Posts Tagged ‘trot and canter’

I am hoping to buy a horse, and I am an intermediate rider. I can walk, trot, and canter, on most horses. I ride english, and I am a pretty steady rider. Any suggestions?

I am looking at buying a green broke gelding. I have been riding many years and have done some training, but I want to know what to expect with a "green horse". I have been told that he does his walk, trot, and canter on the correct lead both directions but needs miles. He handles nicely on the ground. Are green horses usually less responsive? What will be my main challenges? Also, I’ll be working with a trainer once a week, so I’ll have extra help.

I’ve just never figured it out. And then same with the low neck, how do you train a horse to keep his head that low and off the bit? I’ve ridden english my whole life and all i’ve even known is how to give a horse contact consistantly.
I’m talking about a lope; were the horse is inbetween a trot and canter. How do you train a horse to do that? A lope couldn’t possibly be 3 beats.

Ride your HORSE to MUSIC and solve training issues! Whether you are riding a dressage musical freestyle, or just riding your horse to music, there are TIPS you should know before you start. Over the years, you have told me that the most important thing to you is that you want the RIGHT MUSIC for your HORSE and you WANT TO HAVE FUN!!

You’ve also told me that:
* You want help recognizing the rhythm of your horse’s gaits.
* You can’t maintain a rhythm.
* You and your horse are nervous and you need help relaxing.
* You’re tired of seeing “4″s for loss of rhythm on your dressage tests.
* You’re frustrated because there is no harmony between you and your horse.
* You don’t know what the right tempo is for your horse.
* You don’t know the difference between rhythm and tempo.
* You don’t know what type of music to choose.
* You can’t hear the difference between walk, trot, and canter music.
* You can’t identify the tempo (or BPM) of music.
* You are tired of buying so many CDs when they only have one good song for riding.

Here’s how I got started…

I grew up in a musical family so learning to read music and play various instruments was ingrained into me early in life. But most of all, I’ve always loved listening to music. (I always had the radio on in the barn.)

But riding to music became a necessity when I got a high strung Trakehner gelding to re-train. This horse was so incredibly tense, and fearful that simply trotting in one rhythm was IMPOSSIBLE. Anyhow, one day I was trying to trot around the arena, when a perfectly cadenced Scottish bagpipe march came on the radio. That horse picked up a swinging, rhythmic trot all by himself! AND he was breathing in time to the music. (Yes, I even have two witnesses to this!)

I was completely shocked. After that, I became fascinated with how music affects both the horse and rider, and my quest began. As I developed my business creating musical freestyles, I was time and time amazed at how perfect music could improve and enhance the horse’s movement and the rider’s rhythm! When the music fit the horse and rider, both the quality of the gaits and movements improved. The music enhanced both the artistic aspect and the technical side of the ride. Because rhythm was maintained!

I thought this was AMAZING, so I wanted to learn more…

I was stunned by the things I learned such as:

* Studies show that music affects our physiology. Slow music slows the heartbeat and the breathing rate as well as brings down blood pressure. Faster music speeds up these same functions.
* Listening to your favorite music is good for your cardiovascular system. Researchers have shown that joyful music has a healthy effect on blood vessel function.
* Riding to music increases your endurance and feelings of well-being. Studies show that exercising to music improves endurance by 15% and improve the “feeling states” so, people derive much greater pleasure from exercise. (Those cool endorphins!!)
* Many hospitals use music to treat patients with stress-related illnesses to stimulate the brain and relax the body.
* Music affects both sides of your brain, so whether you are a left-brain logical thinker or a right-brain artistic thinker, music helps you ride better.
* Even animals react differently to various types of music. Given a choice, rats will choose calm classical music over hard rock every time.
* Music can also influence brainwaves. Faster beats make you more alert and slower beats help you relax.
* Music creates a long-lasting change in brainwave activity. That means that music can bring lasting benefits to your state of mind, even after you’ve stopped listening.
* Music filters out background noises so that you and your horse can concentrate better.
* Music acts as an INTERNAL metronome to help you maintain a regular rhythm.
* Music puts you in a more positive state of mind, helping to keep depression and anxiety at bay.

The bottom line is… it’s fun to ride to music! Rhythm and relaxation are essential for EVERYONE including dressage riders, trail riders, hunter riders, and western pleasure riders.

Ruth Hogan Poulsen
http://www.Ruthhoganpoulsen.com
Ruth@Ruthhoganpoulsen.com

Author: Ruth Hogan Poulsen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Finally, the last recommendation before making your decision to buy your first horse, is making sure the horse is sound. This means that the horse does not have any lameness. Unsoundness can come in many forms, not just the obvious; from respiratory problems, to muscular or skeletal problems, to feet problems. You also want a horse that is mentally sound in his or her way of thinking and dealing with life’s everyday issues. Lets’ assume you have found a horse of interest and you are going back for a second look. Now you are familiar with the horses’ ways and mannerisms. This will give you an advantage as it will make it a little easier to detect some of these things I am about to discuss.

It is important that you look for evenness in their gaits, (walk, trot and canter); no head bobbing as they go through their motions and when you are on their backs, and that every time they put each foot down while at a walk, trot or canter, that each step feels the same. When you are riding a horse, they should feel smooth and even. You are looking for a comfortable ride, the smoother the better. Of course, if a horse has not been ridden in several months or years, their gait will not be quite as smooth perhaps as it should be, as their fitness level will determine this to a degree. When you are on a horse’s back and they are jolting you in the saddle and the horse seems to be pounding the ground, (instead of moving easily across the ground), this should be a red flag for you. Sound and good moving horses just seem to float across the surface. Each horse is an individual, and each one will feel different and you have to take that into consideration. The way in which we ride a horse will also change the outcome of his or her ability to please us.

Let’s move on to muscular, joint and feet problems. If a horse has been ridden too hard on a particular day, they may be moving a little off, (meaning that they are not moving evenly and smoothly), and they may experience some stiffness and soreness due to the build up of lactic acid in the muscles. But as the lactic acid is absorbed by the body, the soreness should subside and the horse’s gaits should go back to normal. If there are chronic muscle issues, then it will take much longer for the horse to re-cooperate and this is another red flag. If, when you go to mount the horse, and they go down in the back, this of course means that their back is sore, but why? This behavior may not just be the back, but may also involve the stifle muscles or other muscles adjoining these areas. Usually, if a horse is unsound because of joint issues, there will be some heat or swelling involved which may or may not be easily detected by a beginner horse person.

If you are suspicious of joint problems, it may be in your best interest to have a veterinarian perform a physical check on the horse and maybe take x-rays just to be sure; depending on the amount of money you are willing to spend. Also, feet problems are a very big issue and can sometimes be difficult to diagnose. If you put your hands around the coronet band, (the very top of the front and side of the foot), where the leg meets the foot, you want to feel if there is any heat in that area and you need to do this on each foot. Also by picking up the feet and looking at the bottom, you will notice a v-shape what is known as a frog. The frog should be a little spongy, yield slightly to a pressured touch, should not have any odor and should look full and not partially eaten away by fungus. Also the walls of the foot, similar to our fingernail, should be extending further down from the frog meaning if you look at the foot from the side, the walls of the foot, (darker outer fingernail), should be a little longer than the frog, but not too long. A good blacksmith is invaluable in today’s horse world as some sound horses need a little more care in this area in order to keep them sound, especially if they are being ridden or campaigned a lot.

The next issue of soundness is respiratory. These problems can be physical malfunctions which will not allow the proper flow of air called a palate. The palate is a mechanism located in the throat area which separates the flow of air and food. That means that if the palate is not working properly it can cause some distress for your horse when breathing. Horses can also suffer from allergies and a problem called heaves. I will be going in depth about these problems at a later date, but for now, you should pay attention to how the horse you are considering is breathing when at a stand still, and how quickly their nostrils start getting wider and wider at what stage of riding. Of course, horses who are not being ridden often and/or are overweight, their nostrils will start to flare very easily. If you just started riding, and the horse is breathing heavy, and you can hear them breathing or they are making a loud noise, this is not a good sign. Horses with the heaves will show signs first, (with little or no exercise), of coughing, sometimes severely, and their stomach’s will tighten up and then drop suddenly, tighten up and drop suddenly. Horses with heaves are usually not very usable and need special care as far as their feed and hay regiment.

So in conclusion of this series Buying a New Horse, I wish you the best of luck. May it be the beginning of a very long, happy and healthy time for you with the possibility of many more horses in your life to come. They will be as much a part of your family as any other member and will give you endless hours of happiness, fun and love.

Beverly Jansen
http://bevshorseadvice.com
I’m a licensed Thoroughbred Horse Trainer and a licensed Equine Message Therapist. I have devoted my entire life to horses and have over 40 years experience to share. My blog site was created to share my knowledge and will soon offer exceptional, all natural horse products that are above and beyond any other products in comparison and will guarantee fantastic results. I will also be posting “How To” videos on my YouTube channel soon.

Author: Beverly Jansen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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So I was wondering what shows a quarter horse can show in. I want to show in the Illinois state fair next year but there are no like shows that a quarter horse can show in which is what I have. I want to show in the three gaited pleasure show but I don’t know if a quarter horse can be three gaited. In the show you have to walk, park trot, and canter. Also what is a park trot? Thanks!

Dressage has ancient roots and is became an important equestrian event in the West during the Renaissance in Europe. It was at this time that the great European riding masters of the world created a sequential training system, which is known today as Classical dressage. This training system is still the basis of modern dressage training today.

Often referred to as “horse ballet,” dressage tests the athletic ability of the horse as well as its disposition and willingness. Due to the dressage being a French term, the maneuvers completed in the various dressage tests are also French. However, before you can completely understand the maneuvers, you must first have a good understanding of the arena that dressage takes place in.

A dressage arena has letters assigned at specific positions. Each dressage test dictates which gait or maneuver is to be performed and at which letter. There are two sizes of dressage arenas, but the arena used at the FEI World Equestrian Games will utilize the standard arena. The standard arena is 66 feet by 197 feet, creating a long rectangle. Around the outside edge of the arena, moving clockwise, you will see the letters A-K-V-E-S-H-C-M-R-B-P-F. Down the middle of the arena, you will not see any letters marked, but the riders know that the letters G-I-X-L-D correspond to the letters marking the outside edge with the letter “X” marking the center of the arena.

A dressage test always begins at marker A and the judge is always sitting at marker C on the far end of the arena from the rider. At a world level competition, such as the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, four other judges will be placed at the markers E, B, M and H. This ensures the horse can be judged from all angles.

The tests performed at the FEI World Equestrian Games are of the highest level, which is Grand Prix. The gaits and maneuvers performed at this level include:

• Collected and extended walk, trot and canter
• Trot and Canter Half-pass – This is when the horse travels diagonally across the arena with its body parallel to the arena railing.
• Passage – This is a slow, suspended trot.
• Piaffe – This is a slow, extremely collected trot and should appear as though the horse is trotting in place.
• One, two and three tempi changes – These are flying lead changes at the canter that take place at specific beats in the gait depending on the required tempi change.
• Canter pirouettes – This maneuver is a 360 degree circle that appears to take place on the spot.

For the freestyle dressage test, the horse and rider are able to perform these maneuvers and more to show the ability of their horses. Many riders will include more complicated movements such as pirouettes in a piaffe, a half pass in passage or a double canter pirouette.

If you want to see some of the most talented horses from around the world perform at the highest level of dressage, then you won’t want to miss the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

For more information about the world equestrian games and to find the best world equestrian games housing visit http://weg2010housing.net.

Author: Abbey Dale
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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When the judges are listening to your music, what are they listening for? One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, “How do the judges evaluate my music?” I’m going to go over the guidelines that are given to the judges so you can be on the same page as they are. There are four categories that the judges must consider when listening to and watching your freestyle. They are:

1. Suitability
2. Cohesiveness
3. Editing
4. Phrasing and dynamics

Let’s go over them one by one.

1. Suitability – The actual definition in the USDF rulebook says, “The music matches and expresses the horse and the gaits.”

What does this mean? “Matching the gaits” means that the music tempo or beats per minute (BPM) is the same as your horse’s down beat in the foot fall pattern of the walk, trot, and canter. (For the upper levels, it must also match piaffe and passage.)

The downbeat of the measure (the one you tap your toe to) should match the down beat of your horse’s gait. For example, in the canter the main down beat of the right lead would be the third beat, when the right front hits the ground. If the judge can tap his toe to the music and it matches when the right front foot is hitting the ground in the right lead, then the tempo matches your horse’s gait.

Matching your horse’s “expression” can be a bit more subjective although it’s very obvious when it does NOT match. If you’re riding a big springy warmblood, then cute circus music is not appropriate. On the flip side, a smaller, more average mover would look even more average if he had a large piece of music. Large music may draw wrong expectations from the judges because of the depth of the music. Bigger music is not always better.

2. Cohesiveness is defined in the rulebook as, “Music that is linked by genre, theme or orchestration.” This means that the judges should easily be able to hear the connection between the pieces of music.

The music should sound as if it were one piece for all the selected gaits. The link could be music of the same genre, like jazz or rock and roll, or the same instrument could be featured throughout the piece.

The link could also be music from TV shows, or a movie series. In any case, the connection of the music should be obvious to more than just you. You may think that the connection is apparent, but ask a few friends if they “get it” before you finalize your selection of music.

3. Editing is defined as “Music that has a smooth flow; there are no abrasive cuts, transition or fades.” If you can hear a cut or clip in a piece of music, it’s not a good edit.

Remember that music has phrases. You should never cut or edit a piece of music in the middle of a phrase. It would be like leaving off the end of a sentence. You’d leave the judges hanging.

Imperceptible edits are seamless. Elements that play an important role in a good edit are pitch, key, and where the beats are in the measure.

4. Phrasing and dynamics-Phrasing is defined as “The way sequences of notes are grouped together to form units of melody; the expression of musical sentences.”

This means that a line of notes or measures are grouped together with a clear beginning and end, like a sentence. You should almost feel like taking a breath at the end of a musical phrase much like you would at the end of a sentence.

Dynamics are the variations of the intensity of sound such as the changes in volume and intensity that would help define a change in a movement. For example, going from working trot to a lengthening, or a collected trot to half pass would be more enhanced with a clear, dynamic musical change.

The judges don’t want to guess when your lengthening was supposed to start. They want to hear a clear change in the music, volume, or intensity.

Hope this helps get you on the same “page” as the judges!

Ruth Hogan Poulsen

http://www.Ruthhoganpoulsen.com

Ruth@Ruthhoganpoulsen.com

Author: Ruth Hogan Poulsen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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