Quarters in in canter....

[KatB]

Goddy horses seems to have developed a new trick which he is very fond of. His canter work is still incredibly babyish, but generally was very straight and correct. Been doing alot of circles with him to encourage him away from insire leg into outside rein, and to take more weight behind, however now means whenever I ask for a straight line we have a distinctly crab like-quarters in approach to it!!

Any effective excercises to get him off my inside leg (still very backward with getting off inside leg!) and straighten the canter?!

 

[Bossanova]

Watch he isnt too collected, sometimes if you lose the forwards, you gain the sideways!

 

[KatB]

Yeah have been trying to push him forwards, as was first thought, but he just goes crab at speed!? or drops on forehand........ His back has been checked....

 

[Bossanova]

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Yeah have been trying to push him forwards, as was first thought, but he just goes crab at speed!? or drops on forehand........ His back has been checked....

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmmm. I wouldnt be overly concerned, ride him off the track in canter and switch his bend from inside to outside periodically so he doesnt get blocked through his body. When Floss gets wonky I take her cantering in the fields, normally straightens her out!

 

[Tempi]

Agree wth Boss - make sure you ride him really forwards into the contact and switch the bend from left to right so he cant get stuck through his body. Do counter canter aswell, good for balance - and bend him different ways whilst doing it aswell. Its a very good suppling and straightening exercise.

 

[Judie]

Lots of counter canter but don't make the corners too steep for him as he's young. Also shoulder- fore but make sure you actually get the shoulder off the track - again only a little as he's young - but make sure his quarters stay on the track and don't swing out otherwise you'll have slight leg yeild and not shoulder-fore, you can do this on a circle as well as the long side.

Not sure how old he is, but have you done any leg yeilding with him, and turn on the forehand to get him responding to your individual leg aid?

 

[KatB]

He's just 5... he is very ignorant to the inside leg! Have done loads and loads of turn on the forehand, and we are getting there slowly with shoulder fore and and leg yield, but very slow! Will try lots of canter bending etc.... he will just swith off the inside leg and vere off given half a chance, so going to ride in spurs for a short period of time I think....

 

[viola]

Agree with the counter canter for straightening but if he is stuffy from the inside leg I would go back a bit and work on this first. You could try some ground work at ask him to yield of the whip/hand, then repeat whilst ridden asking for immediate reaction from your legs (just simple exercises to make sure he knows exactly what the inside leg means).
Does he 'crab' on one side only? If so, then you could ask for a transition as normal but a second afterwards ride as in an opposite bend yourself (in your pelvis, legs and upper body) while on the straight line. If you persevere he should become uncomfortable and try to match you by straightening - then you reward him by aligning yourself properly. Hope this make sense

 

[KatB]

Thanks, yes that makes sense, he only does it too the right, left he just goes too straight and won't bend

Think it is just pure babyness and unbalance, and he is a stubborn sod...!??

 

[viola]

I would agree with the baby thing - I found that 'manipulating' with my own alignment gets them more tuned in and most often than not they will try to make things easier for themselves (and will do as you want without even realising

. The worst thing would be to kick and kick, or even reinforcing with spurs - never worked for me. I believe it's not a leg aid disobedience but simply the balance problem (and since our own weight distribution in the saddle and body alignment are so powerful we can easily use them to our advantage without being 'rude')
Will be interesting to hear how you getting on

 

[KatB]

Yes you are probably spot on, and most probably partially me being impatient with him, I forget how old he is sometimes...

 

[not_with_it]

Try some 5 metre loops down the long side, once he has got the hang of them ride a loop and leg yeild back to the track. My mare used to be really crooked on the left rein and can still be very stiff to the left but the loops really help her.

 

[lucemoose]

KatB, thanks for posting this..mine does exactly the same...right rein too..am noting down all these points!

 

[galaxy]

My old boy does this a bit on one rien. He's a bit stiff in one of his hind legs and finds it difficult to put weight there. I do leg yeiding and shoulder fore in trot before I ask for canter and it tends to unblock him, then I "think" shoulder fore when I canter.

 

[Dutch]

Hi

Ok this is not the trauma you may think. Firstly it is probably that he is finding his balance, and is simply adjusted overtime when he gets stronger. Until then what I would always suggest is riding slightlyshoulder fore (not as much as shoulder in) to the inside in tests and during training....that will help make him supple and correct the problem..

Happy training Dutch

 

[Sal_E]

I have the same problem with my mare & find riding slight shoulder fore helps (although we can find that difficult if she's blocked/tense - in which case we try inside/outside flexion to release any tension first, then try again). I also try exercises such as cantering on the 3/4 line (or even inside track if you want to start off easier) - away form the fence helps you looks for straightness & if not straight, I will skip across to the fence in a slight leg yield. Don't forget you can do spiraling leg yield at canter although you obviously don't want to make your initial circle too small with your youngster - do be careful that sideways doesn't invite him to back off though as people are right to say that the lack of impulsion can be a causing factor.

Anything which helps strengthen the canter will help your problem (1/4's in is caused by not wanting to step under, which is obviously difficult for an unbalanced horse) - do lots of transitions (far more beneficial than lots of circles of canter) & exercises in w&t that generally help get the inside hind under. Do avoid cantering him when he's tired, for obvious reasons.

 

[KatB]

Thanks hon, he won't canter when he is tired!

It is a new problem, I think it is because he has had a recent growth spurt, and his balance is yet to catch up... def lots to try though!