Walk cycle

[rapadoodles]

My horse hunter always starts his walk cycle with his front right leg, but I am trying to change it to a back hoof. Does anyone have any training tips (he can lift both back legs on comand already) or any possible dangers to teaching him this.

 

[Red-1]

Horses do generally start the walk cycle with a front hoof. Not sure why you would want to change that?

I guess if they started with a back hoof, they would tread on the front one?

 

[planete]

I was told by one instructor it showed the horse had shifted his weight onto his hindquarters prior to the movement. This can be achieved by asking a horse at a standstill to shift his weight backwards without moving his feet. Look at some Branderup in hand videos. It is a very Baucherist theory and is part of a whole training system. I did not explore the system enough to make up my mind about the possible pros and cons of it in the long term.

 

[catkin]

I was told by one instructor it showed the horse had shifted his weight onto his hindquarters prior to the movement. This can be achieved by asking a horse at a standstill to shift his weight backwards without moving his feet. Look at some Branderup in hand videos. It is a very Baucherist theory and is part of a whole training system. I did not explore the system enough to make up my mind about the possible pros and cons of it in the long term.

Err, if the weight goes to the hindquarters doesn't it free up the forehand, and therefore let the front leg move freely? Thought that was the whole point of encouraging the weight back, to balance the horse so that it could move well carrying an extra weight in the form of a rider.........

 

[planete]

Err, if the weight goes to the hindquarters doesn't it free up the forehand, and therefore let the front leg move freely? Thought that was the whole point of encouraging the weight back, to balance the horse so that it could move well carrying an extra weight in the form of a rider.........

Not my theory but the Branderup in hand work is intriguing. I have started doing a lot of in hand work and people like Manolo Mendez, Michel Henriquet and Branderup all bring something to the table for us to ponder and perhaps learn from.