Changes Etc...

[kaytenherponies]

My horse (in the past, isn,t fit or muscled enough at mo. Had time off over winter) wont do simple changes. He simply plows along in counter canter!!!!

Was I doing any harm by tring to teach him a flat change or was that far to much for him?

He can do a beautiful Walk - Canter - walk transition with out any fuss, although it took me a year to get it right!!

Opinions please people? :)

[jaydevon]

bit the same as before, bit of a check list before you even ask for a change...

does your horse work on the bit??

is it engaging the back and quarters,

do you use a seperate aid to ask for canter?

will your horse strike off with the leg you ask for.. ie if on the straight can you ask for the leg you want and get it?

[kaytenherponies]

Yes too all those. Although as I said he is only 4 weeks in to his fittening programme so is not ready for it again yet. Other thread made me wonder if I was pushing him 2 hard.

[cvb]

so if walk-canter-walk is ok, what happens with canter-walk-canter ?

[kaytenherponies]

He was good at it. We were doing 2 strides of walk then picking up the opposites lead canter. Maybe I just expect too much of him, after all he is a heavy cob. Mind you have never had problems teaching him stuff just takes a little longer.

[IrisSilverMoon]

shorten the walk stride to just one, and then shorten it again until you barely hit walk, and ask for the new lead.

what else are you doing? Is it a big figure eight? maybe he doesn't realise you want the flying change.

You might need a smaller circle or tighter turns. I gave a couple of good exercises to try in the thread helenhorses started about her horse learning changes.

[jaydevon]

and over exaggerate your leg aid, ie if you just use yr out side leg, bring it back a bit further so there is no confusion,

when he changes does he change both back and front?

[kaytenherponies]

He just completely ignores my aids when I ask for the change on a circle just merrily carries on counter cantering and although he does it beatifully it is very frustrating! I was cantering a 15m circle approx then changing to a 15m on other direction.

Haven't actually tried a flat change thing. Was really just concerntrating on getting him to really listen to me in the basic transitions needed. I thought it would be easier to take him back to basics with it rather than keep fighting with him on the simple change thing.

Will def try the one stride thing when he is ready again.

[kaytenherponies]

shorten the walk stride to just one, and then shorten it again until you barely hit walk, and ask for the new lead.

what else are you doing? Is it a big figure eight? maybe he doesn't realise you want the flying change.

You might need a smaller circle or tighter turns. I gave a couple of good exercises to try in the thread helenhorses started about her horse learning changes.

Actually I think you are right he just doesn't realise maybe I just dont ask strongly enough. I give quite a strong half halt just before I want him to change which he listens to, but when I give the aids to move off on to the other leg he just carries on, on the same leg. Ears pricked happy as larry, bless him.

[IrisSilverMoon]

gotta love the perfect counter canter circle! if he's just learning he probably doesn't get it...:)

my riding instructor was also trying something with shifting the shoulders, it worked really well, but i haven't been on a horse that is working changes in awhile so i forgot exactly what she was doing. I will ask this week.

[kaytenherponies]

Thanks that wuld be great. As I said he is not ready for it yet, but thought I would bring it up as it was on another thread.

From other replies I thought maybe I was asking too much of him. Dont want to damage him :)

[jaydevon]

i wouldnt say you was asking to much, are you using your body weight when giving the aid??

a pole slighty raised can help, im most cases i would say dont repeat asking for it to much as horses tend to anticipate the change and can get up tight or change badley but in your case id possible be asking at the same spot each time.

going back to basics and working at striking off on your choosen leg each time wouldnt hurt.

[kaytenherponies]

i wouldnt say you was asking to much, are you using your body weight when giving the aid??

No, maybe thats where I am going wrong. Maybe I could sort of throw him onto the other lead :) he wil prob fall over my great huge carkas diving in that direction lol.

I agree with not asking too much, if he gets confused and frustrated he just locks up on you.

Thanks every1 for your help. Hopefully gona post some vids next week because am hiring a menage. Would appreciate honest opinions, but bare in mind I have already said he is no way ready to go back on to changes because he isn't toned enough for it.

[jaydevon]

again, exagerate it.... example.... if your going off the right rein across diaganal, aim to ask on the turn, left leg on girth right leg behind, as you ask twist your body alomost, very hard to explaine, kinda twist to the right, allowing and freeing the weight so his left side has less of your weight on and its easier for him....

does that make any sence whats so ever????

[kaytenherponies]

again, exagerate it.... example.... if your going off the right rein across diaganal, aim to ask on the turn, left leg on girth right leg behind, as you ask twist your body alomost, very hard to explaine, kinda twist to the right, allowing and freeing the weight so his left side has less of your weight on and its easier for him....

does that make any sence whats so ever????

Yes it does and I think that may well have been why he was not understanding me.

Rider error alert

I had never thought of trying that. God these forums are informative
glad I posted about it now! Thank u

[jaydevon]

erm if it helps i can get oh to video me doing a fc and over exaggerate it for you to show you what i meen??

[kaytenherponies]

Yes actually that would be brilliant. I find I learn a lot from watching other people. Thanks for advising and not mocking me btw :)

[jaydevon]

anytime, shall try and get something tomorrow or the weekend! am glad to help!