And why do you do it?
- for exercise if there is a reason I can't ride (lost shoe, weather, time etc)
- for training if there is something I can work on more easily (e.g. jumping)
- for fun - we get to play and build the relationship
Also, how? Surely, it can't just be take your horse into the school, let him go and see what he does?
No - tho I HAVE done that before now
But Fi quite often goes completely mad, creating large craters in the school when she does motor bike turns.. so I'd rather have some kind of control over the situation
Its easier in a round pen than in a 40x20, as you don't have corners and the horse's "bubble of space" never gets too far away. With a bigger school you may need more than one e.g. one for each half.
You use body language to move the horse through gaits and directions. You can turn them outwards or inwards, ask for halts, ask them to come in etc.
You do need to build this skill or they do just bomb about with no purpose.
Its worth saying that one of ours HATES being out there by himself, and gets quite upset. If we loose jump, we have a lane set out. With this pony we have a person each end to catch him and avoid his "agrophobia" - he's ok then.
Also, what are the benefits - And possible bad points? How long should you do it for, do you need any special equipment?
Its a good work out for the horse. You can work on things, like adjusting strides in jumps, without a rider. The rider can see more easily what is happening.
One thing I've worked on this way was Fi's canter. She was going disunited or on the wrong lead a lot and doing it without a rider on helped her sort her balance and co-ordination out.
Special equipment - more for loose jumping but I'd advise boots for the horse. Fi was capable of ripping shoes off as she was soo active she was over-reaching so consider over-reach etc as well.