more holes on your jump standard :) LOL. after a while the jumps really dont seem high. tip- dont measure the jumps until you are done with the game. u might freak urself out.

i have many others but i just dont want to type anymore

have fun not being bored!

Answer 2

There are lots of fun things you can do (organized) regardless of whether you ride English, western or Austrailian saddle!

Have you tried Jousting? How about Cowboy Action Shooting? Both are a blast and filled with folks who have tired of whatever they used to do, i.e. barrel racers, hunter jumpers, even dressage~ have fun!

Google either sport and you'll be amazed at the diversity of the participants.

Answer 3

How about polo? If you just take a few lessons hear and there, you won't need a new saddle or anything like that. Its very exciting and great for bonding.

Answer 4

You could organize a race between you and your friends. Ask if you could do some jumping (at my barn you have to be supervised to jump) and make up really hard courses.

Answer 5

sometimes i go play polo. i don't really do anything by polo rules (heck i don't even have anyone to play polo with) but i made a mallet and its kind of fun to hang of the side of your horse and hit a ball :)

try to find some open land to ride on.

trails

i also go ride bareback alot.

if your horse isn't scared of water, when its hot a put a sprinkler under a small jump and jump the water :)

its fun if your horse likes it.

getting bored happens to me too. usually once the weather changes, stuff gets fun again. i mostly get bored with the seasons.

Answer 6

There is always something to do when it comes to horses.

Get some friends together that also own horses. Play polo with beach balls and pool noodles!! Try a new discipline like trail or dressage. Teach your horse and you will end up bonding! With your friends start a club maybe? Show? Maybe even go on a trail?

Hope this helped.... Oh and also try Natrual Horsemanship! It will really help you bond!

Answer 7

Well if you want some games you could try polo (or broom polo with a beach ball), polocross (lacross on horseback), or capture the flag on horseback.  All three are great games to play with your friends as long as you are all experienced and your horses are pretty bomb proof.  (These games can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing--or your horse gets over excited.  Use your judgement.)

You could go on a hunt or a hunter pace.  You could also try riding your horse western.

If you love jumping you could do a puissance or gamblers choice.  But again, you need to be careful not to try anything too challenging or dangerous.

What about natural horsemanship.  Get a book/movie or attend a clinic with your horse.  It should be fun.  

You could take your horse on an overnight trek or camping trip.

Is there a lake nearby that you can take your horse swimming in (this is really fun).

Answer 8

There are many activities out there that you can do with your horse for bonding purposes - keep in mind, the 'bonding' you do is really establishing and maintaining your horse's faith in your leadership by refining your communication ability.

I suggest you set goals for what you are trying to accomplish to move you both up a leg in your abilities.  Set a goal like making a cleaner pattern that you set up and practice at.

How about trail activities - those are typically done in western gear for shows but I don't see where the type of gear would matter - things like walking over a "bridge" made of planks on 2 x 4s - or layout some ol' logs or 2 x 4's in an "L" pattern about 5-6 feet wide- just wide enough for the horse to fit between the rails - ride through the "L" frontward and backward - this will refine your communications skills by practicing being precise about controlling where your horse puts his feet.

Try some things like walking over and around tarps on the ground (be sure to anchor them with rocks or heavy things on the corners) to teach the horse how to accept scary things - or put some straw in a bag, tie the top shut (like and old feed bag) and attach a long lightweight rope to it (I made mine by braiding hay twine) - practice pulling this towards you and the horse both from the ground and from mounted - then try pulling it behind you.

Purchase some books like the one written for Western Horseman by Craig Cameron - Ride Smart - he has patterns in there geared to make the horse more flexible and responsive as well as controlling (rating) gaits and gait transitions.

Bonding with the horse is truly a goal of natural horsemanship - get some books about natural horsemanship or get involved with Pat Parelli's program and increase your abilities until you can ride bridleless, saddless and free like his wife Linda does on her dressage horses - yes, an english gal from downunder IS paired with an ol' cowboy from the scrub - he's taught her well that it doesn't matter what discipline you follow, sound horsemanship knows no difference in tack or accoutrements.

Have fun, set goals - this will make the time go by with focus and give you items to improve your riding skills, not just spending time finding different things to do.

Answer 9

I was going to say try doing the barrel pattern or a pole pattern. If you only have an English saddle, thats OK too its not like your running in a rodeo. Just to do something different for you and your horse because believe it or not they get bored just as fast if not faster then you... so try that it is actually fun.

Good luck

Answer 10

Hmm... If your talking about pasture play there are many different things you can do. If you have any trails, or forest area near where your at, hit them up. Trails exersize both the horses's and rider's mind more then simple gait changes. But, if your not really a trail person try swimming with your horse. Whatever you do though, if it involved water please wear a helmet. Falling off and getting kicked by the horse's hooves has happened a lot when riders go swimming with their horse. It's easy to fall off sense the horse is wet, but if you do it safe its one of the funnest things. Also it helps you bond with your horse, so make sure if you do go swimming only use a halter, and allow your horse his head so he won't drown.

Then there are also other things, like trick riding. I would start out tying your horse up though, and basically just crawling all over him like a worm. But, if he doesn't like it, stop. Horses will usually tell you what they like or don't like. Another game fun to do with your horse is set up random objects your horse will need to go around. Like lay down a tarp, and make your horse walk over it, or put up a few jumps. If you don't have any jumps, just take two old tires and put a 2x4 between in and rest it on the top tires. Either way just have fun. Bring plenty of treats to reward your horse, and always let them know they can trust you.