adaptive canter aids

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Silvia

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Aug 2, 2000
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Since I bought Jessy two years ago I put a lot of energy into learning to canter. I have mostly overcome my confidence issues and people tell me my position does not look too bad.
My disability causes balance problems and I don't have full control over my right side. When I want to canter I hold on to the saddle give some pressure with my inside leg and make a clucking noise - In the school Jessy picks up canter on the correct lead and canters the long side till the next corner. If I want to keep going I give the voice aid again, otherwise she comes back to trot by herself.
The last couple of weeks I have been trying to canter short distances when hacking. And I found that I can not get Jessy to canter on the leg I choose. she always picks up left canter - I guess because that is my stronger side.
I can not give much controlled pressure with my right leg. I sort of let it flop onto Jessys belly in a more or less coordinated way, which is obviously not enough to encourage her into right canter.
Also she does not stop by herself if we don't come to a corner. So I have to actually ride the transition into trot - which I am not sure how to do. I am too wobbly to let go of the saddle while she is still cantering so I don't have my hands free for the reins.
Seems that the cantering in the school, which I was so proud of, is more a case of a horse with a job well learned. Not much to do with what I do on board. :rolleyes: Back into the school for some serious practise, I think.
Anyone out there with a one sided weakness? How do you get your horse to pick up the right canter lead? Any ideas for controlled canter-trot transitions?
 
I think people who ride side saddle (and therefore have a similar problem) use a firm whip to press on that side to give the aid. Don't know if that would help. Alternatively, train her to canter on the correct lead to a voice signal - should be possible, maybe an able bodied friend could give her the correct leg signals with the voice, then voice before leg, until she gets the idea and knows what it means?

Same with the transition back to trot. You can train the 'request' to anything really, to a shift in leg position, to a voice command, whatever.

Just an idea - no idea if either will help!!
 
I know that this was aimed more at people coping with similar situations, but I hope you don't mind me asking a few more questions:

Do you hold onto the saddle with both hands, or just your left/right? Do you have much strength/grip in your right hand (could you hold a stick, or is that just not possible?) Do you ride one handed?

A few more general pointers would be to think of lifting your left shoulder up as you ask for the canter (will tend to keep more weight down your right hand side, and allow the left hind leg to strike off into right canter - in fact, you may find that using your left leg quite strongly behind the girth, backed up with a stick if you can will allow you to pick up right canter, because she does need to start with her left hind leg (which I'm sure you know:o sorry if I'm stating the obvious:o )

And of course...it may well not originate in one of your sides being weaker - lots of horses find right canter a lot more difficult than left, and unless on a circle when they need the right canter to balance they will tend to strike off on left. In the school, do you always do your canter transitions on a circle/corner? Could you try doing some on the right rein, but asking on the short, and then the long side?

Sorry if this isn't really what you were after.
 
Thanks for your ideas Bronya and allwaysfallingoff. :) I ride with both hands using an adapted rein on the right and holding a dressage whip in my left hand. Until now I have held the front of the saddle with both hands but I probably could do that with just my good hand, which would leave my right hand free. I can hold a stick in my right hand but in canter I am just too busy to do much with it.
In the school I normally ask for canter just after the corner. Corners can throw me off balance but i do try to keep the right bend coming out of the corner which makes it easier for Jessy to get her legs sorted.
I will try the left shoulder thing to get my weight on the right.
You are also right about Jessy preferring to canter left, allwaysfallingoff. But I don't think that should be an excuse for my lazy pony :p
 
Ok...I see now. Get what you mean about keeping your stick in your right hand while cantering...probably not such a good idea.

My first suggestion then would be for you to keep the left rein at about the right length to support her left side, even when you're holding the saddle. Then if you anchor your right elbow to your right hip (to encourage right flexion and to stop it from making any unwanted movements during the transition/canter) Use your right leg as best as you can, but give a sharp nudge behind the girth with your left leg, whilst keeping that shoulder up.

As for transitions back to trot...if you have a right rein that should be a bit easier, and imagine the trot rhythmn you want before you make the transition - even thinking it should make it smoother and make you less likely to get "pinged".

May be completely off the mark, but these are my first thoughts.:)
 
Thank you Afo. I tried to keep your suggestions in mind when I went for a ride today. The results were not brilliant yet, but at least I have a few things to try now. This is going to take some time. Maybe I will be able to get someone to make a video to show you how we are getting on.
 
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