Blue Pony Ride: Counter Canter & Changes

Today was a beautiful day to ride. Sunny and cool but not cold. I usually go out at midday because I tend to stay up late working, drawing or just being a lazy arse and gaming.

When I went to get Mr. Blue-Pony out (a.k.a. Sam) I adjusted some of the jumps in the jump field. He'd not jumped in several days so I figured we could plod over a few low fences, work on my confidence.

So I got Sam out, groomed him up and checked his legs. Last time I rode it was wet and I wanted to be sure he didn't get a tweak or injury. He did have a small swelling behind his left hind pastern, an area which my old horse, Dustin, ended up with chronic issues on both hind legs. Soooo no jumping for us today. That was okay, we could Dressage around just fine.

We started with plenty of leg yield at the trot to get him paying attention to my legs. This was a challenge at first. Sam is lazy. Forward is not his favorite direction and impulsion is only fun when he's had a few days off and it's cold out. So moving off my leg, even with borrowed large spurs, was not happening very promptly. The second I'd swap the whip to reinforce my leg he'd side step so fast he'd nearly plow out of the ring. After a few times of this with only a couple swats to remind him he was moving when my legs asked... rather than when I tapped him with the whip or spur. It gets awful having to do these things so often. Luckily after our chaotic clinic lesson he's been much better. I just have to stay on my guard so he doesn't suck me back into his laziness.

At the canter we started doing our exercises. He has learned his changes, but does them more like hunter/jumpers do when they skip the collection and balance part...  just throwing them into it. So my goal was to maintain balance in his canter and subsequently in his changes. He needed to know the difference of when I want a change and when I'm simply asking for a counter bend, leg yield or similar. He, like many trained to be over sensitive to the cue to change, would try and do changes any time he'd loose his balance or feel a change in bend... such as anticipating when crossing the arena or coming onto a less than perfect loop.

Of course to start changes, you shouldn't even do them! I'd been working with him for a few days doing a series of shallow canter serpentines to 'untrain' the desire to lead change every time his bend changes and develop a more balanced canter. When I started riding him his canter was pretty weak. He'd either run flat or nearly four beat around, particularly on the right lead. We worked on circles and engaging his inside leg, working on placing it under his body more. I would tap him with the whip gently or bump with the spur on the inside as if to say "Hey... What about this leg? Remember it? Put it back under you, buddy." We moved on to serpentines. The use of the shallow bend for a counter canter puts his legs underneath him similarly and helps him build the muscles to carry himself.

Just last tuesday I rode him out in the back cross country field we found some perfect applications for counter canter: through trees! Often in tree covered areas and mountain trails it makes no sense to change leads for a slight bend in the trail. A balanced counter canter is a much better choice.

So as I have illustrated, we had plenty of counter canter practice. I just had to be careful to not restrict him too much. Today is when it all really seemed to click for us both. He tried once to change because I got stiff but after correcting that he was practically point and shoot for the counter canter, balanced and handy.

Well then, time to try those changes! I gave him a break right after a very lovely canter serpentine when I felt he really seemed to get it... and once he'd gotten his breath back(and lots of pets and "good boy"s) I collected him up and cantered again. We started with two serpentines to make sure he understood when I was asking him to counter canter and solidifying that he understood. After the second one it was time to try for a change. I directed him towards the center of the ring, which took a bit of effort as he though we were doing another serpentine. But with a nudge I was able to ask for the other lead. He hopped and produced a slightly confused but still correct change.

It wasn't perfect, as I said. He was unbalanced a bit, even if he did change both sets of legs accurately. He had to throw his head up and hollow out to maintain balance. No biggie... he did what I wanted and got the idea. I circled and brought him back to a walk, praising the snot out of him. Okay... now to try again, with more balance.

Again when I asked I did the serpentines first to make sure he understood the difference. If he swapped in the serpentine obviously he didn't really get what I'd asked for before with the change. Luckily he understood and counter cantered on without issue. So around the corner we went and prepared for our flying change. Again I had to exaggerate the change of bend. This time he was not so surprised. It was a choppy change, a bit awkward to sit but still correct... and this time we were balanced! I praised him greatly as I helped him keep his balance and bend through the new direction.

After a bit of counter canter on the serpentine the other direction we let it end there. Next time (saturday) we'll go ahead and work on the other side. He had been so good. Coupled with that little bit of squishy swelling I didn't want to push him too much. The change would be enough.

It was lovely to see the exercises work the way they're supposed to. So often at SCAD we would be working on exercises towards particular goals, but then the horses would change and the problems with one horse are separate from problems with others. I ended up on some of the greener fellows at times which made these things a challenge (though I love working with greenies, don't get me wrong!).

So that was Sam's ride. I'll post a second for my ride on Red Pony, Mr. Wheeler.