Counter Canter Explained

OPINION, not necessarily the only way, just the method I use!

Counter canter is a suppling and collecting exercise. It is NOT preparation for flying lead changes. That causes arguement in many circles, but I feel it is on a step on the path with Flying lead changes a successive step later down the line in an overall path connected by goal orinetation only. It is a suppling exercise because you ask the horse to canter in one direction while bent and flexed in the opposite diredtion. During schooling, use of the counter canter accomplishes a "counter flex" of your the horse...cantering on the one lead, changing the flexion back and forth without a change of leg or loss of balance or rhythm. Flying lead changes should not be introduced until the counter canter is confirmed, and even then, I would'nt school flying lead changes from a counter canter.

Why do I call it a collecting excercise? Okay It's an exercise for collection because of the increased engagement required to perform the counter canter, and to counter flex at the canter. This requires a huge ammount of engaged energy in order to correctly engage the canter from the rear while counter cantering. So that's good for you good for the horse in schooling.

Good walk canter transitions are the natural starting place. Remember the basics a forward, rhythmic canter, suppleness, steady contact, most of all of impusion and patience.

"Inside" will be the side where the leading leg is.

Before beginning to school the counter canter make sure you've established the following:

1) The ability to strike off into canter on either lead, from any point in the arena. If you're lucky enough to be working a recycled racehorse you're in great good fortune.

2) A firm and established Medium canter-collected canter-medium canter transition. Remember the horse must actually step under him/herself in the downward transition.

3) Established shoulder-ins on the at true canter. Without which the horse won't be straight in the counter canter.

4) The counter flex established on the wall in true canter with shoulder-in positioning.

This is the excercise as I see it...

True canter, horse slightly flexed to the inside. Medium canter on the straight making sure that the horse has a strong forward moving big. Get a good transition down.Use the short side to confirm the working/collected canter. Change rein from the next corner on the HALF diagonal. Keep the horse's body straight, or slightly in shoulder-in positioning. Do not allow the haunches to move to the inside. When you hit the track at B (E), continue down the wall on the same lead. The turn from half diagonal to long wall is where this can all fall apart. Be aware of your seat and keep the shoulders slightly leading the hindquarters on the inside. After several counter canter steps, transition to working trot. Pick up your true canter on the short side and start the whole exercise again in the new direction.

This is the way most people introduce the counter canter. A good working canter held across the short diagonal is an essential component of which to change direction. We use the short diagonal so that it is not a sharp turn when you come to the other side. So for that reason alone, in the beginning you may wish to make a broader turn in the corner by the short side (cut the corner slightly) to help the horse keep his/her balance. Later on you'll lose points for this. Consider it a schooling device. So for now if your horse speeds up slightly to get through the corner, don't force him back right away and risk losing the lead. When balance is attained then rgthum is the goal. The corner will be a problem so get comfortable around the corner. At all costs don't let him/her take off. and be sure to keep repeating your strike-off aids to help his/her balance. That should perpetuate in keeping him/her on their lead. Use your inside seat cues with a slight weight on the same stirrup. That will school balance, but be sure to keep your center as well so the horse doesn't fall apart.

Once establish continue the counter canter around the first corner and make your transition to trot at C (A). Improve the suppleness at the canter with shoulder-in and counter-flexion exercises:
Work the horse in collected canter.
Circle ten meters at the corner.
Shoulder-in on the long wall.
Position the shoulders so that the inside hind leg wil be movinging into the space between the forelegs. You'll either need mirrors or a coach in front of you. Balance with the outside rein ever so slightly. Keep your outside leg on to prevent because the haunches will tend to slip out. Use the inside leg to keep the canter forward and through from behind. If you lose the balance or rhythm, circle 10M begin the shoulder-in again from the circle.
When the shoulder-in is established and balanced, take contact with the inside rein to maintain balance. Flex the horse's neck toward the outside. Keep the outside leg steadily on, to prevent the haunches from shifting. At this point be wary of the horse's desire to change leads. As you perform this slightly and gently it will be less likely. If the horse changes leads start the 10M circle again repeat until correct. Do not maintain counter flexion for more then six strides. Then flex to normal. Soften the inside rein again and pushing the horse from the inside leg to the outside rein for balance.

Now that you've master this movement use counter flexions on the short side to improve the quality of the counter canter on a bending line. Always be sure you have a forward canter engaged canter before doing any counter flexion.

What you've attained here is suppleness and independance of the forquarter from the hindquarter. The reason you'll really need a coach is because the hindquarter has to remain straight on the track, regardless of which way the horse is flexed. So straigtness of the hind is the most important single face no matter on which lead the horse is cantering.

Possible Problems:
editor's note: Remember don't ask for too many steps in the beginning. Make sure you ask for the trot transition well BEFORE your horse loses his balance and breaks gait or volenteers a flying lead change. That's why I stress 6 strides.

1) Loss of forward impulsion.

2) Hanches swinging to the inside. Remember that would be OUT on a counter canter circle or around the short side of the arena.

3) Twisting the neck, coming in front of the contact, losing the correct bend.
To the outside of the arena and the inside of the canter. Must be flexed to the same side as the leading foreleg in the counter canter. The exception is the counter-flexion I described in suppleness schooling. The bend must be more emphasised in the forequarter (slight shoulder-in positioning) than the hindquarter.

4) No angular turns, only smooth looping curves.