Who cantered? WE cantered!

[carla]

So I'm not sure who all remembers my u/s cantering (or lack thereof) issue a while back. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's what sparked the whole lunging fiasco, "go back to groundwork," etc.

Well, anyhow, I got Jack back in the arena today for a while. We started by letting him "meet" the two new blue barrels. LOL. He really liked them but didn't care for my kicking them while he checked them out (after he had time to initially smell them, of course). Then he really thought I'd lost it when I tipped them over and started rolling them in his direction! But he never went too far from them and was over it in no time. He was so stinkin' cute, and he really seemed to enjoy having something to "play" with in the arena, as opposed to just boring old Mom.. :rolleyes:

SO. Once that had lost its newness I hopped on and off we went. Walked around for a bit, then got into a trot. I stopped and brought my stirrups up a notch- I had a hunch that was why I was having a time trying to post (aside from the fact that I've never posted, lol), and the one notch thing helped tremendously. There were choppy moments, but I don't think I did half bad for a backwoods girl.. :D

Then my curiosity got the best of me and I decided, what the heck, I'll try for a canter again. So I used the advice given to me on my thread and brought him back down whenever he'd run out into the fast trot. At first I thought, yeah I'm really gonna piss him off with this. But, lo and behold, after the fourth time of bringing his trot back down, I asked for a canter- and got it! :banana:

(EDIT: And that was, of course, a canter WITHOUT bucking, which was the problem before, lol)

I only let him go about four to five good strides once he got into it- it is DEFINITELY not balanced by any means.. but he did it. And I was thrilled, lol. The people across the street probably wondered why I was praising him so much for something that looked like... that. :p

Anyhow, after that we just did some more trotting/walking, and then rode through the pasture back to the paddock.. unsaddled, took a walk and hosed him off a bit which he really appreciated. After that, rolling! Cell phone pics as per usual, sorry. :doh:

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p214/carcar_020/1242845553.jpg

(phone too slow to get a shot of him on his back, lol)

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p214/carcar_020/1242845583.jpg

Pretending not to care that Buck and Mira are out grazing.. I'm fine in here, Mom! See?

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p214/carcar_020/1242845707.jpg

Are you following me?

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p214/carcar_020/1242845729.jpg

[BalooEyes]

Yay! Congratulations! I know, people look at me funny sometimes when I praise Baloo for odd things, but thats a huge step for you guys, great work!

[Peggy Sue]

I was just thinking about you this morning and wondering how things were going... now will you come and help me get over my canter issues with sassy

[Country Girl 43]

YAY!! Good job!!

Yep, I always expect Dallas to start bucking at least once when we go into a lope/canter. Of course he always meets my expectations... :crazy: But it's only once and then we are good to go!

[carla]

Thanks guys! Peggy, I'm on my way. :p

CG43- yep, I wouldn't have had (as big of) an issue if Jack had bucked and went on his way, but he would buck, plant his feet and then throw in a crow hop at the end.. then there we stood, back at square one. And then of course nothin' but attitude working out way back up to try again. :rolleyes: I just can't wait to try again (hopefully tomorrow!) to see if today was just a fluke..

LMBO- and I just realized, it probably only took those few rounds of my hacked-off, confusing lunging lessons for him to say, "oh DEAR GOD, give me back my saddle!!!!" :eek: :hysterical:

[JackieB]

"oh DEAR GOD, give me back my saddle!!!!" :eek: :hysterical:


Sounds about right to me. "I promise I'll never buck again, just stop with the lunging - please!"

Congratulations! Very exciting.

[Me'N'Chic]

LOL! I love reading your posts Carla--sooo funny! Congrats on the canter--many more to come!!

[IrisGreen]

YaY!! Congrats!!:) That's awesome he picked up the canter! No bucking, fast trotting in to it or attitude. You did a great job getting him to understand what you were trying to ask for!

Woohoooo! A canter and many more to come :) He's so cute! I love the looks he gets on his face, such a sweet face and that cute muzzle!:) Keep us updated!

[Peggy Sue]

I say you have to repeat it and video it for us now :innocent:

[Gypsy Rose]

Congrats! I know what it's like wondering how a canter is going to turn out, and all the consequences that may come with it if things aren't just right, lol!

Peggy's right- once you've got that canter solid, we need video!

[Peggy Sue]

NO NO Ann we want the work in progress makes the finished project SOOO much better :)

[pandorasmom]

Congrats, isn't the feeling of cantering and accomplishing a canter amazing?
I just came in from an AWESOME ride, and I know how it feels. Congrats again, give Jack a hug for me please. ;)

[carla]

Ha! Peggy, fat chance! Unless I'm feeling particularly froggy one day and ready for the firing squad.

Thanks everyone else! :) I did ride for a few minutes yesterday, but we didn't attempt another canter because I could tell it wouldn't go well. Jack was more interested in Buck & Mira outside the arena (last time they were down in the paddock) and it was VERY (very) windy and starting to spit rain. He was getting pretty rowdy at the trot AND I hadn't saddled up. SO, we just worked on some w/t transitions and stopped on a good note. But, better luck next time!

[carla]

GRRRRRRRR, well.. I did go out this morning to ride. I have no idea how long we rode, but it was a nice little rodeo at times. ;) Jack was totally distracted by SOMETHING just inside the woods past the pasture, for starters. Was SOO lazy at first, I could barely get a trot out of him. Until I got a handy little stripped limb to ride with me, and he perked right up. :rolleyes:

So we warmed up and when I felt like I had his attention again I asked for a canter. And I asked, and I asked. And he bucked, and he bucked. AND he bucked. I spanked him through the bucking this time with the popper end of my lead; he only managed to plant his feet about once this go 'round, so that was a plus. ONE TIME I got two dinky strides of canter, but then back to a trot, despite my urging him on with my seat..


I was seeing the canter..



feeling the canter..



being... the canter.


Jack, was NOT. :hysterical: I did praise him for it, even though it was a sorry little fart of a try.




Anyhow, there were three "ups" I managed to find from all of this:

1) The only thing he accomplished with the bucking today was (a), pi$$ing me off and (b), getting me even more used to riding them out. :p Boy, he got a few good ones in there too.. :doh:

2) I was really able to get onto him for the bucking this time, and was better at keeping him moving afterward.. another plus related to getting used to them.

3) After all was said and done, we were both quite sweaty. This was the wettest blanket he's had so far and was the perfect chance to really see how the saddle is doing. No dry spots!

4) Oh yeah, and I got LOTS of posting practice today with all the trotting, and it felt much better this time!


So I don't know, guys.. is there really any way it can be a pain thing, when he in NO way feels off at w/t? My gut says that's absolutely not it, but I want to be sure. From where I sit, all I see is attitude, pure and simple. Again, we tried to end on a good note, practicing neck reining at the walk, stops, and other stuff. The cantering was just not happening, period, and he was wearing down; so I had to turn to something else that we could end on. :(

And no video, but maybe next time, as SM asked me to PLEASE let him know when I'm about to head up to the arena to try and get myself killed. Says he would like to at least get a heads up.. :nono:


edit; And another thing I think might be a good idea, is to maybe see about taking a ride or two on Buck and/or Mira, just to reassure myself that I'm not a complete idiot, and I do have the presence of mind to ACHIEVE the canter, lol. I know that I do, of course, but at times I'm wondering what's wrong with me! Buck has a wonderful canter as I recall.. Mira's is good but very slow and you really have to push her through each stride, big ol' girl she is; maybe Diane will take pity on me? :D

another edit: (omg if you've read all of this) One more thing, you don't have to worry with trying to diagnose, etc, unless you just feel like it. I'm just sharing our day. My plan is to just stay relaxed, and start back a couple of steps when I need to. I'm not as shaken about this as the lunging thing, as I'm definitely more comfortable in the saddle with this behavior than on the ground.. We'll work it out, it'll just take time.

[Vacker Hast]

It sounds like YOU are doing very well and doing everything correct especially being able to ride him out so he doesn't get away with it. It sounds like Jack is not ready yet although he probably is and just doesn't know it. When the day is right to ask for it then do and he will get more confident and eventually go into the canter being relaxed instead of fighting it.

Stay safe and let SM know when you are working him just in case you need a spotter or somebody to check and make sure you both are okay. Keep us updated.

Stacy

[FredRock]

He might need to be convinced he can canter. You did it right the first time; a few strides and then a good amount of praise. All I would have changed is going back to trotting and trying it a couple more times. The key is repetition and positive experiences.

Do you lunge him at all? It might help him to get him cantering on a line in both directions for a while. Adding side reins will help him too- he'll be forced to learn to carry himself and he'll only be fighting with himself to get there.

[carla]

Vacker, I REALLY appreciate your reassurance. :) I do think Jack's ready and just doesn't know it; an actually, I also wonder if this stems back to me pondering his possible dislike for the arena. I have to remember- when we had such a good day the other day, I had played with him first, rolling the barrels around and giving him something to "think" about- remember? This time, I just jumped on and went and he was considerably more stubborn. OH- and I AM glad that I'm able to ride out the bucks, too. I can't imagine if he were able to get me off with them- he would really have a huge ego then.

I do think he's ready/capable, though.. just needs time/patience, the latter of which I tend to run short on after a while of "bickering." I will try harder to remember that, with time, it will come and probably when I least expect it. And I'll be sure to let SM know when I go out, lol. Someone always knows what I"m doing and when, just not always someone who is actually on the property.

Fred, thanks. I think he needs a little convincing, but mostly I think he's a stubborn-headed twirp (sp). The guy has plenty of energy to spare on the trails, but gets uber-lazy on the lead sometimes, and in the arena most times. :rolleyes: And I did try to go back to the trot again after the canter, but the problem was I could NOT GET another canter that I could praise. I had used my seat and my positive thoughts energy (lol), I had squeezed, bumped, spanked, kissed and clicked my heart out by the end of the session. Nothin'.

I have lunged him. LOL. Long story. But I will be getting back to it, slowly. In addition to more "constructive play" in the arena, more u/s work, etc. We also have some trotting poles now, but haven't dragged them all the way up to the arena yet. That'll be a good task for this week, if I get a chance to get up there.

That's the other problem at this time- consistency. Some weeks I'm able to ride 3-4 times even if only for 10 minutes, some weeks only once or twice, and some, not at all. Due partly to weather but mostly to my schedule-- but school is out in a few weeks and then I'll be able to give much more time to a more well-rounded approach to our issues. I think that will loosen both of us up. :)

[Peggy Sue]

Carla how old is he??

What I do when first cantering one is just basically "let" it happen on the trail then later install the buttons..

[carla]

Peggy Sue he just turned six. That was my first idea- and I have tried to let it happen on the trails as well and have succeeded once, but there aren't any good straight/non-rocky places on the trails at home to do it on. A couple strides is about all you can get in there anyway. When I get him out to some other trails this spring/summer (IF I can ever get it together! :doh: ), I do agree that is a good idea. :) Thanks!

I am also considering just trying it out in the pasture a little.. he's just usually so antsy trying to see where Buck/Mira are. Nothing ugly recently, just distracted and "sideways" lol. I could try it after wearing him down with some trotting IN the arena first. Hmm, he is always pretty chill when I ride him BACK through the pasture after working in the arena.

[Peggy Sue]

Or have Buck/Mira with you and let them lope beside in front of you and that will encourage him to go and teach him he CAN lope with you on him :)