200+ School Exercises with Poles

This book discusses ground-pole training for all disciplines and shows how you can make the most of precious schooling time. It provides quick and easy pole layouts, using just a handful of poles. Different exercises are given for each pole layout, so there is no need to move the poles during a session. Exercises range from the simple to the more intricate, with the inclusion of more transitions, lateral work, raised poles/cavalletti, or riding in a different gait. Claire Lilley explains how these pole exercises can help you to ride with precision and improve your horse's way of going, adhering to the scales of training. You can also use the different layouts to check whether you are sitting straight, turning correctly, and riding transitions and lateral movements properly. She lists common rider faults for each exercise to help riders self-correct if schooling alone. As an experienced trainer herself, Claire knows that this book will prove an invaluable resource for riding instructors, providing a veritable cookbook of ideas for lesson plans. Poles are a great teaching tool, adding variety to every lesson and helping the teacher to explain lessons to the pupil. Teacher's tips are given for each exercise. Claire says: 'Try the exercises for yourself and I'm sure you will be amazed at the improvements that can be made both in your riding technique and in your horse's way of going. You will never be bored with schooling again!'

As a freelance trainer, Claire Lilley runs regular courses in the UK and Sweden, specialising in competition and remedial training for all disciplines. She competes on her two horses in dressage at advanced level and in dressage to music.