I apologize for my absence these past few days, but I managed to run into quite a severe batch of food poisoning late wednesday afternoon, and it is only now that my symptoms have begun to leave me.
The funny thing is that on top of the food poisoning I didn't realize that I was suffering from altitude sickness. However, I was starting to wonder why I could only muster up the strength to ride 1 horse, maybe 2, when I can usually handle a minimum of 5 horses at home.
Luis Fernando was kind enough one morning to remind me of this fact, when I huffing and puffing completely drenched in sweat hauled myself off the horse, begging to sit down in the cool soft grass for a mere moment:-)
I guess the jokes on me...A note to the wise: Do your travel research!
Anyway, that aside:-) Let's continue with the lesson in canter departures etc.
In my previous blog i stated that the hindquarters must be slightly to the inside to ensure a correct lead. This is true in the beginning, but just like any other exercise, in the long run, we are looking for equal collection on both sides of the horse, in other words: Straightness.
When the horse is straight, he should be able to depart in a canter with his body completely straight.
This becomes exceedingly important when you reach a level of training where flying lead changes enter the picture. A flying lead change is actually something that a horse performs quite naturally by himself when changing directions in the paddock.
An easy way to begin training a flying lead change is to do a simple lead change i.e.
Canter in a serpentine, in the middle of the serpentine, bring the horse to a few steps of trot and then immediately ask for the correct canter following the serpentine in the opposite direction.
As the horse improves, reduce the amount of steps in trot until a flying change is possible.
Another way to train a lead change is to canter down the diagonal, let's say on a right lead, half halt - straighten out your horse, change your leg cues and ask for a flying change to the left lead.
To ensure that the body of your horse is straight, practice counter cantering.
Today i rode Marengo in transitions from flying changes to passage.
After practicing correct canter and counter canter on circles and serpentines, you can ask for a transition like this:
From the collected canter you raise the pole of the horse by sitting deep into the saddle, raising your hands slightly to encourage upward movement and bending in the joints of the hind limbs, remember to keep the rythm and impulsion = this will result in a transition to Passage.
As soon as you get a few good steps, sometimes 1 or 2 is enough, you immediately go forward into a fast trot to ensure that the horse keeps the impulsion and stays positive in the exercise.
For more info on the classical cues for piaffe and passage stay tuned to my next blog that will be coming up within a couple of days!!
If you have any questions on this topic or need more in depth information, please feel free to send me a message on facebook or via my blog.
Thanks
Celie
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