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Encouraging an outline + collecting in canter

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  • 29-03-2011 8:37pm
    #1
    Censorsh!t
    Registered Users Posts: 1,121 ✭✭✭


    I've had my new horse a few weeks now. She is 10 years old, in and around. I don't know much about her past due to her being a rescue, but so far have cantered her and trotted her over poles. Over all she is very quiet, very responsive to me asking her to go faster/slower, and seems very willing.

    I want to start working on her bringing her head into an outline as soon as I can as her nose is stuck straight out in the air. I did ask her a few times today in walk, but she was having none of it.

    So what's the best way to ask a horse for an outline? I know it will probably take some time as she is a bit older but any tips are appreciated:)


    Secondly, her canter is quite long and she seems to throw her weight on her front end so that her back end does not seem to be doing much of the work. She does have a nice, slower, more collected canter in there somewhere, but any time I get it, she breaks back into trot almost straight away. Any advice on how to tidy it up would be great.


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    #2
    byhookorbycrook
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,482 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    Make sure she is really well warmed up. Get her to stretch out into a really long and low shape,as you collect her up, bring her onto a circle and then ask. Lunging her in a bungee will help too.


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    #3
    Ave Sodalis
    Registered Users Posts: 7,548 ✭✭✭Ave Sodalis


    To add to byhookorbycrook, I would also suggest keeping her head busy. Play with the reins a bit, encouraging her to drop her head. Do this at halt before moving to walk and so on. She should learn to drop her head and keep her outline eventually. As you said yourself, it might take a while as she's 10

    As for the canter, what are you doing to encourage her to use her back legs to propel herself? Usually, you would keep the contact and push her on with your legs at a certain beat (I cannot for the life of me remember which beat you squeeze on, but I will get back to you if it isn't mentioned). This should remind her to lift her back legs that little bit more and use them.

    Also, do one thing at a time. Don't try and fix both at once :)


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    #4
    Esroh
    Registered Users Posts: 1,508 ✭✭✭Esroh


    This is goig to take time as you said. And as you dont know anything about her history I would go back to basics. As said above start on the longe. Side-reins/Bungee what ever you work with.
    At 10ish if she has not been worked properly in the past her back will be weak and working without a rider will be of great benifit. You can also use this a a warm up and then ride her.
    Aiming for long and low and accepting a contact on the longe can then be carried on with you on her back.

    Re her canter it will improve when her other paces inprove.

    Also work on her flexion on the ground. Just by asking her to bring her head around to her shoulder and holding it there. Try and do this and see if she will with out moving her hindlegs.


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