5 Exercises to Prepare for Leg Change in Canter
Mastering the change of leg in canter is not just for dressage riders. It is a schooling exercise that all amateur horses should be able to master. Here are 5 exercises you can do to prepare your horse for the change of leg.
The 4 essentials to prepare for canter changes
The 5 exercises that follow will be oriented around 4 pillars:
- canter correction
- suppleness in the canter (implies a good quality of contact)
- propulsion
- straightness in canter
These 4 pillars correspond to different levels of the training scale. Moreover, let’s take this opportunity to remind you that when learning a new exercise, it is essential to make sure that it is consistent with this training scale. Do not try to work on a new exercise if the basics are not correctly acquired. Thus, the changes of leg in canter should not be approached if these 4 pillars are not acquired.
The 5 exercices to prepare for the change of leg in canter
Exercise #1 – Extend and Collect
This first exercise consists simply in being able to extend and collect the canter. In preparation for the change of leg in canter, these require great balance and control of the amplitude. This exercise will help you to ensure that this control is acquired.
You can start by doing it in a circle at first. It is easier to keep a horse supple and relaxed there, whereas in a line, horses are more likely to lose their balance.
This is a good control exercise. It will help you gather your horse and flex his hindquarters’ muscles, and thus make him stretch his back line.
Be careful to prepare transitions well. Also be sure to keep flexibility in the hand and shoulders. Transitions should not come from your hand action, but from your body.
Contact should be consistent and the horse should not slump.
💡 What to monitor with your Equisense Motion Sport
The cadence (rhythm) measured by your Motion Sport should remain steady.
Also, the elevation should not drop during the exercise. That would be a sign of a horse that is not keeping his back straight and not stretching it well.
💡 What to monitor with your Equisense Motion Sport
To continue in the work of transitions and canter control, the work of simple change of leg is a must.
It’s all about going down the width middle line and then making a transition canter – walk over 3-5 steps – canter on the other leg. You can then link the passages over the middle line together.
Work on going on the middle line itself to make a nice right angle, and to go straight afterwards, that’s the first thing. Feel free to materialize it with ground poles at first without doing the leg change.
Next, perform the canter-walk (3 to 5 steps) – canter transition on either side of the midline, while ensuring straightness in and after the start.
🔀 Possible variations to get started
Many variations are possible.
To begin with, the transitions canter – trot – canter on the other leg by drawing a serpentine will be most suitable.
When this first step is mastered, move on to the canter – walk – canter on the other leg transitions, still on a serpentine.
To finish, when the canter – walk – canter are mastered, continue on the same thing, but while going down the middle line!
Exercise #3 – Shoulder-fore at canter
Control of straightness is among the essentials for a good change of leg in canter. One way to work on this is to work in shoulder-fore or even shoulder-in at canter.
In fact, one of the main faults of cantering horses is that they go into travers. They have their hips very slightly inside. By working the shoulders-fore in the canter, you will work on strengthening the muscles of the hindquarters. This work also helps improve canter balance, a necessary foundation for working on the leg change!
💡 What to monitor with your Equisense Motion Sport
Watch the elevation measured by your Motion Sport carefully. It may drop the first few times you do this exercise. However, as you repeat it, you should see some nice improvements!
📚 On the same topic : 7 reasons to train lateral movements everyday
Exercise #4 – Half-circles at counter-canter
Here again, a must-do: counter-canter work. This exercise works your horse’s flexibility and balance. Generally speaking, the counter-canter is a great exercise for this.
For this exercise, simply string together half-circles. This way you will do one half circle on the right leg, and one at counter canter.
In the beginning, do a large half circle instead of going on the track. Making the corner is extremely difficult at counter-canter!
Maëva Hoang, dressage rider, lent herself to the game to show you how to do this exercise:
Exercise #5 – The Clover at Canter
The last exercise that combines the work of straightness, straightening and counter-canter: the clover.
This exercise consists of making a large 4-leaf clover at a canter, being at counter-canter on the lengths and therefore on the right leg on the 4 loops.
Be vigilant about your horse’s straightness in the counter-canter on the lengths. Remember to set a point in the distance to go straight. In fact, don’t hesitate to put yourself quite narrow ground poles corridors on the lengths to force you to straighten the canter and go straight.
Similarly, on the loops, don’t hesitate to help yourself with studs to properly materialize the layout.
💡 What to monitor with your Equisense Motion Sport
The elevation can drop sharply on counter-canter work. Remember to maintain a steady pace by maintaining the canter with your seat.
All these exercises are available on the Equisense mobile app. It is free, so go for it!
See you soon for a new article,
Camille Saute
Co-founder of Equisense and R&D manager
