Schooling Advice

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Parkranger

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As some of you may know, I'm not the best at flatwork (comes from a childhood of galloping/jumping then a 15 year break!).

Lately the boy has been working amazingly in the school - he's pulling himself up underneath me, carrying his head beautifully and tracking up a treat - pretty chuffed considering it's all new to me too!

We're even getting a nice collected trot, no rushing, nice bending etc.

Then we canter. All hell breaks loose!

So.....please pass on your wisdom. Don't laugh but my aids are (in the corner) outside leg behind the girth (exageratingly so) inside leg on the girth....I get a few strides out of him (usually on the wrong leg) and just don't know what to do!

We do have lessons (will start them up again asap) but wanted to get different opinions on this.

His balance is alot better now and I think this is due to me riding properly, moving with the horse etc.

I also school in sitting trot now so that he doesn't associate sitting trot with canter....

Help!
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You need to be keeping him straight whilst asking with a little bend to the inside, as soon as you ask too much bend your pushing the quarters out and he is unable to strike off on the correct leg.

My instructor has me circling in trot and then when I can feel the straightness to ask for canter, also the same applie for downwards transition
 
I would go on a 20m circle at A in trot making sure you have the correct bend and enough impulsion. When you go across the school from B to E assuming you are going clockwise when you get past X and are coming to the wall ask for canter then. As you are going into the wall [not literally lol] it should make it easier. Try not to get tense and worry about getting the canter as sometimes I do that and get into a pickle lol. Once you have the right lead just concentrate on going forwards, then you can tidy it all up later.

Hope that helps.

Hb
 
I had this problem and with me it was rider error, not that its the same with you but i was confusing my horse.

I would suggest he has a little inside bend, not too much though and is working in to your outside rein, this had to be established with Red before he would strike off nice. The the aids as you have said outside leg behind girth and inside leg on girth i agree with.

I always ask in a corner to help with the bend but as i have said not too much bend and make sure he doesnt fall out of the outside shoulder, support him with your outside rein.

Dont get faster, slow the trot right down, really steady, set him up in to your rein and bend and quietly ask, if he rushes in trot bring him back and then ask again. It always has to be in a relaxed way, no rushing. Red was getting his legs in a tangle bacuse i was just sitiing there saying go and not helping him.

At first i got a couple of strides on the right leg and then he fell back in to trot, i made a point (after i knew he would do this) of pushing him on for a couple more strides to make sure the downwards transition was on my terms not his and leave it at that.

As long as you get what you want on both reins stop there. It will build up in time, he will get the hang of it as his back end gets stronger it will become easier.

Remember to sit up and dont fling yourself at him (like i did) i was thinking right i have deided to canter - i have to canter now at any cost and that was where i was going wrong.

Alternatively if this doesnt help you could try a pole in the corner but i really think steadying the trot and making it nice then cantering may help.

Sorry for the essay!
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Ask in a corner/ on a circle but just do not over exagerate the bend otherwise you are likely to strike of disunited as his quarters will not be straight
 
Thanks Guys!

The other annoying thing is I don't always twig he's on the wrong leg unless someone can tell me or we get to the corner (when it's painfully obvious as we turn into a camel!)

Any tips for knowing straight away? Am I right in saying that the inside fore leg leads?

Sorry, I know i sound very basic!
 
This overbending thing is interesting - I think he knows what to do but I confuse him.

When doing a circle (10 or 20m) he can do it with just leg aids.....he's obviously been schooled properly at some time
 
With mine, I improved canter strike off with 2 exercises: In trot, spiral in from a 20 metre circle to an 8 metre circle (20, 15, 10 8) then back out again (8, 10, 15, 20) maintaining a correct bend, then as soon as you hit the track again on the 20 metre circle, ask for canter.

The other exercise was to leg yield in trot from the 3/4 line and ask for canter as soon as he hit the track. This makes sure that the inside hind is engaged.

The other thing that really helps Tris is to make sure that he has a lot of impulsion in his trot when asking for canter, which helps his straightness and engagement.

In 3 weeks, he's gone from bucking or running into canter into a reasonable strike off 7 times out of 10 - but I still don't think we'll make our planned first dressage in December!
 
Try asking for canter coming out of the corner onto the long side - that way you can establish the canter before you ask him to rebalance and bend around the short side.

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