It might take extra cueing and support from you to keep your horse in his counter lead. Use plenty of outside leg to create impulsion and forward motion. To do this, tip his nose to the inside with your inside rein.
Support his outside shoulder with your outside rein, held slightly higher than your inside hand. Keep your inside leg on your horse, right about at the cinch. The objective is for the horse to take as big a stride as possible with the lead leg. Split refers to the distance the horse reaches underneath with his hind leg. Opening the hip requires largely the opposite rider position from opening the shoulder. Note: Some horses do better with their nose tipped inside the circle; try both ways to see which way your horse best reacts.
Place inside-leg pressure behind the cinch to slightly cant the inside hip to the outside of the circle. Work in this position, always balanced with exercises to keep the shoulders open, allows your horse to lift his back to achieve greater collection.
Where-to-Ride Guide. Training Tips. Ground Work. Pattern Perfect. Private Lesson. Ranch Events. Trail Riding. Western Pleasure. Trail Breeds. Trail Gear. Trail Riding Destinations. Organized Trail Rides. They also help teach the horse a better understanding for staying connected to the outside rein with more engagement from the hind leg. This exercise introduces a short amount of counter canter without overwhelming either the horse or rider. It gives the rider a good feel for keeping the horse in front of her inside leg to maintain a shoulder-fore position.
The horse will be able to come back to a more relaxed and supple feeling after the challenge of the counter canter. When beginning this exercise, remember the purpose of First Level and return to those basics if the horse becomes too tense.
This exercise asks for a short amount of counter canter followed by a small circle in the direction of the lead, which helps keep the horse balanced. After completing the circle, continue forward on half a meter arc in counter canter, maintaining a shoulder-fore position toward the leading leg.
At the end of the meter arc, perform a to meter circle on the centerline in the direction of the lead. Repeat the pattern until your horse stays supple and soft in the connection before performing the same exercise with the other lead. When riding this exercise, the rider needs to be sure to keep herself balanced in the direction of the leading leg. This will help the horse remain balanced in the direction of the lead when counter- cantering and prepares him for the circle that follows.
This occurs in an effort to pull the horse toward the leading leg to keep him from swapping leads. When this happens, the horse will lose straightness and alignment of the outside shoulder and may fall to the outside, causing him to stiffen and possibly swap leads or cross canter. To correct this problem, the rider must keep the outside aids connected.
At this moment, the rider must think of straightening the horse with the outside aids first and then repositioning into shoulder-fore. The horse may lean or stiffen on the outside rein when first attempting this exercise. In this moment, the rider can quietly change the flexion to the outside while supporting the horse in the direction of the lead. This is also a good correction if the horse loses the outside shoulder. Utilizing the circle to soften the horse and reestablish relaxation will be important in building his confidence for the counter canter.
If the horse is still tense once a full circle has been completed, the rider must take the time to circle again or take a break. It is important not to force the horse to counter canter by continuing the exercise for too long, but rather to build his confidence in small amounts.
Counter canter is a difficult step toward the next level in dressage, but it is possible with correct preparation. First Level gives the horse and rider many necessary tools for achieving the next step. Next month we review the challenges of First Level and how they have prepared us for Second Level. Learn By Levels. Rider Fitness. Sports Psychology. Hoof Care. Horse Conditioning.
Personal Journey. Barn and Facility. Therapeutic Riding. Tack and Gear. In counter canter, these positions will be reversed. Keep the horse straight. Keep your horse straight with a direct outside rein, guiding his shoulders around the circle with your outside leg at the girth and, if necessary, an inside opening rein.
Start small. Pick up the outside lead on a straight line and then ask your horse for just two or three little counter canter turns. For example, traveling around the arena, begin a couple metres from the track. Release after that little turn and lope straight for another two or three strides, before asking for another turn.
Think geometrically. I picture guiding the horse around an octagon shape instead of a circle, comprised of little mini turns. Counter canter was requested at a recent horse show I attended. Some riders groaned, others looked panicky, and some just blustered right into it.
Those who had done their homework struck off on the outside lead, managing each turn in a picture of calm and balance.
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