lazyobie29kr
30th Jul 2006, 07:36 PM
I just got 2 lovely half draft horses this past Jan. (Thelma and Louise :) who were both hunter jumpers, but no worries, I'm converting them into great western horses! They both picked up the neck reining really well and they are both very responsive to leg/seat cues, which makes things a bit easier... Anyhow, Thelma (Half quarter half percheron, but VERY drafty) has mastered the jog, but I am just now starting to get her to lope, but I don't really know how to go about doing it...so there in lies the problem. I have been cantering her in a smaller circle and I also am trying to collect her a little bit (so that she doesn't stick out her nose and run run run). I have also been sitting back in the saddle more so that she knows to slow down, but... as soon as she gets slowed down she breaks into her uber fast trot. How do I go about slowing her down without her breaking into a trot, and how do I praise her when she does a nice lope for a few seconds (before breaking into the trot again) ? Also, how shall I cue her when going from a jog to a lope? To get her to learn how to go from a jog to a canter {and not a jog to a fast trot followed by an even faster trot followed by a...} I have been jogging her and then using both legs with LOTS of energy to lift her up and get her into the canter. She has been doing really well with this, but if I ever show her I don't want to go from a nice calm jog to a loud "Come on girl!!" *ears perk up, eyes get bigger...*, to a full on canter and then slowed down to a lope {hopefully}.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, THANK YOU!!:) :)
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, THANK YOU!!:) :)