Spider, the jug-headed mare, 1982. Very smoooth moving girl. She'd spook when she shat.
My favourite stallyun, to honour Canada Day.
Scanned from Equitation - Henry Wynmalen, 1938
Scanned From Hunter Seat Equitation - George Morris 1971.
Line Drawing by Jan Conant.
You might have heard of George..
"A canter is the cure for every evil" - Disraeli
"Come, let me taste my horse, who is to bear me like a thunderbolt" - Shakespeare
Flying
One of the most beautiful movements to ride is the flying change. Swapping legs sounds so boring, and allows people to just look/feel for the front end swap. Disunited, or cross-cantering is the result of this type of request. i.e. The horse is cantering on the correct lead in front, but not behind. Feels horrible, awkward, disjointed. Like the horse is broke in two.
Much more rarely, the horse will swap behind only. That's usually a result of unsoundness of some sort. Even uglier to ride than a front only swap. And both are pretty ugly to watch. Watch for cross-cantering. It is a portent of uglier things to come, more often than not.
You cannot get a change with a heavy inside (the direction you're going) shoulder. Period.
Okay, okay, I'm TRYing not to tangent.. The canter, of course, is this sublime gait that some horses have. We all know the foot fall, yes? The horse in the second line drawing above is shown in the last stride of his right lead, with his right front on the ground, then the moment of suspension is shown next, all four feet off the ground, then the left lead, with his right hind taking the next beat. The third picture actually shows the second beat of the canter, in this case, inside (left)hind/outside front together on the ground. Blah, blah, blah.
It's the moment of suspension that freaks new riders out. AIRtime. The trot is such a "grounded" gait. The canter is the beginning of flying. A round, rocky rolling wondrous thing. The increased speed does lots of riders in. You are going faster. More can happen. So what? Oh, cantering...
One/two/three/fly, one/two/three/fly. Some horse's canters are more like one/two/three/one/two/three/one/two/three. Quick and flat. Some do what's called a four-beat canter, or what I like to call a caterpillar canter. One/two/trot/three/one/two/trot/three/one/two/trot/three. It's very comfortable to sit, actually. Sort of like riding a rolling table.
But the big movers. Oh, yeah. The canter is inherently exciting, being one gear below the gallop. My favourite canter EVER wasn't GoLightly's, truth be told. An ancient TB Hunter took that honour. Old Strokey, one/two/three/wait a half hour/one/two/three/wait a half hour/one/two/three/wait a half hour. He could canter at about three miles an hour.
GoLightly's canter was Huge. HUGE. ONE/twoooooooooo/threeeeeeeee/flying/Onnnnnnnnee/twoooooooooo/threeeeeeeee/flying. His stride was so adjustable, the suspension time was whatever you wanted it to be...
I first started consciously asking for flying changes whilst riding a mare with a gangly back end. The mare was a bit long-backed, a bit weak through her loins. The mare was one of my first horses that fell into my lap. I schooled her religiously, and worked hard to keep her balanced and straight. It was around this time that I visited my cousin, the one who put a thousand hours worth of flat work into me, in about a week.
ANYway, the problem with flying changes, is (for me) they are exciting! It feels so COOL! The first time I asked for a change from the mare, I got a beautiful clean change. I whooped and hollered, and scared the crap out of the poor mare. The best way to ride a change is to be matter-of-fact about it. It's no big deal to the horse, they do them all the time, out loose.
But don't ask for one, until your horse is already doing the following, easily.
Walk/canter, both ways. Simple changes (Canter/trot/canter) across the diagonal, and on the straightaway. Counter-cantering on straightaways. Simple changes as you change direction. Either canter/trot/canter, or canter/walk/canter. It is imperative that you keep the horse STRAIGHT, and light on his inside shoulder through his turns.
So many exercises will help that first request for a flying change. Just try not to whooop and holler when you get one. Scares the crap out of your horse.
OH, congratulations to Mario Deslauriers and Paradigm for winning the Nexen Derby at Spruce Meadows!!
GO CANADA!
30 comments:
"The best way to ride a change is to be matter-of-fact about it. It's no big deal to the horse, they do them all the time, out loose."
Amen my wise friend ! you do know how to take it a part and make it simple ! My "KISS" theory is vindicated right here (KEEP IT SIMPLE SWEETIE)My favorite Canter was on Togy , my first very own horse , we could fly her and I !
btw , sorry for the c&p , but wise words bear repeating!
I HATE when people just try to run their horse's into a corner and throw them off balance to get the change!!! Yay Canada!!
Great pic AGaiN, Gl. And great topic.
Your posts are always so awesome.
Im serious, I cant wait for the hard cover version to come out!
One of the most beautiful things I've seen is a flawless dressage test with one- and two-tempis. So lovely when it's done right.
I watched the Nexen Derby on CBC. Mario's round was really, really nice. I watched the Double Slalom beforehand, and that was just terrifying! Lots of falls, and lots of preteens going hell for leather. My husband says I shouldn't watch show jumping or cross country because I freak when someone has a fall.
I can't do flying changes yet. I'm not there. I was freaked at the speed... probably because I am too foward. I did learn on an awful horse to canter but it was not his fault. He was a bit old and arthritic.
The suspension is fun though for sure. I DO remember being aware of a flying lead change and it was awesome. It shouldn't have been, as he was spooking and had he not done a flying change and turned I might have hit a tree... BUT it was a cool feeling.
If I'm not forward, I can get Gator into that 3mph canter. He does float... one day I'll get out of his damn way at that gait. I'm workin' on it.
Meghan, did you see the fall Beezie took??
Holy Ouch!
And she rode two horses in the Derby the next day.
Tough rider, she is.
I hate the Double Slalom. Won't watch it anymore. Silly class, IMO. Don't see a lot of great riding happening in it. The "big-name" riders use it for schooling. The pre-teens use it for yahoo-isms. Yes, it gets the youngsters into that big ring. Dunno how much learning they do. RUN FOR YOUR LIVES shouldn't be a schooling mantra...
It was great to see Mario & that big old chestnut on form. Beating the USA riders is always sweet:)
AB, you can do them. If Gator can, so can you:)
Oh, Ayrab canters.....
sighhhhh......
blah, blah, Blah!!
Tx, I haz bone to pick with you...
Did you notice that flying tail horse video you posted got yanked?
I wanted to use it as an example of what to do with young horses and corners and changes. The guy was setting that horse up nicely for the beginnings of changes.
He rode that horse STRAIGHT into the corner after every fence, no matter what lead he was on.
Good schooling was being demonstrated...
GL - Oh, yeah I'm sure we can. I just have to ask correctly. :p
I have lots to learn though and all we gots is time.
I mean to tell you... I tented up the saddle pad last night. However, we didn't do a lot. Hubby came out to the barn with Autumn and I was already running late. I DO think he liked it.
It um... makes the saddle pad fit better. Obviously intended to be tented. I can't totally tell you he loved though because we didn't end up doing more than going for a short walk with hubby and the girls and then I trotted him a few laps around his field. I was just feeling eh. A NASTY wind/thunder storm was rolling in so it was good we didn't stay out longer. I will report more once we work harder - I think I'll notice more appreication from him of your critique. :)
I did also notice HOW much I sit forward and me stressing closes my hips. I was just thinking of moving him and we were walking slowly and casually along and I made myself aware of my position. All my tension went STRAIGHT to shutting my hips. Poor boy is used to it... I ahve a lot of work to do. ESPECIALLY at the canter which your post is quite helpful.
I love a good canter. My old guy Spunky had a canter that was just the best. We won many a flat class with his canter. I could ask him to pick it up from a dead stand still, and he always hit it dead on, correct lead and everything. I miss it so much.
We did have trouble with changes though. From right to left was a problem. We did finally get it. Now Whinnie was a different story. I taught her flying changes one afternoon in about 15 minutes. The girl doesn't like to be off balance.
GL:
Question for you:
Why would a person breed her pretty much untalented, fugly draft mare who had previously slipped dead twins?
This person already has a gelding who has been "classically trained in dressage." She is apparently showing this one over fences (scares the shit out of me) and she has another young one as well. All of this on a very small property.
Why would someone feel the need to breed her crap mare to produce more?
Would appreciate your input.
Oh, CCC, I have NO idea. WTF is wrong with people??
The amazing speshul coloured stallion, also aged, is for sale. Gorgeously pretty fella.
I hope the mare comes through it okay.
But,yeah.
Why??
Becuz I wannna BabEEEEEEEEEEE.
My teeth hurt. From grinding;)
Do they give horses ritalin?
eeeeeek
14th:):)
<')
GL:
The reason I ask the question is because I have a really fine mare that I won't breed because I do not want to produce babies who one day might end up on someone's dinner plate, no matter how good my intentions.
So sadly true.
30 years is a long time to commit to an animal, especially when the animal would much rather the BYB herself were committed.
What is a common cause of teeth grinding?
Is it a sign of relaxation?
I dun't think so, Lucy....
Stress girlfriend, stress!
The thought of Bonnie's lead changes is what makes me want to keep trying to ride her. Amazing to think I ever did flying changes on that mare...
As my dear friend from England would tell me, I've got a bit windy after a bad fall.
(I'm a whooper. One of my best falls was when a prospective buyer convinced me to canter a pony I hadn't cantered yet. When he dove into a fabulous canter I gave a holler and he gave a twist and a buck that landed me six feet away.)
I'm thinking of putting a freeze brand on my horses' necks. "This horse is not edible!"
Stupid. It's late. I apologize.
I do have those little stickers for the registrations. They almost work, sometimes, from what I hear.
US, hah! Great idea.
Sorry I blathered away on your blog.
I think the statistics of the ratios of geldings/stallions/mares (in show-jumping anyway) fairly clearly demonstrates that it IS unusual (not unheard of) for mares to be be "up there" in performance classes.
eg. at the last Olympics in Show-Jumping, there was something like 47 geldings, 25 stallions and 11 mares.
Don't quote me.
But the mares aren't as numerous..
Oh, here's the link.
Apologies if you have already seen this..
2008 Olympics
Good post. I've always loved an nice canter. Did you try riding on the buckle with the gangly-ended mare?
I have watched jumping this year. Good for Mario though. Beezie fell. I hope she's all right.
GL- any stats on how many of the Olympic horses grind their teeth?
What about riders?
I'll post a picture of the mare, gotta find it first.
Her head was kinda in my face all the time. On the buckle meant shuffle faster...
grind, grind, grind...
hard on the teeth.
I believe that number is zero, NCC. Could be wrong.
Sure didn't hear any, when I watched all three zillion hours of it.
BHM, Beezie sure took a tumble, didn't she! She looked a little hesitant/tentative on both horses in the Derby, which is very unusual for her.
I hope she's okay. Such an incredible rider!
GL,
I heard about Beezie falling in 2007. What happened this year?
I haven't heard any problems with the Olympic stadium jumping horses. The problem is with the dressage horses. A large percentage of the dressage warmbloods are put down by the age of six. The ones that make it are disabled by the time they are seven or eight.
Nobody caught this. Neither did I:(
"It is imperative that you keep the horse STRAIGHT, and light on his inside shoulder through his turns."
The first half isn't quite correct, why?
Because a canter isn't a "straight" gait. It's a curvy gait, an asymmetrical gait. An either/or gait. (right or left)
The trot isn't.. The walk isn't.
The gallop becomes deadly straight, but the canter is for curving..
EVER so slightly.
Your outside seat bone and your horse's outside hind Must "rock" upward together..
That's your lead.
You can't see it from the saddle, even when doing the (Never do this) Looking Down. You eventually fall down, looking for leads..
The lead pushes you either left or right, from BehinD...
sorry..........
BHM, how long were you IN Mongolia??
It's 2009. Check your gleeber.
Show me where I can read about these dead WarmBloods?
Are you talking the culls?
Have you transmorgrified without permission?
TGIF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tried to post on free falling and all I get is a gray blank...WTF? I'm confused...again...So where is the Dena blog? Curiosity is killing me!
Love the info on flying changes. Grew up just riding, so didn't know that flying changes were a big deal, horses do them all the time. It was when I started concentrating too hard on them that I started to mess the horse up!
kestrel!!
WTf is right.
STFSTF & D.R.(aka4sam) wrassling
I got 10 bucks D.R. gets the last word.
The outside hind engages FIRST, in a canter. This is what I mean by not straight starting in the canter, he's "up" in front and tilted up/back to the outside, in order to take that step.
Or, just ride the darn thing..
lucky witches..
Cantering away...
It's a rolling rocking wonder.
Or, not.
Sit tall and enjoy!
Yup, exactly on the canter. I learned as a bareback kid to ride the lead off the opposite butt cheek, so had to actually learn to teach students to check by looking at the front leg...leads start from the horse's back leg. Show riding really was hard for me to learn, since a lot of western horses are cued by turning their nose to the OUTside of the canter circle...huh? Horse should always follow nose or falls down, unless humans ask for silly stuff...JMO. I can get a lead either way depending on how the horse is trained, but mine are just allowed to naturally switch off my seatbones. Plant seatbone on hind leg (figuratively of course) and front end does what it is supposed to do.
major movement, there, those flying changes. Loved riding through them.
well written, GoL.
as usual :)
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