From: Betty
Hi, Jessica.
Rode Misty for about an hour today; 1st time she's gotten sweaty for probably 6 months or so. Mostly because it's so warm out and she still has some vestiges of her winter coat that are stubbornly clinging to her.
We are getting really GOOD at our "turns", for lack of a better word. From my seat, I can make her turn almost 180 degrees in a very short space at a walk now. Sometimes we're better to the left than to the right. I have to concentrate more that direction. We did bigger circles and smaller ones and really big ones; all different sizes. She did some really neat turns today. I told her she was a good girl!
But, it's been a while since I've CUED her to canter (she's broken into it on her own or accidentally), and now ****I can't seem to do it. At all. Maybe I'm trying too hard. She knows the word "canter" because I can use it from the ground when lunging her and she will do it. Under saddle is a different story.
I enjoy cantering this horse (when I relax but not too much!), but didn't much this winter due to footing and extreme cold, also because sometimes she would get away from me before at the canter. Now I want to try to canter more, and I CAN'T!!! :(
HELP!!!!
Thanks!!
BTW, she did do very well at the trot, though, in addition to our "seat cue" progress. Also, since she did get sweaty, I had a good opportunity to check out how this new saddle does really fit that way. AS far as I could tell, she sweated evenly on both sides.
Betty
The next thing you need to think about is your cues: are you using lateral or diagonal aids to cue the lope?
When you're moving from jog to lope, think about what Misty is doing with her legs -- moving from diagonal pair to diagonal pair -- and think of what you WANT her to do, which is push off into lope with the outside hind leg, then move forward with the inside hind and outside foreleg, then come down with her inside foreleg (the leading leg) and then begin again.
Diagonal aids are usually best for this:
Get Misty soft on your inside leg and rein, then bring the outside rein against her neck quietly so that she'll stay straight and not fall onto that outside shoulder. Then bring your outside leg back and cue her to step in with her outside hip, and keep your inside leg in place, because you'll need to use it to encourage her forward.
It takes timing -- and it may take you a while to develop your timing. Don't get frustrated, just try again, and stay calm -- you're trying to learn something AND teach Misty something, so everything needs to be done in a pleasant atmosphere. Remember, too, that she's been encouraged NOT to do this for several months now, so she may think that she isn't ever supposed to do it. She needs to be balanced and encouraged into a lope.
Remember four things:
1) always ask for the lope from a balanced jog, not a runaway flat trot!
2) be clear and definite with your cues, and if she DOESN'T move smoothly into the lope, sit up, regroup, and repeat the cues. Be sure that you are doing everything right, and let Misty figure it out.
3) when she DOES do what you want, don't change your position, but praise her and give her a pat. She needs to know when she's done what you wanted her to do!
4) when you get what you want, QUIT. Don't keep trying to get it over and over again -- Misty will wonder if she really DID do what you wanted. Stop for the day, hand-graze her, clean your tack, whatever seems right. Tomorrow you'll get it sooner and better, because she will be quite sure that you DID want the lope!
Jessica
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