Improving Lower Leg Strength

To improve the strength of the lower leg, practise 2 Pt. exercises. Stand in the stirrups (while the horse is standing). Stretch your heels low with your hands pushed into the neck at the withers. Bend the hip and knee slowly as though closing an accordian. Now bend forward at the hip (pretending you are going over a fence). Sit back into the saddle, WITHOUT MOVING YOUR LOWER LEG POSITION~! After doing this several times at the stand still, practise at the walk, then trot, eventually the canter. Progress to posting for 10 strides, then 2 Pt. for 10 strides. Progress from here to adding a couple of cavalletti´s.