How to Pick up a Right Lead Canter

8/7/2014

I had a very good lesson with my trainer yesterday, the last one before Sunday's schooling show. Our entire purpose was to finesse the aids I need to use to help Sydney pick up a right lead canter when he's stiff, braced, and anxious.

As boring as it is to read (I apologize), I needed to break it down so that the process is easier for me to apply. It now looks so simple. If you have a horse who is crooked, drops the inside shoulder and "rolls" his body, these steps might work for you.

Tracking right, get him firmly on the outside rein by pushing his haunches behind his shoulders.
Keep the outside leg on, pushing him forward and into the circle. Do not use any inside leg except to ask for forward.
Make sure his neck is absolutely straight so that I can't see his outside eyeball.
Ask him to let go of the inside rein by rocking it (straight back) rhythmically as firmly as necessary.
Show him that he can let go through his neck and poll by riding a 10-meter circle. The geometry of the circle will help explain what I want from him.
At the walk, be firm with the inside rein pulses so that he doesn't jam his nose into the air; this is an attempt to avoid (giving) softness.
At the trot, be consistent with the inside rein pulses to show him that the aid is about helping him to soften and be more comfortable so that he trusts the right rein at the canter.
At the canter departure, be solid with the inside rein pulses to show him that we are turning right so that he is encouraged to pick up the right lead. It is also imperative to sit absolutely still while asking for the canter so that his balance is not affected.

And that's what I have to do to get a right lead canter. I have three more rides before our schooling show to show Sydney that nothing scary is going to happen when he picks up the right lead canter. Hopefully, he'll start believing me.

jenj

8/6/2014 11:46:42 pm

I would also have to write down "DO NOT THROW UPPER BODY AT HORSE!!!" in the canter transition instructions. I am soooo good at doing that, and it doesn't help one bit!

Bakersfield Dressage link

8/7/2014 04:48:08 am

Yeah … I like to lean forward in an effort to "help" him, but my trainer has pretty me reformed me. I don't do that very often now, and surprisingly, the departures have improved dramatically. Go figure! :0)

Austen link

8/7/2014 12:04:48 am

Yup, yup, yup. This all looks super familiar! :)

I would add: 1.) Extremely flexed leg yields to get horse learning that he can step through into his outside shoulder and lift his inside. Think it as a "super stretch." 2.) Use inside thigh to support and lower leg for forward. But don't lean on horse with inside leg. -- I am so bad about that!!

8/7/2014 04:52:39 am

While we working on the canter loop, JL had me do an exercise similar to your number one. WHile on the left lead canter, I spiraled in as small as he could go and flexed him to the right so that I could push with my inside leg. When we cantered right lead and and came off the rail, I was able to push him back on the rail using the same feel from the counter bent left lead spiral.

And for number 2, YES. Inside leg is always there ready to support, but I am good about not touching it except when I feel he needs a little help. I learned on him that too much inside leg (to the right) sends him shooting sideways!

lytha

8/7/2014 09:40:13 pm

In my lesson today I cantered both directions for the first time in slow, collected circles. It was wonderful. At one point I tried to life my horse's head up cuz she carries it so low, and my trainer said, "Let her canter with her head as low as she likes until she learns how to balance. First rhythm and relaxation, then contact, impulsion and collection."

Then I fell off for the first time. I'm taking it very hard emotionally, probably cuz I had this notion that I'm done falling off for the rest of my life. Thankfully my trainer was there and explained to me that the horse is more upset about it than I am. I asked her, "You can read my mind so you know this?"

I used to fall off all the time, but now I'm much more cautious. This was just a spook where suddenly there was no horse underneath me.

8/7/2014 10:21:01 pm

Yah for the canter, Lytha! My trainer reminds me all the time that it's not ABOUT the canter. It's about straightness with bend, softness with connection, and energy with relaxation. Once you have all of those, you can get it at any gait. When I just can't get those at the canter, we school more at the trot to show what feeling we;re looking for. Then i can ask for the canter again. :0)

Sorry about the tumble. Wouldn't it be nice if our last one really was our LAST one? I know there more more in my future, but I sure try hard to reduce the possibility! :0)

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