Thank you for your videos, Steve. I have a horse that absolutely cannot relax due my previous riding errors and some trauma he experienced as a four year old. He now is super chargey at a lope and just flat out panics and wants to take off. Your videos are so helpful and I can't wait to work your methods with him.
I really like listening to you. You are very well spoken and you are addressing some questions I have had for a very long time. The part about shifting your weight...great information. How easy it is to teach a horse to run off at the canter...so true. I feel like I did that. I plan to restart my 3 year old starting from the ground and using your videos and a gentler hand. Thank you. More videos, please.
Great information. I really like your approach and want to watch more of your videos, but it would be great if you could fix the mismatched volume -- music vs the meat of the video. I'm sitting here listening to you talk and then all of a sudden the music blasts so loud I'm scrambling to turn the volume down before it wakes up my husband. Still -- excellent advice.
I have only recently discovered you. And i feel like this is one of the keys ive been missing! Thank you so much! Love the calm, sendible way of teaching & asking for things. Ive known many who were apprehensive about cantering bc of "yikes my horse could run away " thoughts, or thry thought you have to haze your horse into the canter. I realize its more advanced, but now i want to learn how to ask for the canter from a walk...😊
when you take on transitions, could you say exactly what you're doing with your weight, posture, stance - in each trot to canter from canter to trot. Where is your sternum? Where do you feel your pressure points in each place? Your saying you don't lift reins on the transition, but that you rather allow the reins to follow your postural shift back on the rear was helpful to hear.
Emphasizing that it's your weight that moves everything is GREAT!!! So much easier to communicate that way. Eventually it gets to where you just think it and the horse responds (bc your body has shifted so slightly that you can't really notice).
Wow you are so helpful! How about when you hear other's or your trainer say something like....your horse isn't balanced enough yet to canter or they are too much on their forehand? Here is something else I see....someone starting a green horse to canter, trots faster and faster almost like chasing the horse into the canter, then the horse is flying around almost uncontrollable. Then I'll hear something like....see they are not ready to canter yet! It's so frustrating. Forgive my longwindedness. Thank you, Chris
Hey Chris, great questions. It is true that horses can be off balance and falling to the inside, especially when working toward a canter. There are many reasons this may happen, the most common I see is emotional unbalance causing physical unbalance. What happens to a young one, or even an older one that has learned to brace against the canter request, is they dive their weight forward into and to the inside of the lead that they are going into, in anticipation of galloping (running away) instead of thoughtfully cantering loping off.
When a horse runs away, their backs are straight and their weight is on the forehand pulling their bodies forward, when they are cantering thoughtfully, they drive off their hind end, softening the topline, allowing the head to stretch down, self carriage, relaxation and collecting eventually.
@@_thenaturalhorseman thanks so much...I greatly appreciate you and your time to respond. I would sooooo love to attend a clinic or training with you but I'm in Pennsylvania!
@@chrise438 I used to do clinics in PA at a farm in Grampian. The farm owners moved south so my last year teaching there was 2020. I still have contacts there, so there’s a possibility I’ll be back!
From what you are explaining, it seems like when you are bringing the horse’s nose around in the beginning that you are using your leg to push the shoulder over if the horse falls in. From my understanding you should be using your leg at the horse’s rib cage to keep the horse up right and bending around your leg. Can you explain the correct way to do this for this exercise? With that, how can I use my weight to teach the horse the difference between rounding their back off of my legs vs speeding up? Thank you.
Great question, another topic I could do a video on. The leg placement can be adjusted to different points on the horse’s side depending on how they need to be balanced and supported. For elevation of the top line, I engage my core and use an upward lift or hug with my legs if necessary, and the forward “squeeze “ is done by opening my thighs, which offers more of a forward feel to the horse.
And also you’re right, if you look at my inside leg it is on the ribs, just slightly toward the shoulder. Whether my leg is an inch forward or back or straight down would depend on the individual horse’s balance. I’ll do a video, great idea, thanks.
Hi Steve. Here is my Question. Our AQHA Reiner has a habit of doing a 180 fast spook on trails. He sees something Scary and with no warning, drops his front end and whips around. I have nearly come off over the right shoulder so many times. It always seems to be a move to the left. If I go to two reins, I can catch him at the end of his turn and turn him back. But it’s always after the event. What tools can I train in the arena to help him and what can I do on the trail to prevent or fix after the event happens. Thanks muchly. Caroline and Wimpyslittlemercedes in the UK.
You got it! Shift your weight first over the outside hind which will help shape and balance your body, then draw the reins back slightly with you. The reins must shape the horse for the canter, meaning nose in the direction of the lead.
Great question, there are several ways to address this, I'll be sure to make a video for it. First I'd make sure i can transition from hindquarter roll to a forequarter roll, which will get you started on engagement of the hindquarters and swinging of the shoulders. Tight serpentines can help if the horse is really heavy on the front. This will require them to stand their shoulders up. There are many more answers, sounds like I need to make a few videos.
I don’t generally use too much outside leg on a young one, if anything even pressure on the outside and inside, inside to encourage shoulder swing and elevation.
It’s a method sometimes used to get a horse off the inside shoulder. The horses head tips away from the shoulder to allow for it to lift. It’s not a bad technique, I stray from that method however because it throws a horse off balance for leads and has to be fixed farther along in development. Isolating body parts and yields is my preference, and every trainer is different 😊
I like to make sure that I'm releasing into the transitions rather than having pressure on them while going into the transition. I'll also use lateral flexing, stepping the hindquarters under, or side pass into the transition. I'll be sure to make a video on this topic for more details.
My horse seems to always throw her head in the air and rear, then she runs off and smashes into things. How can I get her to go slow and collected while in the canter?
boy, that sounds dramatic and even dangerous!.maybe consider thorough vet, dental, farrier and chiropractic sessions to be sure she isn't hurting somewhere, then more consistent groundwork till she quits the drama and settles into work mode.
@@_thenaturalhorseman I can't wait. My young horse is green, and super hesitant to go forward. He is very forward outin the field,but when under saddle not so much. I need to figure out how to get him happy and excited to be ridden. I am thinking lots of outside in the trail riding and transitions?
I ride English, but find your instruction and methods easy to understand and applicable.
I’m glad to hear it. I believe that the biomechanics relate regardless of the costume. 😂
Really appreciate someone who isn’t just regurgitating the same information as every other trainer. Novel idea for sure! Well put
Thanks for the feedback. It’s appreciated
Sometimes it takes someone else saying the same thing in a different way for it to make sense. I think it makes sense to me now. 😂 Thanks!
I feel the same way 😂
Beautiful horse
Thank you for your videos, Steve. I have a horse that absolutely cannot relax due my previous riding errors and some trauma he experienced as a four year old. He now is super chargey at a lope and just flat out panics and wants to take off. Your videos are so helpful and I can't wait to work your methods with him.
It’s my pleasure Kylee. Let me know how he progresses!
It’s my pleasure Kylee. Let me know how he progresses!
I wish you had been around when I was learning to canter. I had no idea ....
I'm enjoying your videos.
Thanks for the video...good using information....taking it to the pen today!
Thank you for making the western community a better place for horses. This gives me hope for the future of our sport and the animals in it
Wow! Just WOW!
I really like listening to you. You are very well spoken and you are addressing some questions I have had for a very long time. The part about shifting your weight...great information. How easy it is to teach a horse to run off at the canter...so true. I feel like I did that. I plan to restart my 3 year old starting from the ground and using your videos and a gentler hand. Thank you. More videos, please.
My pleasure, I hope you enjoy trying them out!
Thanks for the video!
Lovely!!!
Thank you MaryAnn
Great! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks again for a great video. Heading to the barn now to try it out!
Great video 🤠 thanks for the tips!
You're very welcome! I'm happy to hear you're enjoying the content.
You’re so great. “Oh my god, my horse has run away with me…”😂❤
Wow thanks so much. Yikes hold on!!! 😬😂😂
Great information. I really like your approach and want to watch more of your videos, but it would be great if you could fix the mismatched volume -- music vs the meat of the video. I'm sitting here listening to you talk and then all of a sudden the music blasts so loud I'm scrambling to turn the volume down before it wakes up my husband. Still -- excellent advice.
Great feedback, thank you. I’ll work on it.
I have only recently discovered you. And i feel like this is one of the keys ive been missing! Thank you so much! Love the calm, sendible way of teaching & asking for things. Ive known many who were apprehensive about cantering bc of "yikes my horse could run away " thoughts, or thry thought you have to haze your horse into the canter. I realize its more advanced, but now i want to learn how to ask for the canter from a walk...😊
Thanks for the support and feedback. I’ll put together a video with the walk-canter transition for sure.
Amazing ❤
Thank you, Julie!
when you take on transitions, could you say exactly what you're doing with your weight, posture, stance - in each trot to canter from canter to trot. Where is your sternum? Where do you feel your pressure points in each place? Your saying you don't lift reins on the transition, but that you rather allow the reins to follow your postural shift back on the rear was helpful to hear.
Emphasizing that it's your weight that moves everything is GREAT!!! So much easier to communicate that way. Eventually it gets to where you just think it and the horse responds (bc your body has shifted so slightly that you can't really notice).
Perfectly said
Wow you are so helpful! How about when you hear other's or your trainer say something like....your horse isn't balanced enough yet to canter or they are too much on their forehand?
Here is something else I see....someone starting a green horse to canter, trots faster and faster almost like chasing the horse into the canter, then the horse is flying around almost uncontrollable. Then I'll hear something like....see they are not ready to canter yet! It's so frustrating. Forgive my longwindedness. Thank you, Chris
Hey Chris, great questions. It is true that horses can be off balance and falling to the inside, especially when working toward a canter. There are many reasons this may happen, the most common I see is emotional unbalance causing physical unbalance. What happens to a young one, or even an older one that has learned to brace against the canter request, is they dive their weight forward into and to the inside of the lead that they are going into, in anticipation of galloping (running away) instead of thoughtfully cantering loping off.
When a horse runs away, their backs are straight and their weight is on the forehand pulling their bodies forward, when they are cantering thoughtfully, they drive off their hind end, softening the topline, allowing the head to stretch down, self carriage, relaxation and collecting eventually.
ruclips.net/video/H0jSlGm0Y2c/видео.html this video may help if you haven’t already watched it.
@@_thenaturalhorseman thanks so much...I greatly appreciate you and your time to respond. I would sooooo love to attend a clinic or training with you but I'm in Pennsylvania!
@@chrise438 I used to do clinics in PA at a farm in Grampian. The farm owners moved south so my last year teaching there was 2020. I still have contacts there, so there’s a possibility I’ll be back!
Brilliant video. Love the lightness. Where can I find all your training help eg RUclips, Facebook,etc.
Hi again Caroline. This channel is called The Natural Horseman, and my FB is called Natural Horseman.
That was awesome thank you for your time to make this video
My pleasure, thanks for your support!
That's pretty cool
I’m glad you liked it!
This way of cueing for canter is awesome! Any advice on lead changes? Would you cue by shifting your weight over the opposite hind?
Yes, that's where I'd start, and then use my aids to support the shape and balance of the horse, then release into the other lead. Have fun with it!
Valuable info! You are helping me with my horses. I am most grateful but PLEASE get some different music!!!!!!! Us old guys can't handle the metal.
Vejret nice watching👍
From what you are explaining, it seems like when you are bringing the horse’s nose around in the beginning that you are using your leg to push the shoulder over if the horse falls in. From my understanding you should be using your leg at the horse’s rib cage to keep the horse up right and bending around your leg. Can you explain the correct way to do this for this exercise? With that, how can I use my weight to teach the horse the difference between rounding their back off of my legs vs speeding up? Thank you.
Great question, another topic I could do a video on. The leg placement can be adjusted to different points on the horse’s side depending on how they need to be balanced and supported. For elevation of the top line, I engage my core and use an upward lift or hug with my legs if necessary, and the forward “squeeze “ is done by opening my thighs, which offers more of a forward feel to the horse.
And also you’re right, if you look at my inside leg it is on the ribs, just slightly toward the shoulder. Whether my leg is an inch forward or back or straight down would depend on the individual horse’s balance. I’ll do a video, great idea, thanks.
Hi Steve. Here is my Question. Our AQHA Reiner has a habit of doing a 180 fast spook on trails. He sees something Scary and with no warning, drops his front end and whips around. I have nearly come off over the right shoulder so many times. It always seems to be a move to the left. If I go to two reins, I can catch him at the end of his turn and turn him back. But it’s always after the event. What tools can I train in the arena to help him and what can I do on the trail to prevent or fix after the event happens. Thanks muchly. Caroline and Wimpyslittlemercedes in the UK.
I could do a whole class on this. Sounds like an idea for a video. And sounds like you have a nice horse!!
To clarify...you take back on the reins a bit when you shift your weight back while still in the trot?
You got it! Shift your weight first over the outside hind which will help shape and balance your body, then draw the reins back slightly with you. The reins must shape the horse for the canter, meaning nose in the direction of the lead.
How do you help them if they tend to drop their shoulder?
Great question, there are several ways to address this, I'll be sure to make a video for it. First I'd make sure i can transition from hindquarter roll to a forequarter roll, which will get you started on engagement of the hindquarters and swinging of the shoulders. Tight serpentines can help if the horse is really heavy on the front. This will require them to stand their shoulders up. There are many more answers, sounds like I need to make a few videos.
During the ask, shift your weight back...but what are your legs doing?
Maybe I’m to new but could you call out your legs, spurs great content thank you.
Yawesome
Thank you, I hope it's helpful!
Are you using leg aids? Like outside right leg behind the girth for the left canter? Thanks
I don’t generally use too much outside leg on a young one, if anything even pressure on the outside and inside, inside to encourage shoulder swing and elevation.
@@_thenaturalhorseman thank you!
Why would I have been taught to tip my horse’s head to the rail to get the right lead?
It’s a method sometimes used to get a horse off the inside shoulder. The horses head tips away from the shoulder to allow for it to lift. It’s not a bad technique, I stray from that method however because it throws a horse off balance for leads and has to be fixed farther along in development. Isolating body parts and yields is my preference, and every trainer is different 😊
@@_thenaturalhorseman Thank you for responding! I recently discovered your videos. I need to try this and check out more!
What if your horse puts his head upon trot
I like to make sure that I'm releasing into the transitions rather than having pressure on them while going into the transition. I'll also use lateral flexing, stepping the hindquarters under, or side pass into the transition. I'll be sure to make a video on this topic for more details.
Can u explain in more detail
Thank u so much ! Breaking it down into steps as explained, trying that tomorrow 🇦🇺🦘
My horse seems to always throw her head in the air and rear, then she runs off and smashes into things. How can I get her to go slow and collected while in the canter?
I could write a book of ideas on this. Sounds like a video topic for me to cover. Thanks for the idea, I’ll get on it.
Sounds funny how you expressed that 😂 but would be damn scary 😲
boy, that sounds dramatic and even dangerous!.maybe consider thorough vet, dental, farrier and chiropractic sessions to be sure she isn't hurting somewhere, then more consistent groundwork till she quits the drama and settles into work mode.
Purity of gait-input on achieving this please.
You bet! Thank you for the suggestion. I’ll let you know when the video is made Terri.
@@_thenaturalhorseman I can't wait. My young horse is green, and super hesitant to go forward. He is very forward outin the field,but when under saddle not so much. I need to figure out how to get him happy and excited to be ridden. I am thinking lots of outside in the trail riding and transitions?