Self schooling horse?!! And the importance of a good canter....

[KatB]

Jumped my horse tonight, wasnt expecting much from him as I have had a quiet couple of weeks and he hasnt jumped in the school for at least 2 weeks. Somehow he has taught himself a fantastic "Sjing" canter, felt beautifully forward and uphill and seriously powerful

Havent a clue where this has come from as only time he has been in the school recently we had a few disagreements!!

As a result of this miraculously appearing canter, he jumped beautifully, and I am like this

at the moment! I know how important the canter is, but honestly today was the first time I have ever felt him be so together, infront of my leg and uphill

And as a result everything felt very doable!!

Does anyone else have a self schooling horse?!!

And anyone got any useful excercises to do to help maintain and "polish" a good canter?!!

Just in case he needs some help with his personal schooling regime

 

[kirstyhen]

Clever Goddy! Will he please pass along some tips to Henry!? He will canter into a fence lovely (after 6 years of schoolin!!!), but landing he goes all unbalanced and speeds up, unless theres a fence directly afterwards!

 

[seabiscuit]

Ooh fantastic!! Maybe the culmative effect of a good winters work has suddenly started paying off?

I love it when they suddenly click how to do a proper SJ canter. Just makes jumping them so easy and fun!!

 

[KatB]

Lol! Possibly, I can hope, I dont expect for a moment it to become a "consistant" thing, but will enjoy it while it lasts!!

At least I know he can now!! Fngers crossed it continues

 

[KatB]

Bless him, he has gpt the right idea, why not sail along unless you really cant get away with it!!

 

[kirstyhen]

Yup! I think hes trying to tell me hes just not programmed for jumping with style! He has been very good recently though! Must be that time of year! The cow ponies are on form!

 

[Baggybreeches]

I had a dressage lesson yesterday, Mrs J said ok what have you been up to last fortnight, so I confessed to 2 days hunting, 4 days of cantering on the gallops and a few hacks. Do you know she said it was the best she's ever seen him go!

 

[KatB]

LoL! do think a break does them a world of good, just want it to continue when is back to normal routine!! ;p

 

[madhector]

Clever G! Can you get him to have a word with mine?

 

[atot]

Perhaps it was the hunting!? I'm convinced since Chloe's been a few times her flatwork has improved heaps!

 

[KatB]

Could be, however his schooling is pants at the mo!!

Just his jumping canter which is nice!!

 

[Lozz1uk]

I fell off when out competing last sunday - my horse proceeded to canter round the arena 3 times jumping a few fences on the way, so self-schooling, just in a rather embarrassing way!

 

[wizoz]

Perhaps his muscles have relaxed during your quiet few weeks after a busy pre season and he feels physically able to do this for you now, especially as you have put the work in, it's now paying off.

The exercise that I have to do with Boo (who's canter has taken about a year to come

) is on a 20m circle you need to slow the canter right back for half a circle then forward for half a circle, keep repeating, back and on, back and on, it makes them use the hind legs pushing from underneath them.

 

[KatB]

Cool, thanks for that! Need things to work on things that can use in a warm up ring to switch him on!! Was doing a cross pole in canter, to a halt afterwards, asking for turn on the haunches, straight back into canter and back over the X pole today. Reallly got him off my leg and helped him engage, but cant really do that in a warm up before a round