How to cope with no ménage

[whymewhyme]

Where do you school if you don't have a ménage?

School on hacks, section off a part of the field to school in or borrow a school?

My instructor took a horse to grand prix dressage without a manege (a menage is a household btw). I school on quiet lanes, easy to leg yield across etc, walk trot halt transitions. Canter is a bit trickier I'll admit but it depends on your available ground.

I spent four months bringing on someones youngster without a manage. I actually think hacking is an excellent exercise for horse and it really strengthens your relationship with them, horse that regularly hack out IMO are much less spooky than those that spend their whole lives in manages. You can still think about maintaining a good rhythm (over variety of terrains), the balance of both yourself and your horse over a variety of terrains, encourage forward going swinging paces on a long rein and a shorter rein tracking up well, often easier when out hacking especially in walk and trot, shortening and lengthening strides, transitions up and down, etc. I also used to leg yield down the road and do small serpentines on wider (quieter) roads changing the diagonal/bend as you cross the middle of the road, turn on the forehand and backing up at gates. I agree canter is more difficult although not insurmountable again concentrate on rhythm and balance shortening and lengthening strides in canter is often easier on a hack and cantering down hill is an excellent way of encouraging a horse to sit back on its hocks. Encourage your horse to stretch forward and really work from behind whilst walking uphill is also a very good exercise promoting both fitness and strengthening top line/hind quarters. You can also practice dismounting and mounting and making the horse stand still whilst you do both again strengthening your relationship and you expectations. I also used to stop and talk to dog walkers etc and expected the very fidgety youngster to stand quietly and and not fidget whilst I was doing this. Finally if you can occasionally ride past the entrance to your stables you are again reinforcing your expectations and that you are in charge.
So you can do a lot but if you need to lunge a fresh horse before getting on, unless you have a flattish dryish field your stuffed, or practice dressage test again your stuffed.I found it very difficult to hire a school or this winter find an even remotely flat dry piece of land to school on but you might be more lucky.
IM now in the fortunate position of having a school and also still being able to hack out.