Introducing counter canter

[demi]

What I like best about this project is that it has inspired me to canter more, which has been fun.

Glad to hear that. I also find it motivational. Now i just need to get some video...

[kande50]

I should have read that article before my ride today, instead of waiting until I got home!

Ha ha! If it's any consolation, I thoroughly read and studied the article and STILL had some problems. I had the one side better issue(left lead)at first, but then it switched to the right side being better. Things improved but now the weather is interfering....we really needed the rain, though.

Thanks for your update.

What I had trouble with, other than that we didn't have enough room, was that I was thinking leg yield out to X and then leg yield back, and that didn't work. The leg yield (more like a baby half pass because he was bent toward X) worked okay, but then when I put my inside leg on to yield back we not only didn't have enough room, but he just went "huh" and broke into a trot. I think maybe I needed to get around the turn/curve at X so we're facing the wall more before trying to yield back to the wall--or something like that?

I can yield him out on a circle so apparently he understands the aids and can do it, but maybe just couldn't figure out what I wanted at that moment?

So my goal for next week is to actually remember to do some more canter loops instead of reverting to circles.

[kande50]

Glad to hear that. I also find it motivational. Now i just need to get some video...

I'd love to see video, so I can see how you're going about working on it.

[Brydie]

I finally did some today in the field as the arena was pretty flooded! First attempt of our loop, he fell into trot on our way back to the "rail". Then I remembered to keep the normal canter aids and he started to get it, and did these cute grunts on the curve of our loop... and after the loop was finished the canter felt really nice and more round (something we struggle with).

I had wanted to video today's ride, but discovered when I got my soloshot's camera controller repaired (well was sent a new one), I didn't get the correct power cable! Seem to have a cable with a male usb.... not very helpful. Just bought a female to female usb adapter so hopefully can start videoing my rides from next weekend!

[Anne]

Glad to see an update here, Brydie it sounds like you made a successful effort (improved canter - yay!), and good luck getting your video sorted. I've made some progress over the last couple of weeks : shallow loops seem balanced and 'easy' (if anything in dressage can be called easy!). I went to a show last weekend and did 3 tests which had the counter-canter 1/2 circle (15m or 10m) then back to the track. Did some of the warm up work in a lovely large sand arena and as Kathy suggested (way back in the thread) did some nice very large loopy/circles in cc in this larger space, and away from the rail. Managed 2 tests fairly well with much attention to my position and holding the 'normal canter aids' (well put, Brydie), but the hardest of the ccs (15m 1/2 circle and back to track before V or P) we got a half-change (front only) just before getting to the track on the right lead (left lead was fine).

Going to try to upload a video snippet and link it in a following post.

[Anne]

Well. I have never shown video of myself on a BB before.... but in the spirit of the new start of the DDBB, and because I do find other people's video's interesting and instructive, here we go with my short counter-canter video. It got a 6 from one judge with no comment, and a 7 from the other judge, 'accurately ridden'. I felt that the 1/2 circle to start with was a smidgeon too big!

Hope this link works.... :

https://vimeo.com/145024866

[I think I have made this public, but please let me know if any issues to view...]

[demi]

Well. I have never shown video of myself on a BB before.... but in the spirit of the new start of the DDBB, and because I do find other people's video's interesting and instructive, ...

[I think I have made this public, but please let me know if any issues to view...]

Thanks for posting that, Anne. Nice update to the thread and you're looking good. I also find other's vid interesting and instructive. Especially those that are working on the same things I'm working on.

I really want to post some vids but just not there yet. I looked into Soloshot 2 but it sounds a bit too complicated for me. Soloshot 3 is supposed to come out in the spring and it sounds much easier to use.

You're vid came out just fine and I had no problems viewing it.

[Amado]

Here is a small clip of some counter canter while we were working on flying changes a couple of days ago. Unfortunately my video person had to leave, so the camera is just sitting on the edge of the arena. There is a flying lead change that you can hear and can sort of see, right in front of the camera, unfortunately the best one was off camera at the end of this clip.

https://youtu.be/OXa4zoSerI4

[demi]

I had a crazy week last week and only rode on Mon and Tue. Still, Rocky's counter canter showed improvement on both days. I just did the shallow loops and she held the canter each time and it is feeling more solid. It feels kinda like a western "hand gallop" movement with her in that it is faster than I would like, and while her back isn't hollow ( at least I don't think it's hollow), she is definitely not "round". Because of her down hill conformation, I am just going to be happy with things as they are for a while and see what happens.