Getting more 'jump' in the canter?

[Flight]

I struggle with this in the collected canter, I have lessons and my instructor tries to get me to encourage more jump with my seat and a bit of a tap with the whip if need be on the up part. We do small circles, quarters in on the circle and forward and back within the canter, but has anyone else been here before and have any other exercises that might help?

[kande50]

I struggle with this in the collected canter, I have lessons and my instructor tries to get me to encourage more jump with my seat and a bit of a tap with the whip if need be on the up part. We do small circles, quarters in on the circle and forward and back within the canter, but has anyone else been here before and have any other exercises that might help?

I don't know what the best way to do it might be, but as I've worked on more lift at the trot I've been getting more jump at the canter. I'm thinking that once they understand how to lift in front then they either recognize the aids in all 3 gaits, or have developed the muscle memory to do it in all gaits?

[Bats79]

Quarter's-in on the circle would have been more likely to flatten a canter I would have thought. Not something I'm inclined to do as I see it as disabling the inside hindleg by stepping it away from the weight.

What is the trot shoulder-in to canter shoulder-fore transition like? You can ride that big and uphill and into a jump which you can't do when you put the hindquarters in.

[khall]

For me it is about the activity behind, which means proper response to the forward aid. I want my horse to feel electric to my aids and if he does not then we start with that in our work. Prompt strike off W to C, or W to T and if he does not then go back and ask backing it up with whip aid, then back to light leg/seat aid to reinforce that he is reacting promptly to the aids for transition. Sometimes I will do W-C or W-T transitions and then GO. My guy likes to block on his left side for transitions going right so counter bending or renvere or a 1/4 piri at the W and the GO really helps him. Once I get him responding nicely to the transition aids that gets him revved and engaged and jumping. My big WB g tends to be an energy conservationist, so it has been a journey to keep him light to the aids and learning to be energetic enough to carry his big butt, all 1400 lbs + of him. Also I must make sure that I am not blocking him, compressing him in the reins. He has a tendency to curl (goes back to that energy conservation thing) so I must make sure he is up and out to the bridle. Hope this helps.

[Flight]

Kande, we are getting more lift in our med trot now, but canter seems to be flatter. Can't hurt to keep working on it though

Bats, I think the idea for 1/4s in is to help with getting him to step under and collect more? Haven't tried that trans, but I will, thanks! I've only been doing walk/trot in SI.

Khall, funny you should say that because I had a lesson on the weekend and my instructor had me doing T-C trans and wanting them more prompt and active. I think I need to have it more responsive than what I have been. Thanks I will work on those transitions.

[klark_kent07]

I use lots of transitions within and between the paces to help improve the jump. My horse is jumping bred and has a great canter but sometimes I find myself staying in a 'safe' collected canter for too long and it can flatten. I think of riding the upward part of the canter as a bubble and using my seat to collect up and under and bounce the bubble in the collected canter. Sometimes just having a word or visualisation helps!

[Flight]

My instructor uses the 'bounce the trampoline" type thing to try and get me using my seat more. We are getting a few strides and then lose it. I like the bubble analogy.

I've learned we are a bit crooked, so currently addressing that. Funny how long you can go before you realise this (not happy face). So, hopefully fixing that will help also.

[Rosie B]

Here's a crazy thought - do you guys jump at all? Do you have cavaletti? If so, why not try doing cavaletti at their highest setting in canter? Do one at first and then work your way up to doing a grid. Or put them on the tangent points of a 20m circle.

Also, I think it's totally normal that your standard of straightness increases as you move up the levels. What was nicely straight at training level is nowhere near straight enough for third level. Every new crookedness you discover is a key that you can use to develop better straightness.

[Flight]

Yes, we do jump.
What I dont understand with cavaletti/poles etc, is do they still have that 'jump' in their stride when they're not going over them? Or is it more that you strengthen them by doing it, so they then have it to offer?
Ingrid Klimke does it, right?

Thanks, that does make me feel better about the crookedness thing

[Tsuy]

Agree with the visualisation -
Ride every step like there is a BIG jump coming up
really helps me

[Kathy Johnson]

Good question on the cavaletti, Flight. I think they are like free weights and you strengthen them by doing them. But another key to cavaletti is to train the horse to move like then there is no pole. So, the aids you give over the top of the cavaletti should translate to what you want when you ask for more jump or suspension. Close your leg more, cluck gently, and reward with a "good" or pat over the poles, then use the same sequence when you ask without poles. Your calves engage his abs, which help him to lift his back and it's building that bridge that creates suspension. I like canter poles about 9 feet (bounce stride) apart. Bounces are great, cantering up hill is great, stretching at the canter helps build the bridge, canter shoulder in is good, and as said, forward and back in canter. I also like reinback to canter transitions at your level. A good exercise on the circle is canter 1/2 circle, walk, 1/2 turn on the haunches, reinback 4 steps, canter 1/2 circle. Only do a few reps because it works the heck out of the hiney.

I also like to get up in two point and move the horse up as much as I dare for a couple of laps around a large arena. This helps build wind, which is sometimes why the collected canter gets flat, as the horse loses steam.

[Flight]

Ahhhh that makes sense, thank you Kathy!
I'm not too bright sometimes.

I will also give that circle exercise a go. We do do the other stuff. Thanks again, appreciate it!

[HafDressage]

Flight, I have so the opposite problem as you. I need more medium, but we have lots of canter jump/loftiness.

I think Rosie has a good suggestion with the cavalettis. I'm always drooling over Ingrid's cavalettis and cavaletti videos online.

Two other things that might help:
1. Walk canters more frequently. Usually the first jump into the canter is the most elevated stride. So, the more you make each canter stride like the first canter jump, the more lofty the canter should get.
2. Shoulder-in at the canter is usually good for getting more jump in the canter. The horse must use the inside hind better and it is hard to do a flat rushy canter this way.

Maybe we should just trade horses. You can teach my Haflinger how to have a medium trot and I can work on the canter loft.

[Rosie B]

Hi Flight - Doing the cavaletti exercises build lots of strength in the haunches and over the topline. When you take the cavaletti away, they obviously won't have as much loft as when they were going over the poles, but after working with them for a few weeks, they will have more strength so should be able to respond better when you do ask for more collection. Just like Kathy said - it's like weight lifting. It makes them stronger and more elastic so everything should improve.

Ingrid does a lot of cavaletti. Her father's book on cavaletti is excellent, and the newer publications also include a section by Ingrid on gymnastic jumping, which is also super for building strength (and teaching them how to jump). It's also just plain fun.

[Flight]

Hafdressage, be cool if you could come ride him for me! If you're ever in Australia.....
Yes, we've been doing SI, and yes you are right that first stride is best. Will try and keep that.
He does get a bit tense and starts to stick his head up when I try and get that bouncier canter. I assume it's what can happen and it will go as he gets it.

It's been hot again here and still too hot when I get home from work, but as soon as it cools down I'll start with the cavalettis I think!
Thanks everyone