Thursday, July 30, 2009

How to ask a horse for a canter?

My instructor teaches me to pick up the left lead canter by squeezing the horse with my right leg in the horses armpit. The same goes for the right lead except I'm squeezing with my left leg. I'm going to take a few lessons at a different stable and I'm just wondering if that is the way all horses are trained to pick up the canter or will I have to learn something new?
Answers:
Almost all horses are trained to canter with that cue, it's basiclly the standered. It is possible to have a horse trained to a different command though. If you want to get technical, if you are working with a not fully trained horse you should pick up its inside shoulder, move it's hip over, etc. For a trained horse squeezing with the leg opposit of what lead you want is the norm.
Back in the day when I first was taking lessons I was taught to ask for the left lead with my right (outside leg) slightly behind the girth, left (inside leg) on the girth, and right opening rein with my right leg being the active or asking leg. Many many moons later when studying dressage I was taught to obtain the same lead by using an active left leg (inside) while moving both hands slightly left (your right hand should not cross over to the left side of the withers) and an active right seat-bone while my right (outside leg) kept the hindquarters from swinging to the outside . Both ways worked ...so yes different teachers will have different ways of getting the correct lead...each horse may have learned to produce the lead from different commands and some ways may be better than others or even easier for one person to do than for another person to do. But the bottom line is as long as the aids you give balance the horse correctly he will be set up to strike the proper lead on as straight a line as possible.
My cues are different, only that my outside leg goes back and I ask for their hip to move over. Once they are 'setup', then I kiss for the departure into a canter.
I worry that asking in the armpit would close off the inside lead due to the fact that your asking the horse to step over in the front. Just a thought, but if it works for your horse thats awesome.
The general universal cue for a horse to pick up the canter, as well as the correct lead, it to slightly lift and put a bit more tension on the inside rein and move nudge/kick with your outside leg as you move it BACK a little bit. I've personally never heard of that way but everyone has different teaching methods: as long as you trust your instructor :]
thats a standard canter yes but a good thing to add is kissing to the horse. the sound gets a faster reaction a lot of the time especially if you go straight into a canter from a walk.
if you have a smart perceptive horse (i have and arabian) try working your horse on the lunge, just a 12 ft rope or so and NO WHIP!!! start at a walk then start cliking your tounge or some short high pitched sound like that with your mouth and jiggle the rope if they dont get it after awile all you hae to do is clik and they will pickup the pace do canter just like trot, i dont know if this is any help, i dont do lead changes alot its just easier so i can still post without breaking rythem ;-)
The first question should be is the horse broke or green? I am a reiner,on a broke horse we use our outside leg to push the hip in and then cluck for the departure. All being done from a walk or a stand still. On a green horse your wouldn't expect that, they would still want to trot into it and all we would do is help keep their shoulder elevated with the inside rein,this helps them to pick up the correct lead and then let them figure out the rest. I have personally never seen anyone do it the way you are explaining,maybe ask for some clarification from your instructor.
My instructer says that you need to put you outside leg back and sqeese with your inside leg. If he doesn't go, then tickle him with the crop.
my horse always answers to this: use your inside leg and put it behind the girth, then kick with the inside leg. if not the first time, then try and try again!
This is the what I tell my students:
[1] Sit up straight
[2] Keep the horse's head to the outside (while training not for the show ring)
[3] Relax your arms alittle
[4] Look forward
[5] Put your outside leg behind the girth and squeeze
=)
all i know is at sitting trot, ask for canter, sqeeze, and then it works.
I was tought to sit the trot...kiss to them... and say the word as you squeeze w/ whatever leg you need to pick up the lead right behind the girth
Usually the horses head is turned away from the correct lead slightly and you squeeze with the opposite leg like you have been taught. That way the correct lead starts out with the opposite leg. I know that is confusing, but when you see it in action, it makes all kind of sense. Just collect up your horse, slightly turn the head away from the leg-lead you want and squeeze with the opposite leg to move it into the correct lead.
That is correct. But you don't sqeeze by the "armpit" AKA above the elbow. You are supposed to squeeze behind the girth. I don't believe that you will have to relearn anything, that's how most trainers and horses are taught.
If your riding clockwise, riding western, you would want to kick with your outside leg, which is the leg on the outside of the arena, your left leg. Then kiss( a kissy noise made with your lips) But you kiss and kick at the same time. Make sure you stand up tall and keep your elbows tight with your heels pointed down. Always kick with your outside leg to canter!
If your riding english, you gently (still clockwise) push your outside leg spur or heel into your horse and kiss, hold your spur into your horse, or hold or heel.
Hope I helped!

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