Jumping clinic today and is my horse thick or amazingly intelligent?!

[madhector]

Had a jumping clinic tonight with J, he was very relaxed and calm, so much so that my trainer actually called him laid back

He jumped out of his skin, and did some super work for me, with just one slight issue. He has always been a little off at getting the correct leg in canter, doesn't seem one sided just babyish. Tonight though whichever leg I asked for he gave me the other one, on both reins! I then tried asking for the wrong leg and he gave me the right one

It was almost like he knew what I wanted but was doing the complete opposite on purpose. I don't want o use the wrong aids every time for canter, as not teaching him anything but he seems to like doing what ever I tell him not to do

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[kerilli]

patient repetition until he either understands properly, or gets bored enough to stop taking the p***!
he sounds waaay too smart for his own good. glad to hear he was such a good boy other than that though!

 

[Bossanova]

How are you aiding him?
I've ridden a couple that will only strike off nicely from the inside leg, they just over-react to the outside leg. Moon is a bit like that actually- I canter just by lightening my seat and it avoids a head up reaction.

 

[madhector]

Just with the inside leg, although when I asked for the wrong lead using the outside leg he got it right!

If I put both inside and outside on he explodes

 

[dianchi]

Sounds like he was having a giggle at you! My mare does it when she has decided that she's bored, mind you at least you have the baby excuse she's 13 now and still does it!

 

[Baggybreeches]

Emerald is like that, you just have to be careful not to overask (because you are expecting them to get it wrong) Oh god that doesnt make much sense, as Kerilli said patient repititon should do the trick, Emerald is spot on now, even if he does it with very bad grace!

 

[wizoz]

Fickle creature

I have always been taught that you apply an inside bend first then ask for the aid with your leg. As they get used to it you can eventually just apply pressure on the inside rein as prep for the trans plus your leg aid.
Boo used to be awful at his canter trans but after a lot of work he now stops stuffing his head up in the air and running into canter.

 

[wizoz]

Also, you need to make sure he soft through the bend, so when you are preparing for your trans do half a circle in sitting trot, ask for the bend, if he is soft then ask for canter, if he resists the bend, stay there until he gives then let him go straight, repeat this until he is relaxed in the bend and then ask for canter. Hope this makes sense?

 

[viola]

Well, until I moved to the UK I have NEVER asked for a canter with the inside leg

I was taught that, since a canter will always start with the hindleg opposite to the leading front leg you ask for a canter left with your right outside leg and for a canter right with your left outside leg. In my book inside leg was only for creating energy just before the outside leg aid.
When I did that on horses here I had a wrong lead everytime