Canter Aids

I keep saying this, but man is Izzy really starting to figure things out. I know it's more interesting to read about train wrecks and disasters, but we just aren't having any. That doesn't mean that we don't have stuff to work on because we do, but it's all starting to be fun rather than just holding on for dear life.

From 2015

Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, says lots of things during a lesson, but sometimes I don't really get it until later. A few weeks ago, I heard her say outside leg and rein ask for the canter. In the moment, I did what she directed, and sure enough, the canter departure was much smoother. I was riding Izzy.

A few days later, I was trying to get a decent trot to canter transition and those words came back to me. I bent Izzy to the inside to put him on the outside rein (another thing she says to me over and over that I finally understand) and then I put my outside leg back, used my outside rein to get a half halt, and scooped a bit with my seat. And there was our canter.

November 2015

Holy smokes. How can something so simple make such a big impact? I've been riding the canter transition as though it comes only from my inside leg while essentially ignoring my outside aids.

​It's amazing what can happen when your aids get better.