Over the next two months, I’m going to address some common canter questions. This month I’ll talk about the aids for the upward transition to the canter. Next month, we’ll look at the aids for the downward transition.

Question: What do I do with my outside leg to ask for the canter?

Answer: Swing your outside leg back once, and then bring it back to its normal position on the girth. Think of it as a spring-loaded action or a windshield wiper action.

If you wait for your horse to answer, he’s not listening to your leg aid. If he doesn’t canter right away, give him a little bump with your outside leg or tap him with the whip. (Carry your whip in the outside hand for the canter work so you can use it to reinforce your outside leg aid.) Then ask for the depart again.

As soon as he responds immediately to this quick aid, reward him.

You can teach him to canter by holding your outside leg back, but when you start doing half passes in the trot your horse might get confused. He won’t know whether to stay in the trot and go sideways for a half pass or pick up the canter. It’s easier to teach him to canter from an aid that only means canter depart, rather than to teach him to canter from that aid and then have to reschool him when you get to trot half passes.

Question: Are you saying that the canter depart is achieved with the legs only? Or are you just addressing a reader’s concern about her legs? I thought the canter depart was achieved by a slight turn of the wrist on the inside hand, weight on the inside seat bone, and the “windshield wiper” outside leg. Is that correct?

Answer: Yes! I was just addressing her concern about the legs–but you’re right about the rest of the aids. I also push that inside seatbone toward the inside ear and support with the outside rein so I don’t get too much bend in the neck.

Question: How do I use my hands and seat in the canter depart? What rein aids, if any, should be used? Do I stay centered with my seat or shift my weight to the inside or outside when I cue for a canter depart?

Answer: Your weight is on your inside seatbone. When you ask for the depart, push your inside seatbone toward your horse’s inside ear.

Ask for flexion at the poll to the inside with a slight indirect rein aid, but support with the outside rein to keep your horse from over-bending his neck to the inside.

Question: When I ask for the canter, my horse just trots faster. What should I do?

Answer: Close your outside hand in a fist during the moment you cue the canter depart.

Reader Mailbag:

One of my friends sent this to me. You might have already seen it, but it’s worth reading again!

A Dog’s Purpose (from a 6-year-old).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. The little boy Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on.

Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, said, ”I know why.”

Shane said, ”People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life – like loving everybody all the time and being nice.” He continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”

• Live simply.
• Love generously.
• Care deeply.
• Speak kindly.
• Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
  • When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
  • Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
  • Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
  • Take naps.
  • Stretch before rising.
  • Run, romp, and play daily.
  • Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
  • Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
  • On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
  • On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
  • When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
  • Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
  • Be loyal.
  • Never pretend to be something you’re not.
  • If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
  • When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

Jane Savoie
1174 Hill St ext.
Berlin, VT 05602
www.janesavoie.com