Counter canter

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_jetset_

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I have started doing some counter canter with Grace for the novice test on Saturday (N38) and her left one surprised me because it is pretty good and balanced. However, her right canter is the stronger canter normally, yet everytime I cross the diagonal she changes in front (not behind... we haven't started changes yet
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).

How can I stop her doing this?

I gave her a quick flick with the whip when she disunited because she only changed the front and she quickly changed behind too... not the plan but I was really happy that she did it the first time I asked her to. Teaching her changes looks as though it might be quite an easy lesson for her. But we're not up to that yet, I need to sort this counter canter out first
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If you maintain the flexion you want and not try and ride too straight across the diagonal this might help her. Once she realises that you dont want changes then start to ride straighter.

Hope that helps!
 
Thanks... I tried to keep her in an exaggerated right bend (because we are just starting to learn this) but as soon as we reached the corner (it is a 40x20m) she would just throw out her right shoulder and change in front.
 
I started out doing counter-canter by making shallow loops down the long side of the school rather than going across the diagonal. It might help her stay balanced whilst she learns what she has to do.
 
She can do the shallow loops no problem at all... this is also how I started to teach her
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But it is as we hit the corner that she seems to change.
 
Have you just tried counter canter around the school? just deliberately riding her round and round? Just with an outside soft rein and no inside? give her no reason to change?
 
OK, I have exactly the same problem with Corroy. I have lessons with Robert Pickles and John Lasseter and both have said the same. To really keep your inside leg on, but let go of the reins. This is if they are unbalanced baby etc, they can use their neck to balance. Don't really over exagerate the bend or she will change. But when I say let go I mean hold onto the buckle so you have no contact and can't interfer with their balamnce. I know it's not what you want for a test, but you can teach them at home like this.
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i would suggest that she's on your forehand, couple of these to help
make sure she's not on forehand (raise hand a little), make sure your riding a true straightline, this may need more work, get some to check on ground that your riding in two tracks NOT three and if riding in three. Ride with shoulder-in feeling you'll feel yourself wierd but horse will be going straight.
Also make sure your holding her equally with both legs, if not more homework
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Also have someone check out how you sit, cos it's surprizing how many of us don't sit straight

Exercises to do before canter work lots of shoulder in, quarters in and leg yeilding, but it something that needs muscle in correct place so will take a bit of time.

Most of all don't stress as come round corner for diagional hold her in legs, think, sit back holding her and then chill into counter canter
 
I agree with the above posts.. dont exaggerate the bend, it will make your horse drop his shoulder, and change to regain balance.

Practise first on a circle on the correct leg, straighten the neck, and even try for a little outside bend.. When you go to the counter canter do the same, straighten the neck slighty, and hopefully you will find the result is a much more balanced canter that isn't too rushed and doesn't become disunited.

Good luck @ Novice!!!
 
This is the hundredth time i have tried to post this so i am getting very fed up!!!
Right do not over bend to the leading leg this throws the horse on the outside shoulder and forces him to loose balance.
You need to keep pushing the movement from the hindlegs to the front..Your outside leg 'steers' the movement by squeezing the outside hind leg in support so that he keeps carrying the hindlegs under the body not collapsing in and therefore loosing balance and thus changing.
Try riding your change of rein on the short diagonal and at first just ride a transition as you approach the other side of the school. Make sure you make this trot trans in the outside rein , hold your line do not let him 'duck 'out of the change of rein an slightly keep the old flextion holding him there with the outside leg and riding down the wall before taking the new flextion.
Repeat this just waiting a little longer each time before riding the trot transition. This way you are always riding forward in balance from the inside leg to the outside rein and supporting with the outside leg. the influence of the outside leg becoming greater in the counter canter.[it stops the outside body falling in and therefore in reality the hind leg stepping out]
When you do do the corners do not ride too deep into them as this will force him on to his shoulder an therefore to change, think of 'smoothing ' them off and this will help in keeping the balance.
I hope this sheds some light, i have written it so many times i cant decide if it does make sense or not.
 
the reason shes trying to change is because shes unbalanced - thats why Archie did it all the time. There is no quick cure im afraid. Just make sure you keep her really together in front and pushing through from behind so shes not falling forwards at all into. (which im sure shes not).

An exercise for practising counter canter is just ask for the 'other' lead when you are on the long side of the arena and canter her round on the incorrect lead - practise flexing her neck left and right whilst on the incorrect lead. make sure you dont ride deap into the corners tho - cut them off to help her out with her balance.
 
Thanks everyone... all that is really helpful!

I had a lesson this afternoon with my trainer and she basically said that the reason she is changing in front is because she is not bending enough to the right through her body, therefore is not stretching through the right side enough. Sure enough, it is my fault
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Isn't it always...

We did lots of work on getting her in a more correct bend and her trot just became this huge movement that I have never felt her do before
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We did lots of circles just in off the track and then pushing her back to the track at all four points of the circle which just worked unbelievable well and really got her listening to my inside leg. We didn't try any more of the counter canter at this stage because she was starting to get tired (we had done about 45 mins in canter at this point
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) so we have lots of homework for tomorrow which include more shallow loops and only when she is starting to keep her bend more easily should I start asking for the counter canter.

Needless to say... I feel shattered.

P.S. I had her back etc. checked over too this morning on the way back from our lesson and all is fine so she is no excuses now whereas I think I have been letting her off a bit because I thought there was something not quite right making her not want to bend to the right more
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