walk to canter - what are the benefits of this?

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LeneHorse

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We have started doing walk to canter transitions in our lessons (I get fortnightly lesson from visiting instructor on my 8 yr old mare). However she often goes off on the wrong lead or becomes disunited when attempting this. When doing progressive transitions from trot to canter we don't have this problem - she tends to get the correct s/o but then falls onto her forehand and gets a bit strong. I'd be interested in people's views on the benefits of walk to canter as a schooling exercise and tips for getting the correct lead. I suspect problem is rider -related but am not quite sure where i'm going wrong.
 
I had a lesson today and my mare is the same, i believe its to sharpen up there reactions to the movement, and encourage the hind quaters more, Also i was told that if they break in the canter you must come straight back to walk and ask again. But i was having some the problem with the canter lead which i suppose shows a weakness in our canter, hope this helps.
 
I believe it's to engage the hindquarters (make your girl carry more weight on her hindquarters and lighten the forehand).
Perhaps try walking a 10 metre (or 15 if your mare finds 10 hard) circle first before asking for the strike off, as the circle establishes bend for her.
Or shoulder in down the long side then strike off in the corner - again gets the bend, and the hind leg under.
Make sure your horse is in front of the leg...she should feel a little 'collected' in the walk, almost (but not) jogging, then ask.
If horses are not in front of my leg truly, I tend to try to 'cheat' by leaning forward and throwing the reins at them...sadly ensuring that I tip the poor horse onto the forehand...so these are faults to avoid!
As with all things...practice makes perfect...
S
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i taught my pony to walk to canter and vice versa, as he used to be on his forehand. the exercise helps lighten the front and helps them to balance himself better.
try asking for walk to canter around a fence or around something else, as this helps to bend them the correct way and helps them to strike off on the correct leg.
hope it helps!
 
Well we do it with Riki alot when we school, but mainly because he is a lazy sod and it wakes him up abit! One instructor told us it would help Sunny's canter as it would make her sit on her hocks and use her hind leg, however it just fizzed her up and she turned into devil horse so we havnt tried that again
 
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I believe it's to engage the hindquarters (make your girl carry more weight on her hindquarters and lighten the forehand).
Perhaps try walking a 10 metre (or 15 if your mare finds 10 hard) circle first before asking for the strike off, as the circle establishes bend for her.

If horses are not in front of my leg truly, I tend to try to 'cheat' by leaning forward and throwing the reins at them...sadly ensuring that I tip the poor horse onto the forehand...so these are faults to avoid!
As with all things...practice makes perfect...
S
smile.gif


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Thanks for all your replies - they are very helpful. We have been trying the 10m walk circles first and they do help. Had to laugh at the 'throwing the reins' comment as i am terribly guilty of this - not helped by looking down to check what lead we're on! Drives my instructor crazy! I would also agree with the comment about walk to canter making them fizzy as my girl is getting her knickers in a right twist over this and gets really upset when she gets the wrong lead and has to be brought back to walk. However we will persevere and hopefully in a few weeks i can come back on here and report some progress.
 
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walk to canter - what are the benefits of this?

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Its so us SJers are not shown up, we cannot DO trotting
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Hehehe...Trotting is SUCH a pain
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Oh, and to the OP. If you are leaning forward and or looking down you will be throwing the horse off balance. Try looking backward over the outside shoulder when you ask for canter...it's an extreme way of getting the weight in the right place
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If you have to look down to tell which lead your horse is on, then you need to do some 'feel' exercises. Try these;
1. Walk - look up at the roof/sky...then try to name the feet as the horse places them...'right hind' 'right fore' etc. Get a friend to jeer at you if wrong.
2. In trot, look up then take rising and say 'Right' or 'Wrong' if you feel you are on the right diagonal or not. Again a jeering friend is useful.
3. Try the same in halt - while looking up, try to tell your cynical friend which hind leg is trailing, whether it's square etc.
4. In canter, look up and try to 'feel' the lead...
Bet you're glad I'm not your instructor, he he he.
S
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