Anticipating movements?

Kokopelli

Kokopelli

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Unfortunately Louie is smarter then he looks, if we've run through a dressage test even once he learns what's next and anticipates it. For example I ran through elem 43 then novice 23 and when going up the centre line in the novice I had to give him a good bit of encouragement as he tried to halt.

When running through 43 as you canter at C a few times he tried cantering at C when he wasn't meant to.

I can keep a lid on this pretty much but the worse is after the free walk he anticipates the canter/ trot after and tries to jog.

It's got to the point where I don't like running through tests instead I'll do a movement then play around then do another.

Is there anyway around this? Or has anyone got any tips to help? :)
 
Yes...and it's fairly easy. If you want me to, now I am close I could pop over next time you want to run through the test...especially with the update I've just seen on facebook, lol ;)
 
That would be amazing! But if we're both busy until I leave it can wait til after I come back. I also hope the holiday will do his brain some good :)
 
I can do Wed, Thur or Fri this week any time chick. If you have any videos or specific things he does, pm me xxx
 
I had this at the start so I did sections of the test but not all in one go prior to the class. I can run through a test now fine but if too many times she will anticipate too. Good for a showing class though!
 
Mine is a nightmare for learning tests and anticipating movements so I can't ride the whole test through to practice. Interested in suggestions though.
 
I am just back from a clinic with Mark Rashid and I had a great conversation with him on this.... It went something like this:

Me: (practising canter transitions and my girl pops into canter before I put the aids on) - you know I never know when she anticipates me like that whether to correct her or just say thank you?

Mark: well, you were thinking about cantering then, weren't you?

Me: doh! (especially after been working off upping my energy to canter and not just using mechanical aids).

Moral to the story: if your horse is anticipating you, maybe he is just being very keyed into you and you need to watch what you are thinking about while riding your dressage test! :) (well, that's how it was for me, anyway - so now when doing a movement I am careful to be very present thinking only about that and not the movement 5 strides ahead).
 
My mare is dreadful for anticipating movements. I no longer ride through tests - we might practice a couple of movements if there is something that I am concerned about, but on the whole I will stay away from any of the lines in the actual test. Anticipation is something that needs to be addressed well away from an actual test. Don't do the exact same thing more than twice, so if you are doing halts, don't always halt on the centre line, sometimes do them on the track, or on the 3/4 line; don't always halt at X. Basically keep it mixed up and keep your horse on its toes - by doing this it means they have to listen to your aids rather than taking control :)
 
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