Shoulder-in to straighten the canter
In my first horseshow this season I competed in Second level, whether I was ready or not. I was so pleased with Dublin and that he really went out and gave it his all. But the comment that was in all four tests was that his haunches come in when he is on the right lead canter. Yick! So they noticed, huh?
My trainer was at the show, while we both warmed up for our next classes I asked her advice on how to help this. She showed me a cool clover pattern to do in the walk, trot, and canter. The bad news is I always get lost half way through it and can't remember where I am supposed to go. The other piece of advice was to do a lot of counter canter on the right lead.
My next time I rode, I counter cantered like a fool. Dublin again tried his best, but it was obvious that we would have to work really hard at it. I also didn't want him to get too sour with this new exercise (let me say, we work at the counter canter before the show, just not as much as we do now).
So I went out to the bulletin boards of The Chronicle of the Horse and Ultimate Dressage. What great people there are to help. Someone had already posted a question about the "training pyrmid -- straightness" on one board so I asked if anyone had some good exercises to help fix this problem. I then posted a thread on the other BB as well. On both boards it was said that Dublin was likely weak/weaker in his right hind, therefore he brings his haunches in when tracking right. I then got wonderful suggestions as to some exercises to try and I have started incorporating them into my ride each day.
Here are some that I have been trying and a few that I am going to try, aside from fixing the way I am riding:
1. Shoulder-fore/Shoulder-in - As mentioned by a fellow BB person, I should ride/live in Shoulder-fore and shoulder-in. I should do this on the long side, in a circle, during transitions up and down.
I find the shoulder-in exercise GREAT. However I tend to be uncoordinated in the shoulder-in on a circle. So therefore I need to do this more and getting it right. But I am feeling Dublin really stepping under himself with his right hind.
2. Changes of direction - Again very similar to the above exercise. This one also helps get him stepping up under himself with both hinds and with the frequent change in direction, he doesn't have time to get "crooked".
- - - Exercises I am going to try - - - -
3. Ride the counter bend - this is to be done in the walk, trot and canter. When tracking left this will help remind the horse to keep using that right hind.
4. Transitions within the gait - Ask the horse to really push forward in the canter, asking him to reach forward in to the contact and come well over the back. If done correctly, the hind legs will reach further underneath and help get him straighter.
5. Transitions between the gaits - Trot, four or five steps of straight canter being ridden from a strong inside leg on the girth to the steady, receiving outside rein, then make the transition back to trot for four or five strides, back to canter.
6. 10 meter circles - keep the horse on the outside rein and soft on the inside.
7. Begin on the long side start at K. Shoulder-in from K to H. At H halt, still in the shoulder-in. Do a half-turn on the haunches to the right so that you end up facing the way you came. Keep the horse bent to the right. Go in to a renvers in a bright trot until E, then lengthen stride to K. Halt. Half turn on the haunches to the left. Once the horse is standing, bend to the right again, move from the halt in to a bright shoulder-in, rinse, repeat.
To do this in the canter, pick up the right lead canter on a 15 meter circle at A, as you come out of the corner, ask for the shoulder-fore. Shoulder-fore until S, where you take the shoulder-fore in to a 10 or 12 meter circle, depending on the ability of your horse. As you begin to come out of the circle, sit deep and soft, drop the weight in to your heels and halt at H. Do a half-turn on the forehand pushing the haunches left so that the right hind leg is being activated. When you are facing the new direction, maintain the outside bend and pick up right lead canter again, this time doing a broken diagonal from H to quarterline to K. Stay in counter canter through the corners and short side. Once out of the corner, at F ask for a bit of a lengthening in CC. At R, collect, at M transition to halt. Do the same exercise in the other direction.
8. Leg yield in the trot, from center line to long side - even better, from long side to centerline ESPECIALLY when the right hind is on the outside is an immeasurably useful tool. Not only will it help strengthen the hind end, but it also proves whether or not you are riding with the outside aids properly all the time.
Thank you to all those that posted responses to my questions and I am really enjoying learning these exercises.
My trainer was at the show, while we both warmed up for our next classes I asked her advice on how to help this. She showed me a cool clover pattern to do in the walk, trot, and canter. The bad news is I always get lost half way through it and can't remember where I am supposed to go. The other piece of advice was to do a lot of counter canter on the right lead.
My next time I rode, I counter cantered like a fool. Dublin again tried his best, but it was obvious that we would have to work really hard at it. I also didn't want him to get too sour with this new exercise (let me say, we work at the counter canter before the show, just not as much as we do now).
So I went out to the bulletin boards of The Chronicle of the Horse and Ultimate Dressage. What great people there are to help. Someone had already posted a question about the "training pyrmid -- straightness" on one board so I asked if anyone had some good exercises to help fix this problem. I then posted a thread on the other BB as well. On both boards it was said that Dublin was likely weak/weaker in his right hind, therefore he brings his haunches in when tracking right. I then got wonderful suggestions as to some exercises to try and I have started incorporating them into my ride each day.
Here are some that I have been trying and a few that I am going to try, aside from fixing the way I am riding:
1. Shoulder-fore/Shoulder-in - As mentioned by a fellow BB person, I should ride/live in Shoulder-fore and shoulder-in. I should do this on the long side, in a circle, during transitions up and down.
I find the shoulder-in exercise GREAT. However I tend to be uncoordinated in the shoulder-in on a circle. So therefore I need to do this more and getting it right. But I am feeling Dublin really stepping under himself with his right hind.
2. Changes of direction - Again very similar to the above exercise. This one also helps get him stepping up under himself with both hinds and with the frequent change in direction, he doesn't have time to get "crooked".
- - - Exercises I am going to try - - - -
3. Ride the counter bend - this is to be done in the walk, trot and canter. When tracking left this will help remind the horse to keep using that right hind.
4. Transitions within the gait - Ask the horse to really push forward in the canter, asking him to reach forward in to the contact and come well over the back. If done correctly, the hind legs will reach further underneath and help get him straighter.
5. Transitions between the gaits - Trot, four or five steps of straight canter being ridden from a strong inside leg on the girth to the steady, receiving outside rein, then make the transition back to trot for four or five strides, back to canter.
6. 10 meter circles - keep the horse on the outside rein and soft on the inside.
7. Begin on the long side start at K. Shoulder-in from K to H. At H halt, still in the shoulder-in. Do a half-turn on the haunches to the right so that you end up facing the way you came. Keep the horse bent to the right. Go in to a renvers in a bright trot until E, then lengthen stride to K. Halt. Half turn on the haunches to the left. Once the horse is standing, bend to the right again, move from the halt in to a bright shoulder-in, rinse, repeat.
To do this in the canter, pick up the right lead canter on a 15 meter circle at A, as you come out of the corner, ask for the shoulder-fore. Shoulder-fore until S, where you take the shoulder-fore in to a 10 or 12 meter circle, depending on the ability of your horse. As you begin to come out of the circle, sit deep and soft, drop the weight in to your heels and halt at H. Do a half-turn on the forehand pushing the haunches left so that the right hind leg is being activated. When you are facing the new direction, maintain the outside bend and pick up right lead canter again, this time doing a broken diagonal from H to quarterline to K. Stay in counter canter through the corners and short side. Once out of the corner, at F ask for a bit of a lengthening in CC. At R, collect, at M transition to halt. Do the same exercise in the other direction.
8. Leg yield in the trot, from center line to long side - even better, from long side to centerline ESPECIALLY when the right hind is on the outside is an immeasurably useful tool. Not only will it help strengthen the hind end, but it also proves whether or not you are riding with the outside aids properly all the time.
Thank you to all those that posted responses to my questions and I am really enjoying learning these exercises.
posted by Dressage Princess @ 12:00 PM
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