Stop to Canter Transitions and Drifting.?
So I half lease a pretty well trained and slightly older (18-20) quarter horse named Bob. He’s really forward going and usually easy to control. He’s an ex-barrel racer and he is still very flexible and healthy and responds to leg-aids, and can do pretty much all Western dressage, and a little English dressage.
The only problem I have is getting him going from a complete stop, to a canter/lope. I try to do everything I can to help him understand that I want him to go immediately into a canter. I squeeze with my legs and kiss at him, give him rein, and nudge him with my seat.
I know he can start loping immediately, I’ve gotten him to do it before. You can feel his rear end drop, pushing off the ground, but I can’t get him to do it all the time. Any suggestions on what else I can do?
Also I ve noticed that when I ride him counter clockwise, he tends to drift to the inside of the arena. Any explanations on why? And how can I get him to stay on the rail?
Also I’m only 14, so if I happen to be doing something wrong, please point that out to me.
okay, i ride english so not sure what a lope is :L i can help u with the stand to canter tho (:
dnt expect him to suddenly be able to understand u , first try to ask from trot to canter in a specific way .. squueze slightly harder , kiss him up – whatever he completely understand to mean canter , once he gets it and canters almost instantly when u do it , hes ready to go a step further
ask for walk to canter- do not change the way u ask at all , he may probably still jump into trot for a couple of strides , but practice makes perfect – and he will get it before u no it
when he does, ask from stand ( ask in a corner, this will help him to jump onto the right lead ) ask for canter exactly the same, keep practicing and he will get it before u noo it (:
as for the drifitng, every horse has there preferred rein, my horse is a youngster who particularly favours the right rein and also likes to drift in .. what ur horse is doing is fallling in because it is difficult for him to hold himself together on this rein . u need to help him by supporting ur horse with the inside leg to keep him out and olding himself together.. once u have done this for a while, he will find it easier to carry himself, and less inside leg will be needed
hope this helped (:
try specificaly saying canter, and make sure your weight is properly distributed.
As for the drifting, all horses like to go one way and not the other, put pressure on the inside leg to get your horse to go back to the rail
Good luck!
for the cantering straight from a halt u should first be able to canter straight from a walk. if he can canter from a walk then he should be able to do it from a halt too. but first try halting and trotting away to see if he responds to u. then u can try cantering away from a halt. if he does not respond tap him with ur crop behind ur leg lightly. if he still does not respond tap a littler harder.
and remember to be ready for if he does take off cantering b/c if he takes off and u fall back and pull on the reins he will confused and it will b alot harder to teach him.
and for the drifting, just use ur reins and steer him. hold ur outside hand steady to keep his head straight and put a little presssure on with ur inside leg to keep his body out.