Monday, October 13, 2014

Sunday Lesson: Medium Canter

Had a great Sunday lesson with Brook- she's awesome. So positive and encouraging!

We worked over a single cross rail and a little bounce line of a pole in, crossrail, pole out. All with the goal of focusing on a nice, steady canter. Because guess what?! Ellie has been cantering all on her own with just a supporting leg!

Why was this exercise so great? Because we know a few things about Ellie. She's a huntress and will track down that fence, rider be damned. She also has an enormous, ground covering stride for such a wee thing.

When we're in what I would consider a forward medium canter, she's actually about a half foot or foot too long, and she she spots a distance she extends that even further, making it feel like we're zooming Mach 10 at the fence.

So we worked on bringing that canter down just a notch which allows her to extend just slightly for that  gap if needed. Truth be told she added a few times when I thought she was leaving and I ended up on her neck. She popped over with pricked ears and a smile. Gotta love a horse that takes care of her Mom.

And on the home front we have two cats that are finally starting to get along!

5 comments:

  1. It's a sure sign of maturity that she's starting to chip-in! I know it's not ideal, but it means she's being a good girl :D

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  2. Sounds like she's figuring it all out :)

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  3. Medium canter is hard for me, too. Glad Ellie's got it figured out!

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  4. nice lesson! getting that adjustable canter is so key - and so hard!!

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