Why my horse never ceases to amaze me - canter leads

[melv1lle]

Hi

I have posted on here a couple of times before because I was having issues with getting my lad to strike off on the right lead in left canter. I had looked into everything and tried all the suggestions people made but nothing seemed to work - he just wouldn't strike off on the right leg. Then at the weekend someone was watching me lunge him (he is very good with voice signals only) and pointed out that he always strikes off on the correct leg on both reins. So long and short being I experimented with using no leg aids at all in the school last night but just clicking (like I do when we lunge) and he immediatelty struck off on the correct leg on both reins! So all I need to work out now is how to click without being heard in preparation for our first Prelim competition

 

[Baggybreeches]

I had the same thing with Emerald, and what worked for me was just taking my hand off the rein as if to tap him with the stick(although I didnt have one). So far havent been penalised for it. If you do it quietly at Prelim I doubt anyone would notice let alone complain

 

[Taboo1968]

Learn to do it very quietly and hopefully when your back is towards the judge as some do pick up on "voice" and mark you down accordingly.... at the end of the day its prelim though and the judge should be more concerned with the horses way of going instead of making remarks about a click!

 

[Hornby]

Agree - my mare is voiced trained too and I am a quiet and devious voice user in tests (I get a much better downwards transition to "ho" than to the reins), the judge is in a car incidentally and your horse has good hearing : - )