Happy post - Prelim here we come!

[Jo1987]

Hi all, I'm very excited and OH just isn't getting it so I'm going to tell you lovely folks as well 😂
My wonderful, handsome, sweet cob has been practically perfect in every way since I bought him aged 4, 3 years ago. Apart from his left canter.
He just couldn't do it in the school. Hacking, yes. School, no.
He was checked by a vet, had many massages and physio sessions and a few different instructors but no one seemed to help much.
We'd ruled out a physical problem, and on a drunken night out with the yard girls I said that my goal for the year was to do a half decent prelim test, so I decided to tackle this myself and with the use of firstly a small jump (more often than not he'd land left lead when jumping?!) then a pole, I'm pleased to say that in the last week, he has not struck off on the wrong leg once.
He finally seems to 'get' it. I think the poor boy was just massively over thinking it as he was very keen today to show me how easy left lead is now that he understands that's all I want and went skipping round the school as if he'd always done it.
He is my first youngster (I never wanted one that young!) and I'd been feeling that I'd let him down by not being able to teach him something so simple as his canter leads - I'm embarrassed to admit I had a few happy tears when he struck off correct for the first time without a pole!
I'm sure we'll have a few hiccups and backwards steps but I really feel like we've turned a corner and hopefully I'll be able to achieve my goal of a prelim test in the summer!
Sorry this has turned into a bit of an essay - here's a pic of the clever cloggs

 

[Archangel]

My wonderful, handsome, sweet cob

He certainly is

I'm pleased to say that in the last week, he has not struck off on the wrong leg once.

Yay

hopefully I'll be able to achieve my goal of a prelim test in the summer!

You will both be awesome.

Looking at your avatar he has a hell of a jump. What a gorgeous boy.

 

[cauda equina]

Go for it!
Left canter will probably only be worth 2 sets of marks in any Prelim, so not a huge contribution to the overall score.
Even if that bit of the test doesn't go entirely to plan on the day, it's always good to have goals and push yourself.
Good luck, and most of all, have fun. He looks a dear boy

 

[FfionWinnie]

Well done.

I have one that took me years to get the correct lead on the right rein then it was solved in one lesson with a new coach. Or at least the tools I needed were given to me. Now she will take which ever lead I ask for even in a straight line no problem.

Nothing to be embarrassed about - I had many lessons with many instructors who tried various things which did not work.

 

[Jo1987]

Archangel - Thank you he does have a decent pop for a chap his size!
Cauda Equine - I'm going to book in when I'm sure he's a bit more consistent, he upsets himself when he strikes of wrong so the rest of the test is all over the place! I'm looking forward to some fun rivalry with yard mates, who admittedly are working towards novice on big warmbloods but are still competing prelim 😉
Fionn Winnie - interested to hear what worked for you!

 

[FfionWinnie]

Quite simple to do. Bend him to the outside then ask making sure you are sitting straight, and hold the whip in your outside hand too. That opens up the shoulder and makes it easier for them to strike off on the inside lead. You can also tap with the whip on the outside as you ask as that gets the outside hind forward first. Then you just use less and less outside bend until it's inside bend

 

[cauda equina]

Don't let your yard mates on their warmbloods put you off.
There's something very satisfying about doing dressage on a little cob, and surprising everyone!

 

[SpringArising]

What a gorgeous horse OP! More pics, more pics!

 

[Jo1987]

Ffion Winnie - We tried the bend to the outside trick a couple of years ago to no avail. Interestingly now that he understands what I'm after, he does a rather exaggerated bend to the inside of his own accord before striking of correctly?

Cauda Equina - Oh they don't put me off at all, we can't lose! If he gets better marks than the warmbloods it would be amazing... but if we don't do as well, then he's 'just a cob', what do you expect 😂

Spring Arising -

 

[cauda equina]

What a star.
I had a young, green cob; he had a white knee too.
He's off doing other things now, and I miss him, and am a bit envious of yours and your opportunities

 

[tda]

I had similar with my dales, the pole trick you used worked for us .
Love the 2nd pic, canter in company with a grin, and a loose rein, perfect ����

 

[southerncomfort]

What an absolute dude I am a sucker for a white face.

 

[Charlie007]

Beautiful horse!!

Personally I wouldn't wait til summer, I would get out and about whilst horse is going well and is sound! A hard lesson I learnt with my wb . You may get an incorrect canter lead on the day but so what, get out there and enjoy your beautiful boy xx