The Non-Canter Continued

The Non-Canter Continued

Last month, I wrote about how excited I was to discover the "non-canter."  

I haven't gotten too far with it.  The biggest problem that has held me back was the conditions of the trail.  Somedays, it just isn't appropriate to trot; let alone canter.  There were other rides where I was following a trotting horse, and there just wasn't enough space between us for me to canter safely without interfering with the other horse.

There were days that I tried--and failed completely.  I know that part of the problem is that I had Cole's shoes pulled for the winter, and his feet are a bit tender.  He is lacking enthusiasm to go beyond a moderate trot on most rides.  I'm not forcing the issue, because that goes completely against the whole idea of the "non-canter."

There have been a some days where he does canter for a little bit, then he goes right back to the trot.

On the days when we can't cross the river because it is too high--and there have been more than a few of them in December, we will trot on all the good trail on the hill.  One of the best areas is right at the bottom.  It is a bit muddy in places, and they don't care to trot through the mud.  They will--they just don't like it.

What I have been trying--at least once a ride when we are on the hill--is to canter at the bottom between one muddy section to the next.  I have had some success, and each time I do it, Cole gets quicker on his transition.

I was riding the hill with Kevin on Starry on New Year's Eve.  Kevin was taking it easy because his back is feeling a little sore.  When we would get to the bottom of the hill, I would trot to the end, turn around and trot back to Kevin as Starry just strolled along.

On our last trip down, we did our trotting routine and caught back up with Starry right at the mud pit.  Kevin told me to do it again.  I turned at the mud and asked Cole to canter as we were turning.  He did!  Not only did he canter, but did it right out of the turn with no walk or trot steps at all.  We just flowed right into the canter.  It was a spectacular feeling.  We went the short distance to the next mud pit, and then I asked him to trot to the end.

It was one of the most thrilling canter transitions on Cole that I have ever experienced.  I hope that it is a sign of good things to come.

Everything depends on the weather this time of year.  If it is really bad, I might start working on the canter in the arena.  I just haven't been doing much arena riding in years, and what I did do, included very little cantering.  Maybe this will motivate me to concentrate more on it.  I just have to keep imagining how that wonderful transition felt...