Horse_amp_amp_Hound__06_February_2018

MASTERCLASS
Jennie Loriston-Clarke
on achieving a more balanced canter
The dressage trainer shares her exercise using loops to improve the canter
Using suppling
exercises are
essential in every
stage of training,
but especially when
looking to achieve a
more balanced canter
DIAGRAM 1
20m circle
2-3m
AIM
AS a dressage judge, I often see
horses and riders at the lower levels
that simply can’t canter properly.
The horses aren’t straight and are
unbalanced. Using loops, especially
if combined with circles, the horse
can be taught to find its balance
and sit more on its hindlegs. The
result is a much better canter. It is
a useful suppling exercise at every
stage of the horse’s training.
The exercise also makes the
rider think about their own
position, how they are positioning
their horse and they learn to ride
more correctly to the outside rein
through changes of direction.
Canter
DIAGRAM 2
10m circle
THE EXERCISE
1Put your horse into a working
canter. On the short side of
the arena, canter a 20-metre
circle. Go large and at the first
marker, ask the horse to come in
off the track for two to three metres
before going straight and then
changing the direction in a shallow
counter-canter back to the track.
Ride a neat corner and then repeat.
Do the exercise on both reins.
(See diagram 1).
10m circle
2As the horse gains its
confidence and balance,
increase the depth of the
loop and decrease the size of the
circle beforehand. If the horse
starts to fall onto its shoulder or
the quarters swing, go back to
a shallow loop until the balance
is established.
3Ride a 10-metre canter
circle at M or H, then ride
straight towards the centre
line. Straighten for a few steps on
the centre line over X and then
turn back towards the track. Ride
another 10m circle at the corner
marker. Repeat on both reins.
(See diagram 2). H&H
TIPS AND PITFALLS
O The rider must keep their
weight evenly distributed in the
centre of the saddle, particularly in
the counter-canter section. Keep
the legs in the correct position:
outside leg back and inside leg on
the girth creating the impulsion.
O In both exercises, ask for
very little bend over the leading
leg — eventually you should be
able to do it with the horse’s neck
completely straight.
O Adjust where you start the
relevant loops depending on the
size of your arena — in a 20x60m
arena, make the loop deeper.
O Note in point three, make sure
you ride straight towards the
Canter
NEXT
WEEK
Dressage rider
Dan Greenwood on
improving suppleness
centre line and straight back to the
track as this way the horse learns
to stay into the outside rein.
O These exercises are the first
steps of teaching a horse the
three-loop canter serpentine.
Eventually you can miss out the
circles and ride three loops to
each side of the arena.
Picture by Lucy Merrell. Words by Helen Triggs
24 Horse & Hound 8 February 2018