Counter Canter

[Deefa]

Well, in my lesson yesterday we had a go at doing counter canter, asking for it on the first bit of a shallow loop, then finishing the loop in counter canter, taking aroud the small side then across the diaganol to the 'correct' lead
My pony is 15 and has never really been asked to do this before so is a learning curve for me and him.
He was a good boy and really tried his heart out, but after a few goes on each rien (a break in between) he started to rush his transition and wouldn't give the correct bend.
We dicieded to lave it for the day and pick up another time and he was getting a little wound up about it, anyone else has this problem with an older horse? Instuctor said it can happen with the older ones more often as it has been drilled into them for so long about going on the correct lead, going off on counter counter can upset them a little?

Any views/Opinions/Similar Stories?

 

[dozzie]

IMO if this was the first time I think you possibly took him a little too far with the half circle. Thats possibly why he got tense. It is hard to teach an older horse to counter canter for exactly the reasons your instructor gave.

If it was me I would have just done counter canter from a shallow loop back to the track increasing the strides of CC on the track but I dont think I would have attempted riding round the end of the school and across the diagonal as this is alot of cc for the first time!

Please note, I'm not saying your instructor was wrong as she is aware of the capabilities of your pony, which Im not,and she obviously felt he could do it, which he did, but I would say between now and your next lesson work on loops back to the track with just a few strides inceasing the number of strides slowly without going round the end of the school. This should get him more confident. IMO, I would save the harder stuff ie going round the corner, to when your instructor is there to advise you how to balance him.

Godd luck, your pony sounds very capable!!

 

[DressageChick]

I agree, initially with CC, start with loops then 1/2 a circle (tru canter) back to track and cc to corner. Going round corners and half circles is quite hard and tiring and shouldn't be done when you are first introducing cc

 

[Deefa]

Thanks guys, will keep it to a minimum then , just asking fr a few steps. Has anyone got any video footage of counter canter or shoulder-fore for me to look at? just think it may help me if i see it as well

Thanks

 

[virtual]

I do the same as dressagechick, doing a 15m half circle back to the track between the middle and corner marker and cantering just to the corner marker to start with, gradually cantering further (to A or C, then round the corner etc). It's much easier for them to start off with a good amount of true canter and have time to balence completely before transitioning into the counter canter.