Balance

AutumnAttic · 08-25-2005, 08:17 PM

Autumn is way unbalanced, especially at the canter. What are ways to improve balance?

jumpers4me · 08-25-2005, 08:25 PM

how old is she? and how long has she been under saddle?

some horses simply do not have complete balance until they are fully grown. If she is young she may be going through an "awkward stage"

To help this do lots of groundwork. Either lunging, longe lining or round penning and ask her to canter this will help her figure things out and help her find where her feet are etc.

Also, Are you completely balanced while on her? if you lean a little too far forward or are not in balance or rythym with her it can throw her off balance slighty, for example if you are too far forward you risk placing her on her forehand.

Speeking of on the forehand...does she reach under herself while moving? is she on the forehand? you may have to "pick" her up and help her balance and making sure you stay in rythym and ride as to not interfere while riding.

hope that helps. if i think of anything else ill let you know.

Cavalier · 08-25-2005, 09:10 PM

I agree with the above post.

But just to add something else...is she balanced in the canter on the lunge? If not, then do short sessions of canter lunging, she needs to find her balance without you on her back, because a rider throws an unbalanced horse even more out of balance.

Once she is balanced cantering circles without a rider, you can start to do short periods of canter on her. I would suggest 2-3 trans of trot/canter canter/trot on a 20mtr circle.

Doing lots of walk and trot will also help her to balance in the canter as she learns to balance in these other gaits.

AutumnAttic · 08-26-2005, 08:26 AM

Well shes not young, shes 12. But i will try the longing stuff. Today i will just longe her... thanks

AmyS2429 · 08-26-2005, 08:49 AM

This may spark up a whole debate, but lunging with side reins is usually a big help for balance. Do not use them if you don't know how though. Get professional help if you're unsure.

AutumnAttic · 08-26-2005, 12:02 PM

I have lunged her in side reins, but i will try to do it more often. See if it helps. Thanks AmyS

jumpers4me · 08-26-2005, 01:47 PM

lol. im going to disagree with lunging with side reins. If she is unbalanced and needs her head to help herself the side reins may prevent her from using her head properly. At this moment you are not looking for her to be on the bit or collected, simply balanced properly and the only way she is going to figure things out are naturally without training aids. Side reins are used to help encourage the horse to use his hind end and bring his nose in...not for balance.

to make things short she has to find her own natural balance without any training aids first.

zorse · 08-26-2005, 01:55 PM

Lunging.
My horse was horribly unbalanced at the canter. I couldn't do a 20m circle without her breaking. This spring I decided to tackle the problem. I put her on the lunge line every day starting in Feb. At first she would lean on the lunge line and pull me into a bigger circle and she had to gallop to stay up, but eventually she figure it out. Now when I lunge her she can be on a 15m circle with a loopy lunge line..and under-saddle we're slowly working towards a more collected and up-right canter...and she's getting it!
Just remember that things can not be taught in a day or month. It takes a while for muscles to be built up...and it's something we have to continuously work at to improve.

jumpers4me · 08-26-2005, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zorse

Lunging.
My horse was horribly unbalanced at the canter. I couldn't do a 20m circle without her breaking. This spring I decided to tackle the problem. I put her on the lunge line every day starting in Feb. At first she would lean on the lunge line and pull me into a bigger circle and she had to gallop to stay up, but eventually she figure it out. Now when I lunge her she can be on a 15m circle with a loopy lunge line..and under-saddle we're slowly working towards a more collected and up-right canter...and she's getting it!
Just remember that things can not be taught in a day or month. It takes a while for muscles to be built up...and it's something we have to continuously work at to improve.

very well said!!! *claps hands* couldnt have said it better myself

08-25-2005, 08:17 PM	#1
AutumnAttic Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Michigan U.S.A. Posts: 5,599 Images: 108	Balance Autumn is way unbalanced, especially at the canter. What are ways to improve balance? __________________ Amber I've been snowballed.

08-26-2005, 08:26 AM	#4
AutumnAttic Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Michigan U.S.A. Posts: 5,599 Images: 108	Well shes not young, shes 12. But i will try the longing stuff. Today i will just longe her... thanks __________________ Amber I've been snowballed.

08-26-2005, 08:49 AM	#5
AmyS2429 Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 290	This may spark up a whole debate, but lunging with side reins is usually a big help for balance. Do not use them if you don't know how though. Get professional help if you're unsure. __________________ ~Amy~

08-26-2005, 12:02 PM	#6
AutumnAttic Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Michigan U.S.A. Posts: 5,599 Images: 108	I have lunged her in side reins, but i will try to do it more often. See if it helps. Thanks AmyS __________________ Amber I've been snowballed.

08-26-2005, 01:55 PM	#8
zorse Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 6,607 Images: 474 Blog Entries: 332	Lunging. My horse was horribly unbalanced at the canter. I couldn't do a 20m circle without her breaking. This spring I decided to tackle the problem. I put her on the lunge line every day starting in Feb. At first she would lean on the lunge line and pull me into a bigger circle and she had to gallop to stay up, but eventually she figure it out. Now when I lunge her she can be on a 15m circle with a loopy lunge line..and under-saddle we're slowly working towards a more collected and up-right canter...and she's getting it! Just remember that things can not be taught in a day or month. It takes a while for muscles to be built up...and it's something we have to continuously work at to improve. __________________ "What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure." -Samual Johnson

08-25-2005, 08:25 PM	#2
jumpers4me Full Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Onoway, Alberta Posts: 257 Images: 26	how old is she? and how long has she been under saddle? some horses simply do not have complete balance until they are fully grown. If she is young she may be going through an "awkward stage" To help this do lots of groundwork. Either lunging, longe lining or round penning and ask her to canter this will help her figure things out and help her find where her feet are etc. Also, Are you completely balanced while on her? if you lean a little too far forward or are not in balance or rythym with her it can throw her off balance slighty, for example if you are too far forward you risk placing her on her forehand. Speeking of on the forehand...does she reach under herself while moving? is she on the forehand? you may have to "pick" her up and help her balance and making sure you stay in rythym and ride as to not interfere while riding. hope that helps. if i think of anything else ill let you know.

08-25-2005, 09:10 PM	#3
Cavalier Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 3,698 Images: 236 Blog Entries: 18	I agree with the above post. But just to add something else...is she balanced in the canter on the lunge? If not, then do short sessions of canter lunging, she needs to find her balance without you on her back, because a rider throws an unbalanced horse even more out of balance. Once she is balanced cantering circles without a rider, you can start to do short periods of canter on her. I would suggest 2-3 trans of trot/canter canter/trot on a 20mtr circle. Doing lots of walk and trot will also help her to balance in the canter as she learns to balance in these other gaits.

08-26-2005, 01:47 PM	#7
jumpers4me Full Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Onoway, Alberta Posts: 257 Images: 26	lol. im going to disagree with lunging with side reins. If she is unbalanced and needs her head to help herself the side reins may prevent her from using her head properly. At this moment you are not looking for her to be on the bit or collected, simply balanced properly and the only way she is going to figure things out are naturally without training aids. Side reins are used to help encourage the horse to use his hind end and bring his nose in...not for balance. to make things short she has to find her own natural balance without any training aids first.

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