Working low and loose and with leg OFF! Canter problems

[WishfulThinker]

Tonight I had a lesson with the RC, and she explained to me that B is running to fast and s i need to get more trot out of him. So I was doig figures of 8 and circles for ages with my leg OFF. Which goes against what others have said, but OMG it worked! I got, from my little 15.1hh beastie this big bouncy reaching trot (I almost cried - how sad!!) that I have only felt on my mates bit 17.2hh!

So we have excersises to do, BUT our canter is atrocious (a combination of my back and him being down hill), and so we didn't mess tonight as he had been trotting for 40mins. But I forgot to ask for things to try - so I ask you here.

Exercises for a downhill cob type with a tendancy to want to go FAST i canter ALL the time?

 

[kerilli]

i'd probably the same thing, but being prepared to intervene occasionally to slow him down, as the adrenalin in canter can make them faster and faster and totally carried away... obviously. so, lots of transitions, and stay off his back to begin with, let him just work underneath you. keep lightening the hands as well if pos, so he's carrying himself, not relying on you.
one of my old instructors used to call the no-leg-on trot "trotting into the hand" and it's amazing how it relaxes and settles them, and they can start expressing themselves. instructors who yell "more leg more leg more leg" when you're doing working trot make me SO mad... how the hell are you ever supposed to find enough leg power to get medium and extended, if you and the horse have been taught that tons of leg power = the answer.

 

[Partoow]

You have started to learn that leg does not have to = go.
i frequently correct riders for chasing the trot as they become confused with the word 'forward'. Forward is not speed, it is how far the hind leg steps under the body, forward to the hand to acheive this he needs to take his time to FINISH each step and find his rhythm and therefore balance. Speed is the eneny of engagement.
Another point is not to get carried away with the 'long and low', especiallynot on a cob who likes, through nature to pull themselves through the floor with the forelegs , rather like a swimmer doing front crawl.Putting the poll down and the level of the mouth lower than the brisket the horse has no option but to fall forward and will be on his forehand. this is what is happening in your canter.
You lad needs to understand the correct timimg of the inside leg to outside rein concept. That one leg at the girth means connect not go faster.[ i always say two legs and an open pelvis =GO. One leg and a feel on the outsde rein= connect]
What i mean is that you need to have a leg that breaths around the ribs of your horse, not off exactly but not driving and chasing but supporting and timinig the 'ask' with the feel[feel is a squeeze or a take as strong as it needs to be to get a result] in the ouside rein as the inside leg comes under the body. [if you watch the outside shoulder it is as the outside shoulder comes back, this is the moment to 'fee' the rein]He needs to accept that the hand does provide the limit and that the answer to his balance problem that the hand will give him is his own hind leg. so a quick leg= a quick reaction to the leg[activity] but this must not create more speed over the ground just a quicker reaction to your activation of the hind leg so it finds the right moment to 'talk' to the inside hindleg and therfore help with the exact moment he needs his hindlag for balance!.
I find a good way to develope this understanding between the two of you is on a square, sometimes i will even lay poles on the ground to make it quite clear , especially going to the corners that he must wait on the outside rein [so dont just let him pull you through the corner where he wants to] and then you have to give him the activation on the inside hind leg. making sure you dont lean in but keep you shoulders and his shoulders level [ inside to outside] If he gets down on the inside shoulder then it will block the forward travel of the hind leg and you will loose balance and he will quicken.
THis can be done in all paces. canter is harder because it is an asymetrical pace[ 3 beat] and straightness affects engagement, they tend to find it much harder to accept the hand as the momentum of the pace is such that they feel the need to save themselves as nature intended , by using the head and neck. The poll has to stay up, imagine firing a hose pipe out between the horses eyes,that jet of water must not point to the floor or into the sky but straight out infront. This will help you keep the poll up and therefore the shoulders open and therefore help him find the hindlegs and then he will find the canter much easier.
As you can see it is quite a lot to think about and you are finding out the most important lesson, dont chase the horse with you leg. Feel his need for your help at the right moment and let him trot/canter on his own legs!! not your hand.
bet thats as clear as mud now!!!

 

[WishfulThinker]

oHHHH partoow - Can you come teach me!!! I do totally understand what you are saying. It's silly cos now that its all explained I know it was in my head before - I have never acted on it as I thought he was just a silly cob (he is silly in a good way )

In canter he does motorbike round corners, and actually strangely he prefers doing squares to circles! We have been doing transition work to - and he is quite sharp when he wants to be but he thinks a corner means canter, so I have been taking him off the track on a circle and then at either 1/4 or 1/2 way round asking for canter, then go large, canter half circle then trot then round and repeat - this seems to calm him as he then is never sure where he is to canter and doesn't rush.
I have also found that after warming up - but before we do anything - a good canter round seems to stretch him out and let him blow of steam and concentrate.

But yes, It is harder NOT to use leg than to use leg! I feel so silly when I have my leg away from his side - but I think I have probably seen numerous dressage riders doing that and now it makes sense. I just need to use new muscles as I have collapsed ankles so my leg is permanently wrapped round him.

I now have to try and describe what to do to my sharer - and hope that she carries it out as other wise all the work will be wasted!

I am going to print out your reply partoow and take it to the yard with me

Thank you - and if you have any further advice I will GLADLY accept it