reihaneh
Member
Better canter for rider and horse
From: Eleanor
Dear Jessica, I'm having canter problems and hope you can help me with advice. My horse is an Azteca (Andalusian - Quarter Horse cross), nine years old, very sweet and willing and really pretty well balanced. I rode him Western pleasure for three years, then he was off for a year because of a tendon injury, and for a number of different reasons I ended up taking hunt-seat lessons on a friend's horse all that year (it's a long story). It was a good year but now that Chico and I are back together and he is sound to ride again I knew I didn't want to do any more WP, but I didn't think it was a good idea to jump a horse with a tendon problem, so I've started taking dressage lessons. I'm having a good time and Chico likes it too.
Our canter problems are probably my fault. When I rode WP I had to stay totally stiff and so did the horse, and then when I rode hunt-seat I always got up in a two-point position to canter, so I think I don't know how to sit a canter because it's not something I've ever had to do. Chico is not a lazy horse, but the change from WP to dressage is probably pretty hard on him and I'd like to make it easier. When I ask him to canter, and I stay in my saddle, he either doesn't want to pick up the canter, or he picks it up and then right away goes back to a trot. He does this even when I lean forward and give him plenty of rein. When I do that, I have to get the rein back pretty fast so that he doesn't run off at the canter, not that he ever does that but I worry about it. I should probably use my legs more but I don't want to push him too hard or make him go too fast because of his tendon. I know it's my fault because sometimes he does pick up the canter and then I get scared and tense because he feels like his back is coming up so much more than it used to. I start to grip with my legs and hands, and then he trots. What can I do to make Chico's canter better, please?
Eleanor
Hi Eleanor! If Chico has been cleared by the vet for canter work, I think you can safely ask him for a little more energy. This isn't the same thing as asking him to go faster. What you want from Chico, both going into the canter and during the canter, is IMPULSION, not speed. You want him to be moving with enough energy and bounce to give you the feeling that instead of making him canter or asking him to canter, all you would have to do is ALLOW him to canter, and he'd be cantering.
During his WP years, Chico probably learned to do a flat, four-beat gait that was called a lope" but had nothing to do with an actual lope or canter. It sounds as though he's trying to offer you a real canter now - which is probably why you're getting scared, and why he feels as though his back is "coming up so much more than it used to" (good description, by the way!). This is a good sign. If he's built like most Aztecas, he'll probably turn out to be a very nice mover - and from your description, I'd say he's already on his way to better movement. It's getting more comfortable for him to use his belly, lift his back, and move correctly, which is great, but now you have to learn how to sit quietly and allow him to do those things.
If you become nervous and grip with your legs, you'll pop your seat right out of the saddle, and if you're holding the reins hard, even though what you're really saying is "I'm scared and I don't know how to sit this canter", what Chico will hear, through your legs and reins, is "Trot, please, I don't want you to canter!"
Here are some things you can do. Leave your seat IN the saddle when you ask for the canter, and when you ride the canter - don't get up, don't go anywhere, just SIT. Practice sitting in the saddle at a walk. When you know you're in a balanced position, sit quietly and just breathe. Feel how your hips move up and down and back and forth, and how your seatbones lift and drop, one at a time, as Chico's hind legs take turns moving forward. Let your hips and pelvis do all the moving - your seat should stay softly in the saddle, and your back should remain straight. When you find that you're doing this easily and automatically at the walk, you'll be ready to try it at the canter.
You'll find it easiest to ride the canter if you ask Chico to take it from the walk, since you're working to improve your own position and movement. If you do walk-canter transitions and you're riding the walk correctly, you'll find that in canter, your position will be the same and the movements of your hips and pelvis will change hardly at all.
If Chico is offering you a nice, forward, energetic walk, he should have the necessary impulsion for a good canter transition and a nice canter. If he is offering a flat, short-strided walk, don't bother with the canter until you've worked on his walk for awhile. He needs to get into the habit of "using himself" at the walk - in other words, putting some movement and energy into it.
When his walk is good enough to give you a good canter transition, be sure that your aids are very clear, so that he knows which lead you want. If you're out in a big field, you can concentrate JUST on getting the transition from walk to canter - on either lead. That's probably the best way to begin, because when you're teaching a horse to offer an energetic transition up into the canter, you don't want to be bringing him back to a trot right away for any reason, so it's better to put yourself and your horse into a situation where you just don't need to worry about whether he's on a particular lead.
When you give your canter aids from the walk, don't change your body position at all. Shifting your outside leg back to ask for the canter is all you'll need to do, because if he's walking well, your hips and arms will already be moving with him correctly. The action you've described - leaning forward and giving him rein - is actually going to interfere with his canter transition. He needs to be balanced to step UP into the canter, and how can he stay balanced under you if you suddenly lean forward, throwing away the contact and dumping your weight (and his) on his forehand? Try to sit very softly and quietly, so that Chico can keep his balance and make the good transition you want.
As he takes that first canter stride, feel your hips and pelvis moving, just as you did when he was walking. As long as you can keep your rear end in the saddle and your hips moving with your horse, you'll know you're not interfering with him or confusing him. But be sure you can feel your hips and pelvis moving - if they aren't moving, something is wrong. Hint: If you grip with your legs or tighten your buttocks or lift your seat out of the saddle, your hips and pelvis will stop moving.
If you're in a good position, moving with the horse at an energetic walk, and give clear aids for a canter transition, you should get the canter promptly - and as long as you let your hips and pelvis continue to move with the horse, you should find the canter quite easy to sit. I think your problems have come from the way you've been asking for and riding the canter. It sounds as though you've been unbalancing your horse on the transition, then becoming nervous whenever he DID manage to pick up the canter, at which point you would sit up, clamp your legs, and haul on the reins. If both you and Chico are balanced and you go from a good energetic walk to a canter WITHOUT your body getting out of position, I think you'll find that the canter you get is much less scary and much easier to sit, and that you won't worry about him going too fast for you.
Since you have someone to give you lessons, is there any chance you could take a couple of longe lessons on one of the instructor's horses? It would be very good for you to learn to sit the canter without worrying about steering or speed or your horse's tendon. Even just a couple of longeing sessions would help you by letting you focus on yourself and not your horse wYou would have a chance to get the FEEL of transitions and the FEEL of sitting in the saddle quietly (but not stiffly) during the canter. If you can possibly set up a couple of lessons on the longe line with a good instructor, do it - you won't be sorry.
Good luck!
Jessica
From: Eleanor
Dear Jessica, I'm having canter problems and hope you can help me with advice. My horse is an Azteca (Andalusian - Quarter Horse cross), nine years old, very sweet and willing and really pretty well balanced. I rode him Western pleasure for three years, then he was off for a year because of a tendon injury, and for a number of different reasons I ended up taking hunt-seat lessons on a friend's horse all that year (it's a long story). It was a good year but now that Chico and I are back together and he is sound to ride again I knew I didn't want to do any more WP, but I didn't think it was a good idea to jump a horse with a tendon problem, so I've started taking dressage lessons. I'm having a good time and Chico likes it too.
Our canter problems are probably my fault. When I rode WP I had to stay totally stiff and so did the horse, and then when I rode hunt-seat I always got up in a two-point position to canter, so I think I don't know how to sit a canter because it's not something I've ever had to do. Chico is not a lazy horse, but the change from WP to dressage is probably pretty hard on him and I'd like to make it easier. When I ask him to canter, and I stay in my saddle, he either doesn't want to pick up the canter, or he picks it up and then right away goes back to a trot. He does this even when I lean forward and give him plenty of rein. When I do that, I have to get the rein back pretty fast so that he doesn't run off at the canter, not that he ever does that but I worry about it. I should probably use my legs more but I don't want to push him too hard or make him go too fast because of his tendon. I know it's my fault because sometimes he does pick up the canter and then I get scared and tense because he feels like his back is coming up so much more than it used to. I start to grip with my legs and hands, and then he trots. What can I do to make Chico's canter better, please?
Eleanor
Hi Eleanor! If Chico has been cleared by the vet for canter work, I think you can safely ask him for a little more energy. This isn't the same thing as asking him to go faster. What you want from Chico, both going into the canter and during the canter, is IMPULSION, not speed. You want him to be moving with enough energy and bounce to give you the feeling that instead of making him canter or asking him to canter, all you would have to do is ALLOW him to canter, and he'd be cantering.
During his WP years, Chico probably learned to do a flat, four-beat gait that was called a lope" but had nothing to do with an actual lope or canter. It sounds as though he's trying to offer you a real canter now - which is probably why you're getting scared, and why he feels as though his back is "coming up so much more than it used to" (good description, by the way!). This is a good sign. If he's built like most Aztecas, he'll probably turn out to be a very nice mover - and from your description, I'd say he's already on his way to better movement. It's getting more comfortable for him to use his belly, lift his back, and move correctly, which is great, but now you have to learn how to sit quietly and allow him to do those things.
If you become nervous and grip with your legs, you'll pop your seat right out of the saddle, and if you're holding the reins hard, even though what you're really saying is "I'm scared and I don't know how to sit this canter", what Chico will hear, through your legs and reins, is "Trot, please, I don't want you to canter!"
Here are some things you can do. Leave your seat IN the saddle when you ask for the canter, and when you ride the canter - don't get up, don't go anywhere, just SIT. Practice sitting in the saddle at a walk. When you know you're in a balanced position, sit quietly and just breathe. Feel how your hips move up and down and back and forth, and how your seatbones lift and drop, one at a time, as Chico's hind legs take turns moving forward. Let your hips and pelvis do all the moving - your seat should stay softly in the saddle, and your back should remain straight. When you find that you're doing this easily and automatically at the walk, you'll be ready to try it at the canter.
You'll find it easiest to ride the canter if you ask Chico to take it from the walk, since you're working to improve your own position and movement. If you do walk-canter transitions and you're riding the walk correctly, you'll find that in canter, your position will be the same and the movements of your hips and pelvis will change hardly at all.
If Chico is offering you a nice, forward, energetic walk, he should have the necessary impulsion for a good canter transition and a nice canter. If he is offering a flat, short-strided walk, don't bother with the canter until you've worked on his walk for awhile. He needs to get into the habit of "using himself" at the walk - in other words, putting some movement and energy into it.
When his walk is good enough to give you a good canter transition, be sure that your aids are very clear, so that he knows which lead you want. If you're out in a big field, you can concentrate JUST on getting the transition from walk to canter - on either lead. That's probably the best way to begin, because when you're teaching a horse to offer an energetic transition up into the canter, you don't want to be bringing him back to a trot right away for any reason, so it's better to put yourself and your horse into a situation where you just don't need to worry about whether he's on a particular lead.
When you give your canter aids from the walk, don't change your body position at all. Shifting your outside leg back to ask for the canter is all you'll need to do, because if he's walking well, your hips and arms will already be moving with him correctly. The action you've described - leaning forward and giving him rein - is actually going to interfere with his canter transition. He needs to be balanced to step UP into the canter, and how can he stay balanced under you if you suddenly lean forward, throwing away the contact and dumping your weight (and his) on his forehand? Try to sit very softly and quietly, so that Chico can keep his balance and make the good transition you want.
As he takes that first canter stride, feel your hips and pelvis moving, just as you did when he was walking. As long as you can keep your rear end in the saddle and your hips moving with your horse, you'll know you're not interfering with him or confusing him. But be sure you can feel your hips and pelvis moving - if they aren't moving, something is wrong. Hint: If you grip with your legs or tighten your buttocks or lift your seat out of the saddle, your hips and pelvis will stop moving.
If you're in a good position, moving with the horse at an energetic walk, and give clear aids for a canter transition, you should get the canter promptly - and as long as you let your hips and pelvis continue to move with the horse, you should find the canter quite easy to sit. I think your problems have come from the way you've been asking for and riding the canter. It sounds as though you've been unbalancing your horse on the transition, then becoming nervous whenever he DID manage to pick up the canter, at which point you would sit up, clamp your legs, and haul on the reins. If both you and Chico are balanced and you go from a good energetic walk to a canter WITHOUT your body getting out of position, I think you'll find that the canter you get is much less scary and much easier to sit, and that you won't worry about him going too fast for you.
Since you have someone to give you lessons, is there any chance you could take a couple of longe lessons on one of the instructor's horses? It would be very good for you to learn to sit the canter without worrying about steering or speed or your horse's tendon. Even just a couple of longeing sessions would help you by letting you focus on yourself and not your horse wYou would have a chance to get the FEEL of transitions and the FEEL of sitting in the saddle quietly (but not stiffly) during the canter. If you can possibly set up a couple of lessons on the longe line with a good instructor, do it - you won't be sorry.
Good luck!
Jessica
چهار نعل بهتر برای اسب و سوار
از طرف: النر
جسیکای عزیز، من مشکلی در چهار نعل دارم و امیدوارم بتوانی با توصیه ات به من کمک کنی. اسب من یک آزتک (Andalusian - Quarter Horse cross) نه ساله است ،بسیار شیرین و علاقمند به کار و دارای تعادل بسیار خوب .من برای سه سال او را وسترن سواری کردم سپس برای یک سال به دلیل آسیب تاندون کار نکرد، و به چندین دلیل من در این مدت کلاس های نشست شکاری (hunt-seat ) را با اسب یکی از دوستان تمام کردم ( داستان درازی دارد) سال خوبی بود ولی اکنون که من و چیکو باز پیش یکدیگر بر گشتیم و به نظر می رسه که او مجددا سواری دهد من میدانم که دیگر نمی خواهم وسترن سواری کنم ولی فکر نمی کنم این فکر خوبی باشد که با اسبی با مشکل تاندون پرش کار کنم، بنابراین من دروس درساژ را آغاز کردم ، من زمان خوبی را سپری می کنم و چیکو هم این را دوست دارد.
مشکل چهارنعل ما شاید اشتباه من است. زمانی که وسترن سواری می کردم باید کاملا سفت میماندم و اسب نیز به همین صورت، و سپس وقتی نشست شکاری سواری کردم همیشه درچهارنعل در وضعیت نیم نشست (two-point position) بودم ، بنابر این فکر میکنم نشست در زین در چهارنعل را بلد نیستم چرا که این چیزی است که هیچ گاه مجبور به انجام آن نبودم .چیکو اسب تنبلی نیست ولی تغییر از وسترن به درساژ شاید برای او خیلی سخت است و من قصد دارم این را برای او آسان تر کنم . زمانی که از او می خواهم چهار نعل برود و در زین باقی می مانم او یا نمیخاد چهار نعل بیاندازد یا چهار نعل می اندازد ولی بلافاصله به یورتمه بر می گردد. اوزمانی که من به جلو تکیه میکنم و به او دست جلو میدهم چهارنعل میاندازد ولی اینگونه است که زمانی که این کار را میکنم مجبورم دست جلو را به سرعت کوتاه کنم تا او در چهارنعل سرعت را زیاد نکند نه اینکه او همیشه این کار را انجام دهد ولی من نگران این مسئله هستم . شاید من باید بیشتر از ساقم استفاده کنم ولی به خاطر تاندونش نمیخواهم او را خیلی به زور وادار کنم یا باعث شوم سرعت خود را زیاد کند. می دانم که این اشکال من است چون گاهی او چهار نعل می اندازد و سپس من می ترسم و منقبض می شوم چون او احساس می کند گویی پشتش بیش از آنچه او عادت داشته بالا آمده، من با دست و پاهایم به او می چسبم و بعد او یورتمه می کند . من چه کاری می توانم برای بهتر کردن چهار نعل چیکو انجام دهم.
النر
........................................................................................................................................
سلام النر ، اگر چیکو از طرف دامپزشک برای چهارنعل اجازه دارد من فکر میکنم که تو با اطمینان می توانی از او کمی انرژی بیشتر در خواست کنی.این با خواستن سرعت بیشتر از او متفاوت است. آنچه شما از چیکو می خواهید،چه در زمان شروع چهارنعل و چه در طول زمان چهارنعل رفتن، تحرک است نه سرعت.شما از او می خواهید با انرژِی و جهش کافی حرکت کند تا این حس را در شما به وجود آورد که به جای چهار نعل انداختن او و یا درخواست چهارنعل از او، تمام آنچه باید انجام دهید این است که به او اجازه دهید چهارنعل برود تا او چهارنعل برود.
در طول سال های کار وسترن او چیکو یاد گرفته چهارنعلی تخت و چهار زمانه که تاخت نامیده میشود انجام دهد ولی مجبور نبوده کاری برای انجام یک تاخت یا چهارنعل واقعی انجام دهد. این مثل این است که او گرچه میخواهد اکنون چهارنعل واقعی را ارائه دهد – که شاید این همان چیزی است که شما را ترسانده ، و دلیل اینکه میگویید" او احساس میکند گویی پشتش بیش از آنچه او عادت داشته بالا آمده" (ضمنا توصیف خوبی بود ) . این علامت خوبی است . اگر ترکیب او همانند اغلب Azteca ها باشد احتمالا حرکت زیبایی پیدا خواهد کرد – و با توجه به توصیفات شما من خواهم گفت که او هم اکنون هم در مسیر بهتر شدن حرکتش است .استفاده از شکمش برای او برای بالا بردن پشتش و انجام درست حرکت بسیار راحت تر خواهد شد که بسیار عالی است ولی اکنون شما باید بیاموزید که چگونه آرام در زین باقی بمانید و به او اجازه این کار را بدهید.
اگر شما مضطرب و منقبض می شوید و با پاهای خود به اسب می چسبید ، نشست خود را از زین خارج میکنید و اگر شما دستجلو را خیلی محکم نگه میدارید، با وجودیکه خودتان می گویید " من می ترسم و نمیدانم چگونه در چهارنعل در زین بنشینم" آنچه چیکو می شنود ، با توجه به دستجلو و ساق شما این است " لطفا یورتمه برو ، من نمیخواهم چهارنعل بروی."
این ها برخی کارهایی هستند که میتوانید انجام دهید. زمانی که میخواهید چهارنعل بروید و در طول چهار نعل درون زین بنشینید، بلند نشوید و هیچ جای دیگر نروید فقط بنشینید.نشستن در زین را در قدم تمرین کنید زمانی که احساس کردید در تعادل داریدآرام بنشینید و فقط نفس بکشید . احساس کنید که ران و باسن شما چگونه بالا و پایین و جلو و عقب میرود. به ران ،باسن و لگن خود اجازه دهید که همه حرکت را انجام دهد – نشست شما باید در زین نرم و آرام باشد و پشت شما باید صاف باقی بماند. زمانی که احساس کردید این کار را به راحتی و ناخودآگاه ( اتوماتیک) در قدم انجام میدهید شما آماده اید که آن را در چهارنعل انجام دهید.
شما خواهید دید که آسان ترین راه چهارنعل رفتن این است که از چیکو بخواهید از قدم به چهارنعل بروددر حالی که شما روی بهبود وضعیت و حرکت خود کار می کنید. اگر انتقال از قدم به چهار نعل را انجام دهید و در قدم به درستی سواری کرده باشید ، شما آنرا در چهارنعل نیز به دست می آورید،وضعیت شما مشابه قدم خواهد بود و حرکات باسن و لگن فقط بیشتر خواهد شد.
اگر چیکو قدمی زیبا ، رو به جلو ، و با انرژی به شما ارائه می دهد باید تحرک لازم برای حرکت انتقالی مناسب به چهارنعل و چهارنعلی زیبا را نیز داشته باشد . اگر او قدمی تخت با طول گام کم دارد او را برای چهارنعل اذیت نکنید تا زمانی که مدتی روی قدم او کار کنید. او نیاز دارد به استفاده از بدن (عضلات) خودش در قدم عادت کند – به بیان دیگر ایجاد انرژی و تحرک در آن.
وقتی قدم او به اندازه ای خوب بود که بتواند چهارنعل خوبی به شما ارائه کند. از واضح بودن اثرات خو اطمینان حاصل کنید، که بر اساس آن او خواهد فهمید شما چهارنعل روی کدام دست را میخواهید.اگر شما بیرون و در مزرعه ای بزرگ هستید می توانید فقط روی حرکت انتقالی از قدم به چهارنعل – روی هر دو دست - کار کنید.شاید این بهترین راه برای شروع باشد. چون زمانی که شما به اسب آموزش می دهید که حرکت انتقالی ای با انرژی از قدم به چهارنعل ارائه دهد نمیخواهید او را به هر بهانه ای به یورتمه بازگردانید، لذا برای شما و اسبتان بهتر است که در موقعیتی قرار گیرید که نیازی نباشد نگران دست درست چهارنعل باشید.
زمانی که اثر چهارنعل را از قدم اجرا میکنید به هیچ وجه وضعیت بدن خود را تغییر ندهید. جا به جا کردن پای خارج برای اثر چهارنعل تمام کاری است که باید انجام دهید، چون اگر او به خوبی قدم برود باسن و دست های شما پیش از این به درستی با او حرکت می کرده است . عملی که شما توضیح دادید- تکیه به جلو و دادن دستجلو- در حقیقت در حرکت انتقالی او به چهارنعل اختلال ایجاد می کند . او برای این که چهارنعل بیاندازد باید تعادل داشته باشدو چگونه میتواند متعادل باقی بماند در حالی که شما ناگهان به جلو تکیه می کنید و ارتباطش را قطع می کنید و وزن خودتان ( و خودش) را روی دستش می اندازید. سعی کنید آرام و نرم بنشینید تا چیکو بتواند تعادل خود را حفظ کند و حرکت انتقالی مناسبی که شما می خواهید ارائه دهد.
همزمان با اولین گام چهارنعل او ،حرکت باسن و لگن خود را احساس کنید، درست همانگونه که در قدم احساس می کردید. تا زمانی که شما در عمق زین باقی بمانید و باسن شما با اسب حرکت کند ، میدانید که در کار او دخالت نکرده او را گیج نمی کنید.ولی از احساس حرکت باسن و لگن خود اطمینان حاصل کنید – اگر آنها حرکت نمی کنند یک چیزی اشتباه است.
نکته: اگر با پا هایتان به اسب بچسبید یا باسن خود را منقبض کنید یا نشست خود را از زین خارج کنید باسن و لگن شما حرکت نخواهند داشت.
اگر شما در وضعیت خوبی هستید، در یک قدم پر انرژی به خوبی با اسب حرکت می کنید و اثرات واضحی برای انتقال به چهارنعل اعمال می کنید باید بی درنگ به چهارنعل دست یابید- و تا زمانی که به باسن و لگن خود اجازه دهید با اسب حرکت کند خواهید دید که نشستن در چهارنعل بسیار آسان است. من فکر میکنم مشکل شما ناشی از راه درخواست شما برای چهارنعل رفتن و نوع سواریتان در چهارنعل است. به نظر میرسد این نتیجه آن است که شما اسب خود را در زمان چهارنعل انداختن نا متعادل میکنید و بعد در صورتی که او بتواند چهارنعل بیاندازد مضطرب می شوید که موجب می شود در زین ننشینید، با پا به اسب بچسبید و به دستجلو آویزان شوید. اگر هر دو شما ( شما و چیکو ) متعادل باشید و شما از یک قدم خوب پر انرژی به چهارنعل بروید بدون آنکه بدنتان از وضعیت صحیح خارج شود ، من فکر میکنم خواهید فهمید که نشستن در چهارنعلی که می روید بسیار آسان تر است و کمتر ترسناک و اینکه شما از اینکه اسب سرعت چهارنعل را برایتان بیش از اندازه زیاد کند نگران نخواهید بود.
از آنجایی که کسی را دارید که که به شما آموزش دهد،آیا این امکان وجوددارد که شما چند جلسه در لنژ و با اسب یکی از مربیان کار کنید؟ این برای شما بسیار خوب خواهد بود که نشستن در چهارنعل را بدون نگرانی در مورد هدایت اسب یا افزایش سرعت یا تاندون اسب بیاموزید.حتی فقط یه جفت جلسه لنژ به شما کمک خواهد کرد تا روی خودتان تمرکز کنید نه اسبتان ، شما این شانس را خواهید داشت که به حس درست حرکت انتقالی و نیز نشستن آرام (ولی محکم) در چهارنعل دست یابید.اگر برای شما امکان دارد چند جلسه لنژ با یک مربی خوب داشته باشید، این کار را انجام دهید – پشیمان نخواهید شد
موفق باشید
جسیکا