How to canter balanced on a horse
The canter is a 3 beat movement. The well balanced elevated canter is a beautiful pace to ride. As a rider you feel elegant
skilled and wow ‘look at me’.
This is how it should feel
A rider without balance or stability will interfere with a horses natural rhythm. The horse will tighten his back, raise his head and lean on the bit “resist”.
To ride the canter well. A rider needs lower back flexibility, upper body strength endurance and deep core stability. The hamstrings need to keep the impulsion as the hands hold a gentle contact. The riders pelvis tilts forwards and
backwards as the horse rounds his back and then stretches into the next stride.
A rider can learn this movement out of the saddle by training movement and stability on a physio ball. The functionof core stability at the canter can be broken into stages and trained. A good rider needs a flexible lower back with movement through the pevlis and hips. The upper back is best kept upright, this takes good muscle strength and
endurance from the holding muscles.
Applied Posture Riding teaches rider to ride. It does not teach you how to train a horse but ‘How to ride a Horse’. How to ride the canter is one specific exercise this prgram will teach you. The ball exercises are specific and will teach movement patterns you can practice. The how to canter exercises involve moving the ball in circles to gain mobility and core strength. The more often this is practiced the better a rider will become. The how to canter exercises on the horse are easy and give the rider that ah haaa feeling.
I have had huge success with tis prgram Go to the website and read the testimonials you to can learn to canter and ride well.
For more information on braces for Horse riders go to
Physiotherapist/Horse Riding Instructor/Rider/ Pilates Teacher Author Applied Posture Riding Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/equestrian-articles/how-to-sit-the-canter-horse-riding-1776698.html
To recap from the part one - A Bit about Snaffles - Bits work on many different areas of the horse’s head: the tongue, bars, corners of mouth and lips, roof of mouth, side of fact, chin groove, poll and nose.
There are essentially five difference types of bit. All work on different areas of the horse and therefore have a different result. Having dealt with Snaffles in the previous article. here we feature the other four Bits.
Double
Double bridles are made up of three parts, the bradoon and the curb bit and the curb chain. These are easy to distinguish as:
- A bradoon will have a link and round rings
- A curb bit has no link and has cheeks in some form of another
- A curb chain is a piece of fine metal chain which attaches to either side of the bit and then lies in the chin groove.
Double bridles apply pressure to two further parts of the horse, the chin groove and the poll, which can encourage a more advanced head carriage and/or improved control. For this reason, they are used when the horse has reached a stage in his training where he requires further refinement, such as advanced dressage. Doubles can also be used when showing, hunting or jumping.
Pelham
A Pelham is a rather cunning bit where the two bits of a double bridge have been combined into one. Pelham bits can be used with one rein (with roundings) or two reins to encourage further refinement. This type of bit has the following variations:
- Straight bar or gently curved (mullen)
- With a port (a raised section in the centre of the bit)
- Jointed
- Kimblewick, which is a single reined bit with two rein positions, This is a strong bit.
Rugby Pelham can be used with a sliphead, like a double bridle, and can be made to look like a double for the show ring.
Pelhams are generally quite severe and should only be used by experienced people. They are not acceptable in dressage.
Gags
Gags are related to snaffle bits but are more severe.
They usually employ a lever action which works on the poll and are commonly seen when horses are going cross country, show jumping or playing polo. They are illegal for dressage.
There are many variations. Like the snaffle, they can have straight bar, single joined or double jointed mouthpieces in addition to a variety of different rings/cheeks, but these are often specific to that type of gag.
Gag snaffles should be used with two reins in a similar style to a Pelham. To use a type of bit like this with one rein does not allow any reward for the horse if he behaves, or give the rider any other option than employing the lever action. If a rein is attached to the snaffle ring and then a ring below, the rider has the best of both worlds.
Gags are very severe and if used inconsiderately can cause a lot of problems. That said, if used correctly and sympathetically, they can provide the rider with a further degree of control. Gags should only be used by very experienced riders.
Bitless
A bitless bridge or Hackamore is not technically a bit (hence, bitless) but a special attachment is available to provide the rider with control without the need for a traditional bit. These ‘bits’ rely on points of control outside the horse’s mouth, especially the nose. Bitless bridles have difference degrees of severity depending on the length of the shank between the nose and reins, and the paddying/width of straps around the head.
Bitless bridles are great for horses that do not like traditional bits or have damaged mouths, but they are not allowed in dressage competitions. Don’t be fooled … bitless bridles can be very severe and should not be used by inexperienced people.
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In part three, we shall summarise other aspects of Bits, including materials, fit and sizing.
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Submitted by The BPc, Internet Presence and Internet Promotion - http://myportfolioltd.blogspot.com - on behalf of Sherwood Equestrian Supplies. For further Equestrian information visit http://sherwoodequestrian.blogspot.com and for Equestrian supplies visit http://www.sherwoodequestrian.co.uk Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/equestrian-articles/a-bit-more-double-pelham-gags-and-bitless-1747652.html
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