Improving Canter

Our lesson today revealed how to get a very good canter depart: it all has to do with the walk from which you depart. In walk, supple the horse 'til she is completely loose and giving then activate the hindquarters with a leg aid reinforced by a brush with the whip so that she steps well under herself with the hindquarters. From this walk, we can proceed into a beautiful canter depart- continuing to supple the canter as well.

Karen had me "canter up a hill" for as long as I could, by doing suppling exercises and activating the inside hind at canter. We then schooled medium canter with the focus, again, on keeping Delphi supple. The key is in the give-- I must not allow her to bear into my hand but rather keep her round and light. We got some fairly good medium canter and Delphi's canter is definitely improving.

Delphi "cantering up a hill" in the longlines