horsey talk

[hafital]

Yesterday I had my first english saddle riding class. Fun! Previously I was on western. I must say I look very smart in my english riding kit. :D All I needed was a riding crop to feel very dom. hahah. I'll try and get the cousin to take pictures one day.

Anyhoo, regardless of the saddle, I'm struggling with canter leads. I don't suppose there are any other horsey people on my friend's list who know a trick to figuring right lead/left lead cantering? I suppose just practice. I know it should be instinctual. :/

Comments

[kadymae.livejournal.com]

A trick to force the horse to take the correct lead -- I'm presuming you're in a ring -- is to pull the horse's head slightly the opposite way that you'll be turning as you canter around the ring.

That is, if you're going to be circling clockwise, pull the horse's head slightly toward your left knee.

[hafital.livejournal.com]

I am in a ring! I'll try that. Part of it is that I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be feeling, but this should just take some time. I've been reading up on it. Thanks!

[adonnchaid.livejournal.com]

But that also depends on how the horse was trained :) Some horses are trained to take the lead if you turn the head toward the lead leg...

One thing most horses are taught is that if you move your leg behind the girth (the leg opposite the lead leg) and keep the other leg (yours, not his) on the girth, it signals which lead to take. So, if you want a right lead, move your left leg back a bit when you give him the squeeze/kick to go forward. That and hold firm with your left hand on the rein (and keep a soft hold with your right hand), and with any luck, he'll go the way you want.

[hafital.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I starting to understand what I need to feel and look for. :D

[adonnchaid.livejournal.com]

And I don't know the horses you're riding, but riding school horses pretty much won't respond until you get the signals totally correct. Or even a tiny bit more extreme than correct :) Also, most horses are "handed" and will take one lead more easily than the other, so if you don't have trouble on one side, but do on the other, be a little more forceful with your signals on their "harder" side.

Have fun!!

[http://users.livejournal.com/oceana_/]

It's practice, yes, but it also depends on the horse. With some you feel it, with some you don't. You can try watching the shoulders, see which leg goes to the front a little more, but mostly you need to get a feel for it. Try to canter and then have someone tell you which way you are cantering, then concentrate, feel it. Then canter the other way, concentrate, feel it. After a while you should be able to tell.

[hafital.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It really helps to read what it is I'm supposed to be looking for, in conjunction with experiencing it, and of course having a good instructor.

Well

[evildrem.livejournal.com]

..it really is a matter of getting a feel for it. I have found watching the shoulder and then asking for canter when the shoulder is back which means you should get them leading on to that leg. I also sit deep into the saddle when I ask for canter. The turning the horses head opposite to the way you wish to work does work really well with some horses who are very stiff.

It can be more difficut with riding school horses as they get very dead to the leg so giving the right leg aid just gets ignored. Also, every horse favours one way of working in a circle over the other. Kinda like being left and right handed. Depending on how they have been schooled some are very very stiff working in one direction and getting them to lead on the right leg on that way of working can be almost impossible so it can sometimes just be a matter of perseverance. My own horse was very weak on the right side and despite extensive work on this he would still often start on the right lead and then switch on me half way round if he thought he could get away with it.

Re: Well

[hafital.livejournal.com]

It can be more difficut with riding school horses as they get very dead to the leg so giving the right leg aid just gets ignored. Also, every horse favours one way of working in a circle over the other.

Thanks! My instructor did say this about the horse I was riding, favoring the one leg, and that many horses do that.

What was happening was that, a) I wasn't clear on whether or not I was the correct lead, which is a separate problem to the fact that b) the horse dove into the center of the ring when we reached the first corner, obviously favoring that leg. It always happened before I could reasonably be ready for it because I was still sort of figuring out if I was on the correct lead.

But I'm grateful for what you all have been saying. I think sometimes my brain needs to read it to understand it, even though my instructor is quite good.

I don't know if you know ...

[rattlecatcher.livejournal.com]

Justacat, but she's horsey. I don't know if she's western or english (because you see, I'm not horsey, I just think they're pretty and fun to ride) - but she might have some ideas.

She also has yummy Pros fic, if you're inclined.