Feel

[teabiscuit]

Finn is starting to be able do a reasonably uphill canter for a couple of circuits then he drops onto his forhand

I can feel it once he's dropped, but the idea is to feel it just before he does it and prevent it by resting and saying good boy, or pushing on for a couple of strides then resting

i'm damned if i can feel when he's about to do it, is anyone able to describe what i need to be feeling for?

many thanks
:)

[Skyhuntress]

Really, what you want to look for is that he starts to feel heavier in your hands and that he's lost most of the push. If you've truly ridden an uphill canter on your body, you should really start to feel the hind end come underneath him.

With a horse who is about to go on the forehand, most of that impulsion is lost, and its almost like they are just towing their hind instead of using it

[teabiscuit]

Really, what you want to look for is that he starts to feel heavier in your hands and that he's lost most of the push. If you've truly ridden an uphill canter on your body, you should really start to feel the hind end come underneath him.

With a horse who is about to go on the forehand, most of that impulsion is lost, and its almost like they are just towing their hind instead of using it

"on my body":confused: ?

i can feel what you are describing, i just think at that point i have lost him, and what i am aiming for is to feel it as much as i can before he actually does it, if you see what i mean,

what you say is exactly what i'm feeling, but i think at that stage it's too late?
x

[julia gulia]

Hi Biscuit :D Instead of watching or waiting for him to drop onto his forehand (you said that this is what he does ) why don't you keep your driving aids on him while he is cantering up the hill? You know how you can "feel" a slight loss of impulsion when cantering on the flat and so can apply your aids before things fall apart? much harder to feel that when cantering uphill (for me anyway )so I would recommend that you use your body to engage him the whole way up. Does that make sense???? In other words....if you knew exactly when he was about to drop you'd "'pick him up" so try to hold him up the whole way up the hill instead of waiting for him to drop. Just read that back and think I need another cup of coffee:D

[teabiscuit]

hey Jules, you misunderstood my "uphill", I was being a touch pompous and using the word to describe that finn wasn't going along in his usual laid back slouch mode, not actually cantering up a hill (:o )

but what a fortuitous mistake, as you have made me think about what i am going to do :D

he's being a total sweat heart and trying his very best to do what i ask, but , when i reach the stage where i'm after him all the time, like you describe, maybe i've gone too far.

so i should "hey, back off lady" and ask him to stop and give a rest and reward after just one circuit, and be damn grateful for that!

many thanks :)

[julia gulia]

:p :p :p Told you I needed an extra cup of coffee!!!!

[teabiscuit]

:p :p :p Told you I needed an extra cup of coffee!!!!

i'm grateful, it made me realise what i gotta do :cool: :D
x

[Jessey]

I would definatly agree, you have defined his limit (for the moment) so why push the matter? just short of where he normally drops stop and tell him well done, keep doing that, then every few sessions ask for another stride or two before stopping.

Bo has only really been back in work 6 weeks and his canter work was terrible when we started we could only managed 3-4 strides of good quality canter, he can now manage 1 lap of the arena (it is big) and is getting stronger by the day :D

You will get that feeling, with Bo he gets heavy in the hand and starts to rush a bit - but like you I don't want to nag about it so found taking it slowly much better for him.

[julia gulia]

I actually have tears streaming down my face now from laughing at myself:p :p :p I just re read your original post and it makes perfect sense....My head is in the hills this morning:D ...there is no hope for me!!!!!!!
Quick!!!!! Pass The Bute :D :D :D