Trot....Trot... Keep Trotting

I found an exercise that is very useful for many things. I have no idea were I found it.

• It gives a horse confidence
• It helps the rider become more balanced
• Focuses on maintaining a constant speed
• Teaches the horse that stopping next to the gate is not an option.

What you will do is this...
Take a loose hold of the reins, and get into a balanced position if you aren't already. Which most of you will know, but your heels are down, your back is straight, and your heels, hip, and shoulder line up. You should be able to look down your shoulder and see the heel of your boot. Then you ask your horse to trot. You can do this at the walk, but it is more effective at the trot. You can also do this at the canter, but it's safer at a trot. Basically your goal is to keep your horse at the speed you chose, and you let him go wherever he wants. LEAVE THE REINS ALONE. Unless you need to slow them down, or they do something stupid. You will do this exercise for as long as you want. I would suggest five minutes.
Now when a horse gets to decide where he gets to go, he will probably head toward a gate, or a "safe spot". And generally stay in that area. So your horse trots right up to the gate. Kiss and kick to keep him going, because he will stop. Don't stop kissing and kicking until your horse gets goin and leaves the gate. Your horse may need a little help from the reins. That's the only time you have permission to use the reins. But let him try to figure it out first. Basically he'll learn that he can't stop, so the gate isn't so much of a problem anymore.
Now while your horse is trotting around mostly you will do nothing, but try to stay on. Keep a center of balance and move with your horse. It teaches you to zig when he zigs, and zag, when he zags. Now for some reason when you go back to using your reins your balance gets screwed up, so try to work on keeping that balance you feel when you just let the horse trot, and transferring it over to using leg pressure and reins.
It has been my experience that when a horse first starts this he will hang around the gate. As it continues the horse will slowly get further and further away from the gate. So either, he has decided that it is really boring hanging around the gate and he wants to go somewhere new, or he has gained a little more confidence, and is more willing to go away from the gate.
I think the constant speed is obvious. So I won't bother to explain that one.

Trot Away!
Lydia Johnson