Simple Change Your Way To Better Gaits (Exercise)

This one is fast and active and fun!

Let's put together three "simple" figures to create a challenging exercise that will get you and your horse bending AND going straight while playing with up and down transitions.

Our goal is to improve the quality of the trot and canter through the use of simple changes - canter to trot and then back to canter again.

We also want to work on changes of direction in canter so that we can work both sides of the horse evenly - stretching the outside (and contracting the inside) of the horse's body as we turn. Keep in mind that you want the horse's flexion (corner of the eye) to the inside, and a bend through the body on the half-circles. If you need more information on bend, read about what bend really means and use this exercise to help you establish a beginner bend in the first place.

Start on the rail in trot, on the left rein at V.

When you reach A, canter, left lead. Begin a 3-loop serpentine as you pass A.

Because it's a serpentine, you should cut the corner instead of go deep into it. You can keep your horse on a mild bend - the same bend you would have if you're on a 20-m circle.

Each of the three loops are half of a 20-m circle. Once you've completed one loop, you reach center line. At this point, transition to trot. You will do a simple change, meaning change the lead through the trot as you cross over the center line.

You might need 3-5 strides in trot to give you time to change bend and then go back to canter. Keep these strides straight (no diagonal lines in a serpentine!). You might need to transition to trot a little early, before you finish the loop so you have enough space for 3-5 strides of trot.

The serpentine is finished once you pass C. Continue to the corner, still in left lead canter.

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The second figure is a teardrop.

Follow the rail to V, and then as you pass V, begin a half-circle. I've drawn the half-circle as 10-m, but you can choose to make it bigger, to 15 or 20-m if you want. It all depends on you and your horse and where you're at in your training.

After the half-circle, head back to the rail at H on a diagonal line.

Do another simple change over the diagonal line. You might need to transition to trot fairly early so you have time for a few trot strides before the new canter lead, going right. Go deep into this corner, unlike the serpentine.

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Finally, our third figure is a straight line! Don't be fooled! It takes quite a bit of "forward" and staying "between the legs and the reins" for a horse to canter on a straight line, off the rail.

Now you'll come off the rail on the 3/4 line, meaning the quarter line past C. Carry on in right lead canter.

You do have a choice to canter the whole line, or add a simple change as you pass the EB line. Or you can canter once, and then do a simple change the next time! Always feel free to change things up as you want, to make things interesting and fresh for you and your horse.

A Little Theory

Before we go to it, let's discuss a little about WHY the simple change can be helpful in quality of movement. It's great to have a repertoire of exercises to use during a ride, but if we don't know why we're doing something, we'll lose the intentional horse and rider development that is key to success.

At a basic level, the canter helps improve the trot and the trot helps to improve the canter! Because of the difference in body movement (biomechanics), each gait requires different work from the horse, especially in his rhythm, breathing and topline.

The trot requires the horse to move diagonally, and allows him to breathe fairly freely in movement. In trot, the horse can breathe within the rhythm of the movement or outside of the rhythm, much like he can at the walk.

The canter is a three beat gait (with suspension), and works the horse's top line (and abdominals) more effectively than the trot. This is because there's that up-and-down movement that requires stretching and contracting of the top line muscles that never happens in the trot. So in effect, each gait works different muscle groups of the horse.

The canter also requires the horse to breathe in time with the canter footfalls. The rib cage can only expand and contract with the movement, so the horse can only breathe in movement. This means that there is a fair amount of aerobic conditioning going on in canter. It also means that if your horse doesn't regularly canter for long periods of time, you should take it easy with this exercise and give him plenty of breathing breaks in between patterns.

If we work the horse in both gaits, we access all the physical benefits of each gait!

What Are We Looking For?

Here are some signs that you're making good progress with this exercise:

• the trot slows somewhat and becomes more bouncy-bouncy (swing through the back)
• the strides get longer in each gait, without increased leg speed
• the horse "comes under" better with the hind legs, especially the inside hind foot
• the horse rounds somewhat through the body, or improves if he usually moves with a flat or hollow back
• you get snorts!
• your horse generally has a more forward, free-moving attitude

 

If You Like...

You don't have to do any of this in canter. You can do it all in walk or trot.

You can also do a walk/trot version where everything is in trot except for where the simple changes occur - in this case, you can transition to walk for those and then back to trot.

You can also amp it up and do the simple changes through walk. This means that you canter to walk to canter.

OR, you can also do it all in canter with flying changes instead of simple changes.

The sky is the limit!

One Last Note:

IF you end up with a super sensational, outstanding trot or canter, and it feels GREAT - you don't have to continue with the pattern. You can abort the pattern, and just go along the rail and allow your horse to feel and maintain that gait for some time. You can always go back to the pattern later! We're working on the quality of movement, so when you get quality of movement, celebrate! And remember to pet your horse and thank him!

Have fun!

If you like this sort of pattern work, take a look at my Practice Sessions Premium Membership. The Practice Sessions are a complete program beginning with exercises like the one above, designed to improve specific aspects of the horse and rider. All set up and ready to go, all you have to do is watch the video, print off the pattern PDF and head to the barn!

But there's so much more! There's quality of movement exercises, theory "Mini-Classes" on specific aids and figures, a fantastic group of riders who motivate and encourage each other, and so much more! Click here to learn more.

 

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Enjoy these canter exercises too:

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