Use the navigation bar above to access articles and more discussions on this topic.
| Author |
Message |
    
Alicia Kost (Aannk)
| | Posted on Friday, Nov 16, 2001 - 4:04 pm: |   |
I have a question for anyone who might be able to help.
How does one shorten a canter stride while still keeping the quality of the canter, and not raising the elevation of the gait?
I have a young horse with a huge canter stride, about 4 feet longer than the hunter 12 foot stride. I need to shorten his canter, while keeping it good quality (through from behind, not on the forehand). Problem is, I don't want his front end elevated like the dressage horses get. Is this possible?
Do all hunters have a bad canter because their heads have to be low? |
Tammy Taylor (Taylor)
| | Posted on Friday, Nov 16, 2001 - 5:24 pm: | |
Have you tried using a half-halt? I use half-halts to slow a horses gait and shorten the stride. It also helps to bring the hindquarters underneath him. You can also use the half-halt right before giving another cue as a prepatory command. |
Alicia Kost (Aannk)
| | Posted on Monday, Nov 19, 2001 - 10:39 am: | |
Yes, I use half halts all the time, mainly to re-balance when either of my horses gets heavy up front. Problem, is, I havent figured out how to half halt without elevating the front end too much. Also, neither of my horses responds well enough to my half halts. I am working on that. I guess this may just take a lot of time  .
Thanks! |
Teresa Alexander-Arab (Teresaa)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Nov 20, 2001 - 10:53 am: | |
Hi Alicia,
are you able to shorten and lengthen your horses stride at the trot? If not I would begin there before trying the canter. You could try to teach your horse to shorten and lengthen his canter stride by 'stilling'your seat and then squeezing gently and briefly with your outside rein. Another way to shorten up his stride is to bring him on a 15 m circle.
good luck
TEresa |
Alicia Kost (Aannk)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Nov 20, 2001 - 11:07 am: | |
Teresa,
Yes, I can do a rudimentary (meaning, not good yet, but getting there) shorten and lengthen at all three gaits. Problem is, only the walk is really good, as it is slow enough for me to get the timing right! I am pretty bad at timing, and am working on that continuously. Guinness shortens his trot stride well (note, he is still not collected in this, we are also working on that), but quickens a bit lengthening. I have been able to get him to open up his canter stride, as that is the first step to getting him to use his hind better at canter, but coming back is very difficult. He is still very young (5 and from a very late maturing warm blood blood line), and we don't do many circles as small as you are suggesting yet. 20 m is about as small as we get. I will try the rein, though I am trying hard to use mostly seat/weight aids, followed by leg, followed by hand.
Thanks for the suggestions!! |
Shelley Wiley (Swiley)
| | Posted on Sunday, Nov 25, 2001 - 12:28 pm: | |
My two cents. . .
Too strong of an outside rein when half-halting will elevate the front end. If you work on the horse seeking a stretching contact into the reins you can guide his head down with your hands. The more bend a horse has the softer his top line will be. Not sure how this works into hunter frames but since I have an issue keeping my horses head up while junping I thought you might like to hear what I have learned.
Shelley |
Alicia Kost (Aannk)
| | Posted on Monday, Nov 26, 2001 - 9:43 am: | |
Thanks for the hint, Shelly. I try very hard to minimize the rein use in half halts, I try to mainly use my seat. Of course, when that doesn't work, you need to get stronger with the reins. |
Amy
Member
Username: Horsepix
Post Number: 27
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2004 - 4:55 pm: | |
I realize that this thread is a couple of years old, but I think it is very interesting that the original poster asked if all hunters have bad canters because they want a low head set. My thought is yes! It seems to me that the hunter 'head set' is just that. The look for the ring does not require a horse that is not on its forehand, but instead, is low in the poll.
It is a natural (and good!!) response for the horse to come up in the poll when asked to collect the canter. The energy has made a shift from going forward (working canter) to upwards (collected canter) when doing a half halt at the canter. If the horse naturally offers this, it is probably due to his conformation (more uphill neck set) and should not be punished by having his head forced down into a head set.
Likewise, I think the original poster should re-evaluate the effectiveness and use of her seat if she must resort to pulling on the reins in order to half-halt her horse.
Just my opinions... |
Alicia Kost
Member
Username: Aannk
Post Number: 330
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Friday, Apr 23, 2004 - 2:07 pm: | |
Amy,
I don't see that I said anywhere that I pull on the reins. Quote "I try very hard to minimize the rein use in half halts, I try to mainly use my seat." I have become more adept at this in the few years that have past. I also pretty much gave up on trying to not elevate him. I just let him go around in his huge stride when hacking, and an elevated frame is not such a big deal when doing a course, so we don't suffer from his frame.
Alicia |
Amy
Member
Username: Horsepix
Post Number: 43
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004 - 5:50 pm: | |
"Of course, when that doesn't work, you need to get stronger with the reins."
This was what I was trying to get at. There seems to be more necessity for a good half halt from the seat when rider resorts to getting stronger with the reins. I've been guilty of this myself, so I don't mean to sound holier-than-thou!! Forgive me. ;)
I'm glad that you've become more adept in the past few years. That's great! One question though...why would you choose a horse with an uphill dressage build for hunters? |
Alicia Kost
Member
Username: Aannk
Post Number: 334
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Apr 29, 2004 - 10:28 am: | |
Amy,
Oh, I see now I should probably tell you that I used to ride with "loopy" reins. So, for me, strong aids were having a feel. I now know, after a few years, that the horse can't be through unless there is rein contact. I based my contact on the hunter pros who seem to magically have the horses in a great frame with no contact. That is self carriage, and I don't pretend to have acheived that!
On the second thought, I bred this horse, and have had him since birth. I want him to be a hunter, and he can go that way. It is basically a first level frame, but a little more long and low. The best movers who win at high level go like that. In the past few weeks, I have had consistant lessons with my dressage trainer, and his canter has gotten much better. He was basically behind my leg, and up and down instead of forward. It is taking me a long time, but we are slowly getting there! The stride is still huge, and we may spend a couple of months getting it to where I can adjust shorter as opposed to longer, but when I do, we can go back to doing courses again.
Alicia |
