Offering frozen semen for overseas distribution!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Written By Eleaine Pascoe
Photos by Cappy Jackson
Horse and Rider Magazine - 1996
Teach your horse to make a prompt walk-to-lope departure with this exercise from Western pleasure trainer Cindy Stephens.
Event appeal: Western pleasure; any other event that calls for a seamless walk-to-lope transition.
Goal: To teach your horse how to position his body so he can step into the lope from the walk without taking any jog steps.
Benefits: In horse-judged classes, such as Western pleasure, a smooth, balanced lope-off will demonstrate your horse's obedience and degree of training; in rider-judged classes, such as horsemanship, the maneuver will demonstrate your riding skill. The result will be top marks from the judge.
To make a fluid walk-to-lope transition, your horse needs to lighten his front end by shifting his weight rearward, then lift his inside shoulder and step up under himself with his hocks to push off. Balanced in this way, he can easily reach forward with his leading leg as he steps into the lope, bit it's something many young horses have trouble with at first. By harnessing the forward energy and deep stride of the "long" (extended) trot, you'll not only teach your horse the feel of this position, you'll also help him develop the hindquarter strength he'll need for a fluid lope departure.
Although this exercise is primarily a teaching tool, you'll find it also serves as an excellent pre-class tune-up.
|
|
1. After thoroughly warming up your horse, establish a solid cadence at the jog. (Note: While this 2-year-old's head carriage is too low for some associations' rules, it's due to a high-hip growth stage. When this colt's front-end catches up, his head and neck will be naturally level.)
2. Urge your horse into a long trot by closing your legs against his sides, then driving him forward with on/off spur pressure (not jabs) in rhythm with his stride, and exaggerating the motion of your seat. Sit up straight, so you won't weigh down his front end, and lift your reins just enough to establish light contact. (You'll use about 90 percent leg and 10 percent hand.) By creating a slight barrier with your hands, you'll encourage your horse to lighten his front end; by continuing to push him forward into y our hand-barrier, you'll encourage him to reach with his legs, rather than simply quicken his stride.
3. When you've established a rhythmic long trot, ask your horse to yield his head to the inside-in this case, left-by taking your left rein slightly back and to the right. This will cause him to shift his weight onto his outside (right) shoulder, automatically lightening his inside shoulder. At the same time, maintain contact with your outside rein to prevent his shoulders from drifting out; and increase your outside leg pressure behind the cinch to push his hips in and encourage him to step far under his body with hind legs. Continue asking and releasing until he understands what you want, and can maintain the head-yield position for several long-trot strides.
4. At that point, prepare to lope. Stop following the trot motion with your seat, sit up straight and pushyour inside hip forward, kissing to your horse for a little added encouragement. Slowly (after two or three lope strides) release your inside rein and allow him to straighten his neck. Practice long-trotting into the lope until your horse automatically lifts himself into the faster gait as soon as he feels your hip-push cue. This is when he's ready for a walk-to-lope transition.
When your horse knows how to position his body for the lope-off, you'll be able to ask for a walk-to-lope transition by increasing your outside leg pressure and taking your inside leg away from his side. In response, he'll move his hips in, step up under himself, and lighten his inside shoulder. Then, when you push with your hips, he'll lift right into the lope.
|
|
|
