Iggy and I are still struggling with the canter. It's almost ironic that I bought this incredible horse because of his huge, amazing canter and it is now the thing that is giving us trouble. Because it is so big, it also requires more strength.
I had a great clinic with Michael B. this weekend and he really challenged me to get Iggy truly in front of the leg and connected to the bridle. He said that he cannot get strong if I do not build the strength pushing to the connection. Both of my rides were difficult. It was a new balance for me and Iggy. I had been riding Iggy on a very light contact and he can mostly hold the canter in that light contact. But when pushed up to the bridle to actually feel the bit, we fell apart. So we have homework:
1. Hands down on withers.
2. Stabilize the hands. Quiet right hand. Left hand forward.
3. Careful about leg position that inside legs is not too far back pushing his hindquarters out.
4. Inside leg forward. Push the canter forward from outside leg back.
5. To the left, counter flex before pushing forward to keep him in outside rein.
6. For groundwork, to move forehand, want left front to step back diagonally behind right front. Easier than rein back.
7. Work on getting him to walk forward in hand and gradually add more contact. Can do little legyield.
8. In half step training, while left hind is up, touch right hind. Don’t wait until left hind is down.
9. Do more transition from trot to canter. Do solid 20 minutes of good work pushing into bridle. Don't need to ride longer than that if you are doing this good quality work that is harder for him.
10. Needs to get more reactive from the leg.
11. Ask for transition from canter to trot with voice. Don’t pull back.
12. Bring the hind legs under with the strong posting trot.
13. If Iggy feels like he will buck bring his head to inside.
I was admittedly discouraged after this clinic, even feeling teary after my second ride. But these were lessons that I needed. If Iggy is to progress, I must be able to take hold of the rein. In order to do that, he must get stronger.
Michael said to trust the process and do the trot to canter transitions to build this strength. It is not important that he stays in the canter very long. The transitions with power into the bridle will build the strength.
I had a great clinic with Michael B. this weekend and he really challenged me to get Iggy truly in front of the leg and connected to the bridle. He said that he cannot get strong if I do not build the strength pushing to the connection. Both of my rides were difficult. It was a new balance for me and Iggy. I had been riding Iggy on a very light contact and he can mostly hold the canter in that light contact. But when pushed up to the bridle to actually feel the bit, we fell apart. So we have homework:
1. Hands down on withers.
2. Stabilize the hands. Quiet right hand. Left hand forward.
3. Careful about leg position that inside legs is not too far back pushing his hindquarters out.
4. Inside leg forward. Push the canter forward from outside leg back.
5. To the left, counter flex before pushing forward to keep him in outside rein.
6. For groundwork, to move forehand, want left front to step back diagonally behind right front. Easier than rein back.
7. Work on getting him to walk forward in hand and gradually add more contact. Can do little legyield.
8. In half step training, while left hind is up, touch right hind. Don’t wait until left hind is down.
9. Do more transition from trot to canter. Do solid 20 minutes of good work pushing into bridle. Don't need to ride longer than that if you are doing this good quality work that is harder for him.
10. Needs to get more reactive from the leg.
11. Ask for transition from canter to trot with voice. Don’t pull back.
12. Bring the hind legs under with the strong posting trot.
13. If Iggy feels like he will buck bring his head to inside.
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| Working to get the forward trot in the clinic. |
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| Iggy has so much knee action that I sometimes mistake the feeling of movement for forward. |
I was admittedly discouraged after this clinic, even feeling teary after my second ride. But these were lessons that I needed. If Iggy is to progress, I must be able to take hold of the rein. In order to do that, he must get stronger.
Michael said to trust the process and do the trot to canter transitions to build this strength. It is not important that he stays in the canter very long. The transitions with power into the bridle will build the strength.
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