Groundwork for improving contesting skills?

Question

This spring, after a near-fatal cheering accident that happened almost 2 years ago, my doctors decided to restrict me from riding due to 2 unstable vertebrae in my c-spine and unclear complications with my lower back. Before that, I hadn't ridden since October of 2007 because of a shoulder surgery. I am unable to show at all this summer, but would like to do some groundwork with my ten year old QH mare. She has incredible speed, and we always do well in contesting, but I'm not happy with our control issues. We get best results with our wonder bit, but I still can't get her to stop quickly, or turn quickly without maintaining speed. Her weaving is okay, because she is excellent with flying lead changes. Once I can ride this fall or later, I want to get her to see the poles/barrels/cones as a challenge. But for now, what are some ground tools I can use to work on her turns and stops past showmanship practice? Any great (not too pricey) DVDs or books would be great too. Thanks!!

Answer 1

if you are able run along side her so that she will trot and then get her to go over trot poles and a few x's and mabey set up a course

i hope this helped best of luck

Answer 2

"But, I have to ask, why are you giving up so easily on this jumper? I'm not trying to sound rude, but a real, passionate "horse person" that is in it to enjoy it should want to see their beloved animal heal before jumping onto another one. I had my 3 yr old Appendix injure his knee very very badly in April, it was probably 4 times normal size, and our vet was very worried. I can't ride right now because of my own spinal injury, but he is happily galloping around the pasture with my mare while putting more weight and muscle back on! So please, please don't give up on this other horse. This 3 yr old of mine WILL one day be an excellent jumper, and I'm not even letting permanent swelling stop him from achieving greatness. Don't let my opinion taint the facts in here, but please try to take it all to heart. Good luck!"

Uh, yeah, you gave me some "advice" about a pleasure horse but kinda ended up insulting me about me not being a "real horse person." Well I'm sorry that my jumper has been lame for 3 or more months and is getting worse and worse. Sorry all the vets I've had come check him out don't know what's wrong with him so they can't help him get better. Sorry my farrier said there's nothing he can do to fix it. Sorry I'm not rich enough to send him to the best vet on the planet to see what's wrong with him, let alone have enough money to pay to help him get better. Now you see how I need a new horse so don't say that kind of stuff if you don't really know what you're talking about.

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Answer 3

With lead rope in your left hand step to her shoulder on the near side;place your right hand just behind her elbow and apply pressure at the same time keep a restraint and pressure to the rear on her head, watch that she doesn't back up but that she turns in place, doing a turn, lift, turn lift motion until a circle has been described. Do this to both sides. When you return to the saddle her turns will be sharper and balanced.

Answer 4

Any ground work will help, I would recommend books by people who do a lot of western style riding, John Lyons and Cherry Hill are both good at giving ground exercises and telling you how those translate to riding. Getting your mare to respect you on the ground is important and extremely useful, but be sure that the teacher is also able to help you translate that into riding skills that you can use *in competition*.  teaching your mare to whoa on a verbal command may help reinforce your asking when she is under saddle, but teaching her to play with you won't help when you're riding barrels.  Jessica Jahiel is another good trainer/author for teaching from the ground and translating that to when you ride.  

Good luck! it sounds like you have a wonderful mare!