Confused about Counter Canter

algeredge

algeredge

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Doing our first Novice BD this weekend and there is a tiny bit of counter canter in it. We have started intorducting this in our training sessions, but my trainer has me riding it with a slight bend to the inside of the circle.
However, I've just been reading my celebrity jumping exercises book and Leslie Law describes counter canter as "the horse should always be bent over the leading leg. So in counter canter, the horse is bent slightly the opposite way to the way he is turning" and there is a photo of Daisy Berkley with bend to the outside of the circle.

Am I getting it wrong or just reading the book wrong??? Any help would be appreciated!
 
Leslie Law's description is correct - bend should be over the leading leg. So if there is counter canter your horse will be bent to the outside of the arena.
 
The picture with Daisy in is correct, in counter canter the horse should be slightly bent towards the leading leg, so if the left leg is leading then he should be bent over that leg, maybe check with your trainer & ask them to explain why they have you on a circle bent to the inside.
 
I believe Leslie is right...that's how I've always been taught it by a lot of different trainers... But ultimately you should be aiming for straightness of the horse... Which confuses things even more?!
 
KatB said:
I believe Leslie is right...that's how I've always been taught it by a lot of different trainers... But ultimately you should be aiming for straightness of the horse... Which confuses things even more?!
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I agree, I was always taught that counter canter was a strengthening & straightening exercise. Now I show jump & was told not to teach counter canter at all as she needs to change immediately not canter on the wrong leg!
 
Kizzywizz, I taught changes first then counter canter and do lots of figures of eight, first in counter canter, then with changes, then back to counter so she will stay on whatever leg I ask for! She prefers changing whenever possible though ;)
 
"true" counter canter or test counter canter has the bend (slightly) to the outside.

However when schooling for suppling work I will take the bend slightly to the inside on the straight, so there can be a difference between schooling and suppling a horse to riding true counter canter for a test.

Check with your instructor to see what they are trying to achieve with the inside bend.

ETA - Just like you may do counter flexion when schooling
 
if you aim to keep nose and neck straight in the middle of his shoulder blades, you will end up with him ever so slightly teeny weeny bit flexed over leading leg (due to natural curve of his body) and that is the correct positioning test wise..................however, riding counter canter with inside flexion is a good suppling exercise, and helps you get them to sit and push off the hind leg and not dive on outside shoulder, so dont write your trainer off!
 
I would have thought that most of the time in schooling, it makes sense to ask for inside bend? It makes more sense to me as it would seem to have more of a suppling effect :) It seems to work when I've tried it & I do find Dante feels 'looser' whereas otherwise he almost tries to curl up to the outside & feels very heavy. :)
 
Are you doing N28 by any chance?

I'm doing that one at the weekend and there is a stride or 2 or counter canter, though it doesn't call it that, but you come across the diagonal and canter continues a bit so I'm guessing it needs counter canter!

I've been working on CC anyway, and aiming for straight, but with a teeny bias towards outside bend. I then flex inwards on a circle to help with suppleness, but only for a stride or two.
 
Tr0uble said:
Are you doing N28 by any chance?

I'm doing that one at the weekend and there is a stride or 2 or counter canter, though it doesn't call it that, but you come across the diagonal and canter continues a bit so I'm guessing it needs counter canter!

I've been working on CC anyway, and aiming for straight, but with a teeny bias towards outside bend. I then flex inwards on a circle to help with suppleness, but only for a stride or two.
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For N28- you are riding off a half circle onto the diagonal, you must make sure that you maintain your own positioning so as not to ask for a change of bend as you hit the track, if you do many horses will be put off balance and some will change. by maintaining your positioning you should have (slight) outside (with respect to the arena) flexion.
 
Horsemad12 said:
"true" counter canter or test counter canter has the bend (slightly) to the outside.

However when schooling for suppling work I will take the bend slightly to the inside on the straight, so there can be a difference between schooling and suppling a horse to riding true counter canter for a test.

Check with your instructor to see what they are trying to achieve with the inside bend.

ETA - Just like you may do counter flexion when schooling
Click to expand...

Echo this!
 
Thanks for all your replies!! I'm so glad I asked the question now. Its Novice 38 we are doing so only a bit of cc from one marker to the next in a long arena.
It makes sense now that my trainer has been using it as a suppling exercise, as she then gets me to go to true canter and always asks how it feels now. Have another session with trainer tomorrow so will double check - at least I wont look stupid on Sunday at the test!
thanks again for all your help x
 
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