Post by Admin on Dec 12, 2015 8:02:53 GMT -7
I'm going to explain the difference between focus-work and play-work.
Focus-work: exercises that require focus. Such as the cordeo, ramener, distinguishing colors or different objects, stretches (spanish walk, crunch, bow, jambette, etc.), other exercises (piaffe, passage, terre-a-terre, airs above ground, etc.).
Play-work: games that don't require the horse to focus on a specific task. Things like chasing a ball, running with you, chasing a target (attach a bag, ball, cotton, etc. to the end of a whip and run with it, kind of like a cat chasing a feather attached to a stick), and things that have to do with running and games.
Make more than half of your work with your horse play (70-90%) and the other percentage of focus work. You can drain a horse of fun and cause boredom if you only do focus-work for a while.
I had been doing cordeo work for 5 months, along with some Spanish walk. We probably only played a few times during those 5 months. We had only been doing the cordeo and the Spanish walk, and a bit of distinguishing colors.
I am planning on taking a break from focus work for a month, then work my way back to it. Until January 12th, we will be only playing
And we'll only do focus work a few times a month, since I go to the ranch a few days a week at most. But for people who train every day, I'd suggest doing focus-work a few times a week at most, as it could easily drain a horse and make them bored.
Focus-work: exercises that require focus. Such as the cordeo, ramener, distinguishing colors or different objects, stretches (spanish walk, crunch, bow, jambette, etc.), other exercises (piaffe, passage, terre-a-terre, airs above ground, etc.).
Play-work: games that don't require the horse to focus on a specific task. Things like chasing a ball, running with you, chasing a target (attach a bag, ball, cotton, etc. to the end of a whip and run with it, kind of like a cat chasing a feather attached to a stick), and things that have to do with running and games.
Make more than half of your work with your horse play (70-90%) and the other percentage of focus work. You can drain a horse of fun and cause boredom if you only do focus-work for a while.
I had been doing cordeo work for 5 months, along with some Spanish walk. We probably only played a few times during those 5 months. We had only been doing the cordeo and the Spanish walk, and a bit of distinguishing colors.
I am planning on taking a break from focus work for a month, then work my way back to it. Until January 12th, we will be only playing
And we'll only do focus work a few times a month, since I go to the ranch a few days a week at most. But for people who train every day, I'd suggest doing focus-work a few times a week at most, as it could easily drain a horse and make them bored.