@@xoxohomes yep! Once the canter is established then my legs relax

This is for horse’s who may walk off no matter how much work they have. Or if they are a younger horse.

The voice is fine unless it distracts the rider from being aware of their body or the viewer from seeing the beauty of the horse. It’s also illegal in dressage competition so best not to rely on it if you want to compete.

Why use your voice ? I've ridden for years.taught by professionals. All I need to do is squeeze my legs I jump & foxhunt. I don't know any experience rider using their voice to change gaits.

In dressage for example it's forbidden. Why would you use your voice if you can't do it in competition? It's much better if you learn to communicate effectively with your horse without using it ...

Thank you. Your explanation on pressure and timing of giving it (leg aids) is really helpful. I would like to use it in my next session.

Usually, they don't understand the leg cue well enough. It depends a lot on the rider's experience as well as the horse. I would likely go back to the round pen and see if I could teach a better understanding of the leg cues in a place where I didn't feel the need to hold the horse back (ie a safe round pen). I would also experiment with a light seat rather than a full seat. I would want to make the canter very easy and rewarding when we finally got it. Another thing to check is how well your horse responds to a canter cue from the ground for longeing. If they are having trouble there, you can start with improving that and then take that cue to the saddle to help with understanding.

You're Welcome! Your feet might be falling out because you are squeezing too hard. I always want a very light cue to work for canter. Mear ounces should do the trick or ounces should be my goal if my horse isn't quite comprehending that light of a cue yet. Always start with a very subtle cue so you can condition your horse to be light off the leg. It helps keep your body quiet and balanced.

absolutely love your riding explanation and video !! i’m an older rider with a young new horse that isn’t responding well to my cues to canter and i’m feeling frustrated with myself .. i’ve never had a problem picking up a canter until now and would love to be able to grow together with my horse.

Thank you! And thanks for asking about the lesson videos. What type of lessons in particular? Are there topics you want to know more about?

Nice

Ears can absolutely bend that way! Bend your own ears forward to test it! While not natural, it doesn't cause any discomfort, unlike a bit hurting the horse.

😁

Good question. It very much depends. The mare in the video has a lot of separation anxiety so she travels with a buddy currently. I’m not sure when I will try to take her off property alone. A great way to get an idea for how your horse will do on trips is to load them up and move the trailer a hundred feet or so and then unload them or check how they are responding to the movement. I have done that with Danni. It can help push their tolerance threshold without going over it and making it a good experience every time is key. The buddy system is very successful if you have an experienced, calm horse, to travel with. It helps the young/anxious horse gain experience off property with an “emotional support horse “ to lean on if necessary.