Boot Camp Exercises Week Three with AQHA Judge Stephanie Lynn

Week three is here and you are beginning to wonder why you signed up. Perhaps more importantly, you are wondering if you want to continue. But do not give up, it is starting to get easier, your legs are getting stronger, your seat more secure, you and your horse are becoming better connected with each lesson.

In fact, things are starting to fall into place without your instructor having to repeat it all to you. You may not even hear my little voice in your head saying “get your weight down in your heel” or “keep your seat out of the saddle” – you are starting to put it together!

You are half way there, just another couple of weeks – and more work without your stirrups! Not to worry, you can do it and here is some inspiration if you need something to push you to the top of your game. Keep in mind these exercises are focusing on YOU and YOUR ability to be a better leader, a better rider and more connected with your horse. Keep up the good work!

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Week Three Showmanship

This week you start to put things together. But, not without taking time to perfect each aspect of your run. This week, after spending the last two diligently building a strong set up into your horse, you are going to determine the steps you need to go from one maneuver to the next.

1. Set up four cones in a line just off center of your work area.
2. Start at cone one, about 8 feet, three horse widths from the cone.
3. Walk from cone 1 to cone 2 stopping with shoulder at cone.
4. Set up then step back, away from your horse, and looking from the near side, see where your horse’s front feet are. Determine whether or not they are in line with the cone.
5. Are your horse’s front feet even with the cones? Are they in front of or behind the cone? Determine whether or not you overshot or undershot the cone before moving on.
6. Repeat the above until you can stop alongside the cone, without looking at the cone, and stop with your horse’s shoulder, front feet, even with the cone.
7. Repeat the above exercise at the trot stopping with your horse’s shoulder and front feet even with the cones.
8. Repeat the exercises above at the trot until accomplished at stopping from the walk and trot with your horse’s shoulder even with the cones.
9. Walk from cone 1 to 2 stopping with your horse’s hip even with cone 2.
10. Set up. Stand back and check to see whether or not you are even with the cone.
11. Repeat the exercise above counting your steps from the time your feet pass the cone until you stop.
12. Count your strides to determine how many steps you need to take before stopping to keep your horse’s hip aligned with the cones.
13. Repeat from a walk until you are accomplished then move onto the trot.

After determining exactly how many steps at the walk and trot it takes to stop with your horse’s shoulder and hip even with the cone, move away from the line of cones and repeat. Move away from the line of cones at 4 to 6 foot intervals until you are 30 feet away from your line of cones. Practice, counting your steps each time until you determine exactly how many steps it takes to stop with your horse’s shoulder or hip even with the cone.

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For the next exercise, set up 2 lines of cones with three cones in parallel lines about 30 feet apart.

1. Start with cone 1-a on your right and the second cone, the b line of cones, on your left.
2. Start about 8 feet away from the line of cones 1-a.
3. Trot to cone 2-a stopping hip even with cone.
4. Back to cone 1-a stopping hip even with cone.
5. Perform a 270 degree turn to the right and walk to cone 1-b, the cone parallel to cone 1-a.
6. Set up facing cone 1-b. You should be directly in front of cone 1-b.
7. Perform a 90 degree turn to the right and walk to cone 2-b.
8. Stop hip even with 2-b and perform a 90 degree turn to the right.
9. You should be facing cone 2-a. Walk or trot to cone 2-a.
10. Stop, turn 270 degrees and walk or trot to cone 3-a.
11. Stop, hip even with cone 3-a.
12. Set up and check that your horse’s hip is even with cone 3-a.
13. Back to cone 2-a.
14. Perform a 270 degree turn to the right and walk or trot to cone 2-b.
15. You should be directly in front of cone 2-b.

Repeat the above exercise until you are comfortable stopping from a walk and a trot with your hip even with the cones and your horse’s shoulder even with the cones. Spend a couple of days working on this to determine the exact number of steps you must take to get your horse’s feet where they need to be at the cone. The cones can be replacement for the judge. Always step back and look at your horse squared to determine whether or not you hit your markers.

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Week Three Horsemanship

This week you stay out of the saddle. You have spent the last two weeks working long without your stirrups, you will continue to do work without stirrups, but this week you will do more with your feet in stirrups but in the forward or standing position.

Remember, when you are standing in your stirrups, you should be able to maintain a solid secure position without your stirrups while keeping your seat raised out of the saddle. Keep a good bend in your knee and especially in your ankles. This week we are going to stretch the muscles that run down the back of your calf and through your Achilles’ tendon.

1. Start your ride at a jog in your forward, standing, position: 1 lap each way.
2. Return to your seated jog and extend the jog without stirrups performing a serpentine across the arena. (A serpentine is a continuos series of S turns.)
3. Hold your horse’s shoulder’s straight through the center of each directional change before rounding the ends of your serpentine. Do not allow the horse to determine when or where to change directions for each loop.
4. Serpentine up then down the arena at the extended jog.
5. Return to a seated walk: 1/2 lap
6. Pick up a lope and lope a large circle on one end of the arena.
7. Circle 1 lope with stirrups.
8. Circle 2 lope in forward position.
9. Circle 3, decrease size of circle to a 25′ circle maintaining forward position.
10. Return to large, 60 foot, circle and drop stirrups.
11. Reduce circle size to 25′.
12. Return to 60′ circle and return to your forward position.
13. Exit circle and continue down rail in forward position.
14. Return to walk, maintaining forward position.
15. Maintain forward position as you reverse your direction then pick up lope on opposite lead.
16. Repeat steps 6-14 on the other lead.

Rest for one lap. Set up 6 cones around the arena. One just inside each corner and one on the center of each side of the arena. Corner cones will be C1-C4 and side cones will be S1 & S2.

1. Begin at cone C1, either direction, at a jog.
2. At S1 stand in your forward position.
3. At C2 extend the jog, still in forward position.
4. C3 return to jog.
5. S2 return to seated jog.
6. C4 lope on correct lead.
7. C1 forward position and maintain through the following.
8. Ride past S1 to C2.
9. C2 return to jog.
10. C3 return to lope.
11. Lope past S2, C4 to C1.
12. Walk at C1.
13. At S1 lope on correct lead.
14. C2 return to seated lope.
15. C 3 return to forward position.
16. S2 return to jog.
17. C4 return to lope and lope passed C1.
18. S1- stop then return to walk still in forward position.
19. C2 return to seated walk.

Repeat in other direction. Repeat these exercises on odd days. On even days work for the first 10 and the last 10 minutes without stirrups going between the forward position, seated jog, extended jog and lope. Practice stopping without your stirrups and from a forward position. In the middle 20 minutes of your ride, work on circles to straight lines, cutting across the arena in a straight line and holding your horse’s shoulders up before, during and through corners.

Week Three Equitation

1. Begin at sitting trot without irons: 2.5 min
2. Pick up irons and alternate between sitting trot and two point: 2.5 min
3. Drop irons and practice jumps: sit five, rise five, two point five strides: 5 min
4. Walk and rest legs: 1/2 lap
5. Pick up irons, walk in two point: 1/2
6. Canter each direction circling in a two point at center point of arena length on both sides of arena, return to seated canter and repeat on the other side of the arena: 2 laps each direction (4 circles) walk 1/2 lap between
7. Two point at walk 1/2 lap
8. From two point at walk pick up a trot, maintain two point and trot a circle each direction changing directions through a straight line for at least three horse lengths. Continue to figure eight at the trot in a two point: 3 circles each direction
9. Walk and rest without irons: 1/2 lap
10. Walk with irons, heels down leg in proper position: 1/2 lap
11. Pick up a canter then a two point. Establish a circle in the direction of the lead you are on and begin a figure eight making two circles before changing your direction and lead. Sit the trot on a straight line for at least three horse lengths for each change of direction and lead.Repeat the exercise both directions two times, four circles in each direction. Return to walk before repeating if you and your horse need more practice.
12. Return to trot and drop irons. Rising trot alternating direction through a figure eight circle of 45′: 5 min
13. Rest at walk without irons on long rein: 5 min

Alternate between the exercises above and below putting in a day of rest. You are starting to string together maneuvers toward pattern work. Make sure that your horse’s body is straight from pole to croup on straight lines and properly arced in circles. That is why you repeat the circles. Repetition reinforces proper position for you and your horse. It also prevents anxiety and anticipation from developing in your horse.

1. Repeat steps 1-5.
2. Practice figure eights at a rising trot without irons alternating directions through a straight line for three horse lengths: 5-7 min
3. Walk and rest: 1 lap
4. Pick up irons and repeat number 2 with irons. If you feel you or your horse becoming unbalanced, return to a sitting trot and drop your irons before attempting to complete the exercise: 5-10 minutes
5. Repeat number 11 at a canter without irons.
6. Walk and rest: 1/2 lap without irons and 1/2 lap with irons
7. From a seated canter on the left lead circle the far corner of the arena. When you close the circle, canter down the diagonal line of the arena toward the far and opposite corner. Counter canter the end of the arena and return down the diagonal of the arena returning to the correct, left direction. Repeat 2-3 times each way.
8. Walk and rest: 1 lap
9. Rising trot down center line of arena. Circle to the left, 30′ then continue down the center line. Decide which direction to turn based on your horse. If the horse remains straight and balanced underneath your leg and seat, turn either way. If the horse is leaning or bulging in his or her hip, rib or shoulder, straighten then turn in the opposing direction. Repeat alternating directions of your circle: 10 min
10. Walk 1/2 to 1 lap
11. Jumps with irons: sit trot 5 strides, rising trot 5 strides, two point 5 strides and repeat: 5 min
12. Walk and relax on a long rein: 5 min

Work these drills on odd days, 1-7. On even days, work on your horse’s positioning in circles, corners and straight lines. Start each ride with 5 minutes of work without your irons and end each ride with 5 minutes without your irons.

Hang in there, you are getting stronger and things are starting to get easier. Do not even think about giving up. You are almost there and this is the time to bear down on yourself and continue to work hard. You goal: to ride with correct form without thinking. You are getting close. Stick with it!

About Stephanie Lynn: Professional Horseman Stephanie Lynn coached her first AQHA World Champion in 1988. She has since coached, trained and shown World, Congress and Honor Roll horses across disciplines. She is a judge for AQHA, NSBA and APHA and has judged World Championship shows for each association. Most recently, Stephanie is the author of The Good Rider Series and A Lifetime Affair: Lessons Learned Living My Passion. The Good Rider Series is a library of resource material that is both practical and applicable in the barn and show ring for riders. Stephanie can always be reached through her website: http://www.stephanielynn.net to answer your questions, schedule a clinic or lesson.