Tips and exercises for lightening the forehand in canter?

[charlimouse]

I've been a little quiet of late simply because I haven't been up to much interesting with the horses . Over the past month (since Pickle came back to schooling after a holiday) I have been working on lightening his forehand as he does tend to lean on the hand, especially in transitions. His trot work has improved 99% and his transitions are now about 75%. He is now able to sit on his hocks in the trot and everything is coming together. Until we get to the canter, where he just ploughs onto the forehand, leaving his hind legs trailing.

To lighten the forehand and bring his hindlegs underneath him in the trot i've been doing plenty of leg yielding, shoulder in, turn on the haunches, varying pace within gaits. In the transitions i've been making sure I ride them off my seat far more, and using my thigh to support him, so he cannot lean against the hand. This has all worked a treat in trot and transitions.

In the canter I have been focussing on ensuring he is off the forehand prior to the transition. I've been doing alot of walk to canter, canter to walk transitions, and having a play with some counter canter. Plenty of circles, and changing the canter on the circle, sending him on for a few steps, then collecting him back, which does get him sitting back on his hocks breifly on the circle. However as soon as we head off down a long side he turns into the proverbial plough!

Has anybody else got any hints or tips of exercises which will help improve the sit in the canter. Pickle is rising 6, so very aware he isn't fully matured yet, and he hasn't yet got the strength to physically sit and carry himself for long periods. I think I am so pleased with how his trot and transitions are coming on that the canter disappoints me somewhat ! I guess patience and perseverance is the key, but in the meantime, any exercises to make it more interesting would be nice. Pickle is very clever and quickly anticipates exercises, so I need to keep him guessing!

Dairy Milk available, although you best be quick, or else I will have eaten it all !

 

[TableDancer]

Main exercises for me are just forward and back in the canter, making sure you don't always do it in the same place - T is a b*gg*r for doing 10m collected canter circles in the corner then medium down the long side, so what do the ponies do every time you set off down the long side?? You guessed it and also riding squares in the canter, using the corners to set them back on their hocks, almost trying to think of 1/4 pirouettes (not that you are doing them, just thinking that way)

Only other thing I would add is that it really is partly a strength thing and it does take time, so keep your expectations realistic; if you look for progress every week you will be disappointed, but if you review every 3-6 months you will see what a long way you have come

 

[seabsicuit2]

I think from what you describe you need to keep at doing loads and loads of half halts and changing the pace within the canter . And being super aware of sitting with your weight right back and hands forwards when you send him on a bit in a more forwards canter. If he's ploughing onto his forehand that may mean he's pulling you forwards which he mustn't- he must keep his weight behind the saddle so you need to make sure he doesn't pull your weight forward. He can't plough down if you're in the correct position. So be mindful of staying really strong in your seat & tall. If he does plough on, use a quick bracing aid by leaning back more ( without letting your back curve) and use a sharp rein tug. You should have a slowing down reaction, so immediately lighten and soften the hand. The second he ploughs onto his head again, you sit back& tug him to remind him where his weight will need to be. Then soften reins to encourage self carriage. If he struggles to maintain canter while holding his weight back, then just try and do a smooth trans back down to trot then pop back up to canter again. Will take time and strengthening but the most important thing is to be aware of maintaining a strong position

 

[daisycrazy]

As per Tabledancer, but I find the most effective method is to ask for a good canter transition (using, as you are, leg yield, frequent transitions, 1/2 pirouettes in walk, etc., if necessary to get the good transition) and literally as soon as the horse drops back towards the forehand (even if that is after just one or two strides), sit up straight, keep your outside elbow by your side and with a combination of a short sharp rein aid and position bring the horse directly back to halt. Repeat. It's not something to do on a young horse that is just learning how to use its quarters (unless they're being plain rude), but for a horse that is capable and has a bit of a bad habit it's very effective. It's also remarkable how quickly they strengthen up. It's important to make sure you don't lose the forwardness so it can be interchanged with "sprint strides" - one or more strides where the horse has to energise promptly from the aids (I think "gallop" to get enough energy) and then come quickly back into collection. The level of discipline imposed would have to be adjusted to the horse's level, but a few weeks of these exercises can avoid months of grind.

These are techniques from lessons with Chris Bartle and they have worked for me on TBs and warmbloods. Many horses are fairly lazy and halting swiftly is hard work, such that they quickly get the idea that taking responsibility for their own balance is the way to go. To make it fair, the rider does have to be pretty disciplined with their posture - if you let your head or shoulder(s) drop or soften your posture either before the halt is achieved or just after you've achieved a transition then it won't have the same effect. If you collapse your posture the horse will do the same. Apologies if teaching a grandma to suck eggs!

Edited to add: The above is basically an exaggerated version of seabiscuit's approach.

 

[charlimouse]

Cheers folks. You have given me a lot to think about! My posture is a bit of an issue at the moment due to a trapped nerve in my neck. I am currently waiting for physio to see if that sorts it (the joys of being on a NHS waiting list) so in the meantime I am well drugged up on painkillers! I have a stong suspicion I may be as much on the 'forehand' as Pickle, if you get my drift!

 

[oldvic]

Squares or diamonds in canter rather than circles. Decreasing the size of the circle and leg yield out but making sure the shoulders stay towards shoulder fore. 10m circles making sure he stays forward. Counter canter. Shoulder fore up the long side. When going straight don't try to do the whole long side straight away but go a little straight then 10 m circle before the balance goes then straight again, etc. these should all help. There are plenty more exercises too.

 

[Heilo]

Counter canter but not just up a short side try the corners then a 20 m circle trust me they can't plough on or be on the forehand for that.
Shoulder fore and shoulder in when ready you said it's helped in trot so why not canter.
The transitions within pace are great but don't do a medium canter unless he's getting lazy and needs sharpening up. Just do collected canter to working and back again. Also don't hold the collected for too long until he improves and builds strength which takes time.

 

[georgiegirl]

agree with doing your canter circles as 'squares'. Also LOTS of walk canter walk transitions and practising going forward and coming back in canter.

Also really really make sure that with a horse that will tend to fall onto its forehand (and perhaps tank a bit quicker than you would like even in schooling) that you really are paying attention to your posture and not tpping slightly over the inside shoulder (where they will try and put you to make life easier). Ive not had any lessons in about 12 months and after having this pointed out to me its obvious how easy it is to get stuck in a rut - correcting this made a huge improvement to our canter

 

[Davers86]

Charliemouse this is in interesting post and one that I read carefully! My horse sounds similar to yours age wise and we too struggle with the canter being downhill and lacking jump. He is still bum high, and possibly won't level out. But the replies people have left seem helpful so I'm going to give them a go. Have you been using them with much success over the past month?