canter – Horse Listening

Charlotte Dujardin Masterclass: 5 Take-Aways

Last year, we had the excitement of auditing Carl Hester's Masterclass, and this year, it was Charlotte Dujardin. Or just "Charlotte", as we call her, because her incredible accomplishments have made her a household name in our neck o' the woods.

I attended only the Sunday sessions, but the riders were new and there were horse representatives ranging from 4, 5, 6 year-olds, to Prix St. George and Grand Prix levels. So we got a great overview of the progression through the levels, and the exercises that she would use to improve each horse.

These tips are purely my own interpretation of what she said. But I thought I'd share my notes with you.

1. Horse's Daily Lifestyle

She started off by talking about their horse keeping strategies in their "yard". She said the excitable horses go out overnight, the horses with normal energy go out for the day, and the quiet horses go out for half-days or so. All of their horses get turnout every day, and they believe in letting horses be horses.

It all sounds great, until you realize that she's talking about literally the tip top of the "top horses" in the world!

The horses get worked 4 times a week, go out on the trail the other two days, and get Sundays off completely. She says that both she and Carl are interested in maintaining the horses' longevity. They want every young horse to make it to Grand Prix (if it can) and then be rideable long enough to develop at the Grand Prix level going into their teen years.

She mentioned that Valegro is still going strong, teaching young riders all about Grand Prix, and heading out to riding demonstrations at big venues. He also still enjoys his regular trail rides!

2. Young Horses and Their Riders

She had high praise for riders who bring along young horses, mostly because of the learning curves they have to ride through until the horse matures. She said that young horses need brave, balanced riders, as many horses typically start quiet and sweet, and then get cheekier as they get stronger and more opinionated!

She showed great patience with the young horses, and worked with the riders to help the horses overcome their tension in front of the large crowd. One horse kicked out repeatedly, and the only thing she said was to keep asking for trot (forward), stay away from the crowd (!!), and maintain contact. In time, the horse settled and finished with awe-inspiring movement, indicating a huge potential to come.

3. Stretching

She uses the stretch in walk, trot and canter for warm-ups and cool-downs. Don't just ride with a long rein and the horse's head anywhere; he has to be forward and taking the bit from the rider forward and down. As she worked the 4-year-old, it was evident that "forward" was more forward than you might think. It was as forward as the horse needed to be free moving in his gait and back.

However, she qualified by saying that you might not be able to stretch every horse like that right from day 1. She said it took her 2 years to get a stretch from Valegro at the beginning of a ride! So if the horse is excitable, better to start the ride with shorter reins and in an uphill outline and work toward the stretch over time. Safety first always!

4. Walk/Trot/Walk

She did a great demonstration of relaxing the 5-year-old horse (that was overwhelmed by the closed-in crowd) using a simple walk to trot to walk transition exercise. She coached the rider to send the horse forward with two legs, maintain even contact on both reins, and keep the head and neck directly in front of his chest.

After a short trot, she'd bring the horse back to walk, just before the horse got stronger or more excited. We could almost feel the horse calm through the walk transitions, and the movement through the back was more visible with each successive trot. It was a soothing, peaceful exercise that settled the horse's mind and invited him to relax and release.

5. Awesome Canter Work

I took away two great tips for canter work from the more advanced horse sessions. At this point, she was helping the riders develop collection and a more uphill balance.

One exercise was to stay in canter and send the horse forward, then ease him back, then send him forward again. Use the half-halt to rebalance the horse - not for more than a stride so the rider doesn't end up blocking or holding the horse. The rider shouldn't feel like she has to carry the horse.

In the collection phase, she encouraged the rider to make the horse more active. If the horse doesn't respond to a light leg, "go for a yeehaw"! She wanted the riders to move out in the canter, energize and then come back to a more active collection.

Then the exercise progressed naturally to the canter-walk transition. She told us that we shouldn't "fall into a heap" after walking! So she had the rider move out in canter, collect-collect-collect, and by then, the horse could easily walk right out of the canter, as long as the rider was actively riding the walk.

She urged us to ride at home as we would want to ride at the show - with precision and good movement, so excellence can become a habit.

The sessions were practical and gave us many ideas for our own riding, but my biggest take-away from the day was less about the skill building and had more to do with the way she treated both the horses and riders.

I imagine her teaching style is much like how she rides her own horses. She was at once kind, gentle, encouraging and supportive, and also firm, clear and absolutely specific. She let the horse guide the lesson, coached the rider as much as needed, and addressed each horse at its level. She didn't shy away from the difficult moments but never seemed to get too worked up about any problems.

It was a wonderfully inspiring day!

A Stretch and Strengthen Canter Exercise

Need some "legging up" in canter?

Working in canter for an extended period of time (let's say, around 5 minutes) has many benefits, and if you want to know why, read the article that I wrote here. The exercise below is an awesome way to develop (you and) your horse's conditioning, work on suppling the horse over the back in canter, play around with balance and hind end engagement, and just work toward something as simple as maintaining a steady tempo.

This exercise is also good if you find that your horse often drops his back (and "giraffe necks") when you transition to canter, or during the canter. We want to teach the horse to loosen through the back and allow it to move while in canter.

You will use the whole arena for this, with circles at A and C. Try to do this in an easy pace - not too fast, not too slow. You can always build up the horse's impulsion as he settles and begins to use himself better, without adding speed to it. The pattern sounds like it isn't much work, but there's quite a lot going on when you go around a few times and let it work you and your horse.

Start at A. Canter on the right rein.

1. 20-m circle

Start with an easy, softly stretching 20-m circle. Think of it as a half-stretch, so not really stretching down as you would for say, a 2nd level dressage test. But do make it a stretch, so that your horse can carry his head a little lower than usual, and stretch through the back a little more than usual.

Ride in half-seat yourself, and take most of your weight off the horse's back.

Keep a mild 20-m bend, keeping your horse on a large circle but watching the outside shoulder. Keep the shoulder straight and allow the bend to happen through the body, not just through the neck.

2. 10-m circle

When you get back to A, do another circle, this time much smaller. Make it a 10-m circle, with more bend, and this time, sit into the saddle and bring the horse up into a nice uphill outline. This circle requires more collection, so keep the canter active and strong but add in the deeper 10-m bend.

3. Canter on up the long side of the rail

After the 10-m circle, head into the corner and then go straight up along the rail. Go back to the half-seat, and ask your horse for the small stretch again, this time on the straight rail. The long side of the ring should allow you plenty of time to strengthen the canter (not speed up, though) and develop a nice, even tempo and stride length.

Strengthen: If your horse feels good, isn't pulling down on the reins, and feels like he has good balance, ask for a little longer stride and a little more impulsion. Don't let the reins go longer and make sure you ease the horse into the bigger movement. (If your horse does pull down on the reins, just sit up a little and ease up on the canter, or even do a down transition to trot, and then canter on again. We want the horse to strengthen the canter, but not to end up on the forehand. So use trot transitions to bring the horse into balance again, as needed.)

You're feeling for a bouncier, more trampoline-y canter. You should also feel like you spend more time in the air than on the ground.

4. 20-m circle

Go through the next corner and back to a 20-m circle at C. Stay in the half-seat for the 20-m circle, and keep the horse in the mild stretch. The difference between the stretch here and on the rail is that you have to re-establish a bend (even though it's just a mild bend) so you're also working on the lateral suppleness on this circle.

5. 10-m circle

Now do a 10-m circle at C. Sit, prepare for the bend as you come back to C, and then bring the horse uphill again in his outline. Use this circle to let your horse do a little "carrying", have a higher and shorter outline, and use his now more active hind end to take some weight off the forehand.

6. Canter down the long side of the rail

Then ease out of the 10-m circle through the corner and down the next rail in the half-stretch (for him) and half-seat (for you) position again.

And repeat! If you want, you can do this pattern several times in a row one way, and then take a walk break, and do it several times the other way.

You can also do the whole thing in walk and trot, either as a warm-up or as a cool-down. The concept of stretching and then shortening the back is a great way to supple and strengthen the horse's back and hind end in all gaits.

If you like this sort of pattern work, join my Practice Sessions Premium Membership. The Practice Sessions are a complete program beginning with exercises like the one above, designed to improve specific aspects of the horse and rider. All set up and ready to go, all you have to do is watch the video, print off the pattern PDF and head to the barn!

But there's so much more! There's quality of movement exercises, theory "Mini-Classes" on specific aids and figures, a fantastic group of riders who motivate and encourage each other, and so much more! Click here to learn more.

Horse Listening Book Collection - beautiful paperbacks with all the excellence of the blog - in your hands! Click on the image for more information.

Goal Setting For The Equestrian - A Personal Workbook

If you’d like a structured, but personal tool to set goals, take a look at the new Goal Setting for the Equestrian: A Personal Workbook. The pages are designed for you to set and keep track of your progress over the course of a year.

Included in the book:

design your overarching goals

long- and short-term planning,

debrief your special events such as clinics or shows

reflect on, plan and evaluate your goals

sample goals and pages

The Workbook is available for instant digital download so you can print the pages right off your computer. There is also the option of a paperback version if you’d rather have a professionally bound book to hold in your hands.

Click here for more information.

How Many Aids Are You Using?!

"Which aids are you using?" I routinely ask my students this as they develop a particular skill, especially once they have gained enough experience that they can analyze a problem while they ride.

But here, we can do it off the horse. Let's use this example:

You are in left lead canter, and getting ready to leave the rail to make a left circle. As you head into the circle, your horse drifts out, loses balance and breaks into trot. (If this does really happen to you, don't worry! It happens all the time to all levels of rider and horse!)

It's like he is losing just enough balance that he is unable to maintain the canter. What aids would you use to correct the problem?

(If you like, stop here and quickly think about or jot down the aids you would use. Then read on. I've added links in blue to other articles that explain some of the specific concepts better.)

***

1) Outside Neck Rein

One of the most common errors is to use the inside rein to pull the horse into a turn. When you pull on the inside rein, though, the horse's neck has to follow your hand. So before you know it, the neck is pulled to the inside, which requires the outside shoulder to bulge outward. The horse then HAS to step out in order to manage to stay upright. While you're trying to turn the horse left, he's got his neck left but is actually stepping right.

Use the outside neck rein to catch the outside shoulder that wants to bulge toward the rail. That helps keep the horse's front end from drifting around the turn. The neck rein is also the initiator of the turn.

2) Outside Leg

Use the outside leg to prevent the horse's hip from swinging out.

Another tendency is for the horse to swing the hind end outward. When you are on a turn, you want the horse to turn "straight" (well, not literally, but physically). If you use your outside leg back slightly, you can influence the hind end so that it follows the front end on a single track.

There's got to be more than just those two aids. So let's fill in the details. It takes some concentration and "feel" to break things down even more.

3) Inside Seat Bone

Put your weight on your inside seat bone, swinging it forward on the turn line so that you encourage your horse to come under your inside seat more - to basically keep him on the turn and not drift out from under your seat.

Using your weight aids is something that needs a lot of fine-tuning at first. But with practice, you will be able to first know which seat bone you have more weight on, and then be able to actually direct the weight to where you want it to be. Your weight can have a lot of influence on the horse.

4) Inside Leg

Use a strong downward-stepping motion on your inside stirrup - like you are standing on the ground through the stirrup, in rhythm with the stride.

The stepping down helps the horse have a solid balancing aid on the inside rib cage, which encourages better bend and balance through the turn.

5) Inside Rein

Give a tiny bit with your inside rein as you cross the middle of the arena, to allow the inside hind leg more space to step into. Keep the outside rein fairly steady.

6) Impulsion

Use two legs for forward just before you leave the rail. This helps him engage a little more before he starts to drift, sending him forward rather than sideways.

7) Keep Your Balance

Try to let your seat come through more after you ask for impulsion (don't resist), so you keep your center of gravity over the horse as he moves off. Don't get left behind!

8) Use Half-Halts

Even while you ask for more energy, use half-halts to help the horse stay in balance and not just run faster and onto the forehand. You can try a half-halt before you leave the rail, through the middle of the circle, and then again as you finish and go to the next movement. But it might depend on your horse - you might need more or less.

Pinpointing your aids like this is actually a very interesting exercise, because while we often recognize the most significant aids, we rarely feel everything that the body is doing to produce one result. I bet you can think of a few more to list here as well.

Seriously?? So many aids for one simple movement?

Well, yes. And, not really.

The thing is, once you get the hang of it, it won't be nearly as complicated as it sounds here. If you think about it, we can probably break down every movement into multiple aids and skills like this. The more aids we can control through our ride, the more sophisticated we can be in communicating kindly and gently to the horse.

From Wikipedia:

Automaticity /ˌɔːtəməˈtɪsɪti/ is the ability to do things without occupying the mind with the low-level details required, allowing it to become an automatic response pattern or habit. It is usually the result of learning, repetition, and practice.

I like this word! And I like how it feels when I'm doing this while riding. The less you have to think about things, the easier it gets. But at the beginning, you do have to learn the skills first (practice, practice, practice!), before they become blueprinted into your body.

***

After a few rounds, and a few transitions down to trot and then back up into canter, things should get better. Your outside aids might keep your horse straighter. Your "ask" for impulsion might help him reach further underneath with his hind legs. He might drift less and then not at all. And slowly, his canter might become more fluid, stronger, more balanced.

And even while you know which aids you are using, you won't actually have to think about them. Well, maybe you'll be thinking about only one or two!

Archives – Lessons/Training

Lessons and Training

Look through these articles for tips and recommendations on common horse riding problems. Let us know in the comments sections if you tried something and how it worked out!

How to Ride the Stumble Out of Your Horse: Do you have a horse that seems to regularly trip or stumble, either in the front or hind end?

How to 'Flow" From the Trot to Walk: Although we rely on our hands too much and initiate all movements from the horse’s mouth, there are many alternate aids we can go to.

Why You Don't Need to Panic When Your Horse 'Falls Apart': Even if you are not thinking “panic”, your body might be communicating it by either being completely passive or too reactive after the horse is off balance.

When Good Riding Instruction Becomes Great: How much can an instructor really do to help a rider improve?

5 Steps to Effective Short Reins: Just as with any other movement and technique that is taught to horses, short reins can be very beneficial to the horse when applied correctly.

Find the Space Between the Give and Take in Horse Riding: As with so many other things in life, we need to find the happy medium.

16 Ways to Not Become Bored During Your Ride: Here is a list of just a few ideas to keep ring riding fresh and interesting for both you and your horse.

Why Rising Trot Is Not Rising At All: How to rise in the trot so that you move in tandem with the horse.

'Go and No': The Connection Between Forward and Half-Halt in Horse Riding: How to develop the two seemingly opposite aids.

Can You Recognize the Sewing-Machine Trot? It is easy to get fooled into thinking that the sewing-machine trot is a good trot.

Why A Release Is Not A Let Go in Horseback Riding: Many people interpret the term 'Release' literally - but that's not what really means.

Here's How (and Why) You Should Ride With Bent Elbows: How to avoid an on-again, off-again contact with the horse’s mouth.

Use the "Canter-Trot" to Truly Engage the Hind End: Many riders think that kicking the horse along and making the legs move faster is the ticket to engagement – but there is nothing further than the truth!

How to Halt Without Pulling on the Reins: There is a way to get your horse to stop without pulling on the reins.

What to Do When Your Horse is Being Naughty: Though we’d love to have that perfectly compliant horse all the time, the reality is that even the sweetest horse finds something to say once in a while.

Why You Should Ride the Left Side of Your Horse Going Right: In order to help straighten the horse (and elongate the muscles on the right, and help the horse bear more weight on the left hind leg), we need to work on the left side going right.

Stop Kicking the Horse! Kicking your horse only stuns, disturbs, imbalances, and hurts. Once you have better balance in your seat and a more consistent contact with the bit, aim toward using your legs with more purpose.

Why Would You Bother to "Scoop" Your Seat Bones? Learning to use your seat effectively should take a lifetime to develop, so we will begin with just one basic aspect: how to move the seat bones.

How to Ride Your Excited Horse in 5 Easy Steps: Let’s face it – horses aren’t always calm and accommodating. There are times when they can be… shall we say… a little over-exuberant!

The #1 Rider Problem of the Year - The Leg Aid: You probably know from experience – kicking the horse along often does not get the response you really want.

Riding Straight Through the Turn: Although it sounds like an oxymoron, travelling straight through a turn is essential in maintaining the balance of the horse.

Stepping Out of Rein Lameness: Often, problems caused by riding can be fixed with riding. It is just a matter of knowing what to do in order to counteract the problems.

Drawing A Circle (In Sand): Regardless of where you position the circle in the arena, it should be evenly spaced and round.

Rarely Considered, Often Neglected: Lunging to Develop the Riding Seat:

Interpreting the Half-Halt: This topic is a tricky one but here is a shot at it.

Do A "Forward" Back-Up! Tricks to developing an easy and rhythmical back-up.

Top 10 Ways to Reward Your Horse: A happy horse is a willing partner, and many horses will give everything they have if they feel your acknowledgement and generosity of spirit.

Demystifying "Contact" in Horseback Riding: Does “contact” have other-wordly connotations? Here is why effective contact is within reach of the average rider.

From a Whisper to a Scream: How Loud Should Our Aids Really Be? Should we be “loud” in our aids, or should we be working as softly as we can in hopes that our horse can respond to lighter and more refined aids?

Do You Make This Timing Mistake When Riding Your Horse? Have you ever given your horse an aid and got nothing in return? There could be one other variable that you might not have considered...

Secrets to a Great Turn (a.k.a. Shift Out to Turn In): Can you tell if your horse uses his hind end before taking the first step in the new direction, or does he feel stiff and awkward, almost like he’s leaving his legs behind the movement?

Don't Mistake the Halt For a Stop! Don't do it! Don't mistake the halt for a stop. They are two entirely different maneuvers.

How the "Not Canter" Can Drastically Improve Your Transitions: Every time you ask (with the correct aids), the horse resists. The situation becomes ugly – you have a hard enough time just sitting the bounciness, never mind getting the transition. What to do? This article remains one of our most popular posts of all-time.

The #1 Problem of the Year: The Outside Rein! The outside rein is the most underused and poorly understood of all the aids, and here’s why.

6 Ways to Unleash the Power of Your Riding Seat: As you become more subtle in the aiding process, you will begin to discover just how powerful the seat can be in guiding the horse without disturbing and interfering in his movement.

To Lesson or Not To Lesson? That shouldn't even be a question!

The 99% "Lucky Rule": The 99% Lucky rule is very simple – when you’re around horses, and particularly in dangerous situations, you are lucky 99% of the time. That is a good rule – unless it happens to be the 1% of the time that you might be ‘un’-lucky! Then, it’s no fun at all.

Speaking "Horse" (a.k.a. "Pushing the Envelope"): Horses send messages out as much as humans do. Once you know how to listen to your horse, a whole world of communication can open up for you.

How The “Not Canter” Can Drastically Improve Your Transitions

Imagine experiencing the dread that comes along with having to do something particularly undesirable. Except in this case, in some miraculous way, the "powers that be" come to your rescue - and actually rescind the request. Can you imagine the relief you would feel when you realize that you would NOT have to do the task?

Some horses get into the same emotional (and physical) bind when it comes to transitions. At times, it can happen even to the best of horses - a new learning phase with higher expectations might spark either mental, emotional or even physical stress. There may be ear pinning, tail swishing, hopping, kicking out, teeth grinding - so many signs that your horse might be finding the task too difficult.

Every time you ask (with the correct aids), the horse resists. The situation becomes ugly - you have a hard enough time just sitting the bounciness, never mind getting the transition. You kick, use your voice, use the crop, rock your body over the forehand of the horse - anything to get that canter!

The horse's response can range from a mild hesitation to an outright buck or rear. Eventually, you win - the horse launches himself into a lurched, scrambling canter, running off at warp speed just to keep the three-beat gait. Ears are pinned, tail is swishing, and the strides feel awkward and unbalanced.

Many riders feel that the discomfort must be a sort of right of passage, and the horse must be driven through this awkward and unbalanced phase. Surely, the horse MUST give in one day and eventually settle into a nice calm, rhythmical canter - it only takes time and enough repetition. Right?

Well, probably not.

It is true that some horses do "give in" and eventually canter more promptly - but there will always be an element of tension and lack of balance. What needs to be changed is the pattern of asking - the horse needs to be shown how to be calm and confident in the canter departure.

There are many methods to teaching a good transition but the "not canter" works easily and well if performed with gentleness and empathy. It is actually very simple - the difficult part is the waiting and patience that is required.

How to "Not Canter"

Establish a good calm, slow, rhythmical trot.

Apply the aids for the canter.

Then do not canter.

That's it!

Of course, your horse will react the same way he has the past hundred times. He'll pin his ears, shake his head, grind his teeth. He'll tighten his back and brace himself for a launch into the canter universe.

And you will NOT.

You will keep trotting - keep the rhythm, staying steady, slow, calm. Wait until he releases the tension, finishes the hops and tail swishes. Wait for the sigh of relief when he realizes that he doesn't have to perform on the spot.

Re-establish the trot.

Then, ask for the "not canter" again.

Keep doing this and wait for the horse to respond more calmly to your aids. He may be confused at first - why ask for something when you don't want it? But eventually, he'll see that the canter aids don't have to cause all that tension.

Celebrate!

If he happens to reach further underneath himself with his hind legs, you will celebrate. If he snorts and swings better in the trot, you will celebrate. If you discover that he takes larger trot strides, you will celebrate. Because even though these are not the canter, they are all the prerequisites to a good canter. They are all mini-steps in the right direction.

Then ask for another "not canter". And another. And another.

One time (probably sooner than you expect), the horse will canter. But it will be hesitant, slow stepping, breaking back to the trot. And you will celebrate that too!

Stick to the program - calm, slow, rhythmical trot. Put on the aids again: "not canter".

Wait for the next canter attempts, and once or twice, accept the canter. Do your best to follow the movement - but don't force it. Accept tentative attempts. Encourage by petting and ONE time, ask for a real canter. If there is a hint of tension, back off and "not canter" again.

Feel free to quit at any time that you feel your horse has somewhat calmed. You can always pick it up again tomorrow.

And be sure in the knowledge that this "not" path to the canter is much faster and truer than any method that requires force. Your aim is to prove to the horse that you will always give him the benefit of the doubt, and that you are willing to wait for the "results".

Happy riding!

Note: The "not" technique can be used for any movement: the "not trot" (from a walk), the "not walk" (from a trot or canter), the "not shoulder-in", etc. It is essentially a frame of mind - can be used anywhere and any time!

**Caution: The "not canter" might not be helpful in all circumstances. If a young horse is cantering for the very first time, this would be counterproductive. Also, there may be instances where a horse might become too excited if the energy is contained too long. Always use your best judgment in using any techniques, and seek the help of a more advanced rider/trainer if necessary. And always let the horse be your guide - you should be able to identify fairly quickly if the horse appreciates the technique.

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening Book 2 – Forward And Round To Training Success

Stop printing off the articles! Your favorite training articles are compiled in this beautifully bound paperback book. Have everything at your fingertips - this book can be taken to the barn as a quick refresher or leisurely read at home.

From the book:

"Regardless of discipline, what would be the most significant effect a rider would want to have on her horse?

We all want our horses to improve in their athletic

development, skill acquisition and connectedness. Much of our rider development and training efforts go into working toward our show or personal goals....

But the best riders aspire to do one essential thing each and every day, regardless of goals and lesson plans: they work hard to improve their horse’s way of going.

Because proper balance and weight carriage is essential to a horse’s longevity. Each and every minute of each and every ride has the potential to contribute to your horse’s health and well-being.

Or not."

Just as with all the Horse Listening Collection Books, this book is focused on helping the rider improve for the sake of the horse. But this book goes deeper into the best training articles from the blog - horse-centered theory, strategies and ideas you can try with your own horse.

The book begins with the horse's hind end (!), considers the horse's back, moves on to rider development, and fills it all in with the fundamentals of horse riding so your horse can be:

happier in his body

happier in his "work"

better balanced all-around

Available as an eBook or paperback.

How to Have Fun on the Trails in the Middle of Winter

Hard, unforgiving ground,

chilly winds and cloudy sky.

Slap on your winter woolies,

throw on the saddle pad,

tighten the girth

and head off into the beautiful trails

with leafless trees

and strangely open fields!

How can you have fun with your favourite equine in the middle of winter? Just head off into the bush, with careful step and controlled feels-like-she's-gonna-explode-any-second excitement. Take it easy at first - gently walk until you can get a good handle for the footing. Then take the first tentative steps into the trot - ahh.. the ground is good. Enjoy the bouncy pleasure and the exuberant snorts, but don't let the young mare get past the point of no return (=start a bucking spree!). Let the energy out judiciously....

Now that she's settled, and we have a slow and steady (but animated and still threatening to explode) trot, let's start playing a game: shoulder-in left, haunches in left, renvers left, (very careful and short as there isn't much room) half-pass left. Good girl! Now try the right - shoulder-in (keep the outside shoulder straight darling!), haunches in, renvers, and now three half-pass steps right. That's it!

Do it again! And again! And AGAIN! What fun!

What? She wants to canter!

Well, only if she steps verrrry carefully over this hard ground. She'll have to stay in a tight little ball, no real speed. But you can try...

No! She can't buck! Didn't she say she wanted to canter? You love her enthusiasm, though!

That's it - careful, super-controlled three-beat. Right lead first? OK - just a few strides. Oh the snorts! That feels soooo good!

How about the left lead? That one's a bit harder and stiffer... set up gently first - straighten the body, steady the trot, wait for it! Wait for it! OK now take a stride. And another - and another! What fun!

And finally, a long-stepping, muscle-releasing, casual walk up the hill and turn for home. Breathe in that super fresh air and take a look at the beauty of the foliage, that even in its shriveled, brown, winter form, has a charm that delights the mind and thrills the soul.

Get home before the cold really settles into the body.

And that is what winter fun is all about!

Included in the book:

design your overarching goals
long- and short-term planning,
debrief your special events such as clinics or shows
reflect on, plan and evaluate your goals
sample goals and pages

Click here for more information.

Horses. Riding. Life.

Tag: canter

Charlotte Dujardin Masterclass: 5 Take-Aways

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening Book Collection - beautiful paperbacks with all the excellence of the blog - in your hands! Click on the image for more information.

A Stretch and Strengthen Canter Exercise

Horse Listening Book Collection - beautiful paperbacks with all the excellence of the blog - in your hands! Click on the image for more information.

How Many Aids Are You Using?!

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening Book Collection - beautiful paperbacks with all the excellence of the blog - in your hands! Click on the image for more information.

Archives – Lessons/Training

Look through these articles for tips and recommendations on common horse riding problems. Let us know in the comments sections if you tried something and how it worked out!

How The “Not Canter” Can Drastically Improve Your Transitions

How to "Not Canter"

Establish a good calm, slow, rhythmical trot.

Apply the aids for the canter.

Then do not canter.

That's it!

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening Book 2 – Forward And Round To Training Success

How to Have Fun on the Trails in the Middle of Winter

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!