I agree, I’ve never found a video of someone explaining how to ACTUALLY make the stride shorter or longer. When my instructor asks me to, then I just somehow manage to do it, it just comes naturally, but I REALLY want to know what actually to do.
I lengthen my body - grow tall and strong through the core and close (not grip) my knee when asking to collect. When asking to lengthen soften and slightly give with the hands, open the knee and increase your scoop with your pelvis. Scoop your pelvis like an icecream scoop and how big your scoop is depends on what you want! Remember to not lean forward and always use your core strength. In collected canter remember to keep the leg on to keep the jump and impulsion. I hope that helps a bit :)
Great video, bit what needs to happen with the riders upper body core as far as engagement/self carriage in order to collect and extend? I don't think we hear enough about the importance of OUR self carriage is. Absolutely LOVE the excitement you bring to the channel!!!! Thanks😄🦄
I was asking the same question. The video shows the changes for the horses stride, but didn't seem to explain how to ask for them - ie what the rider needs to change. I assume its a leg aid since its changing the tempo of the hind end, but how? What? When?
I can tell you what I did. Half halts to ask the horse to jump under more with the reins to say not stronger forward... add more up.. it happens by increments. The half halt is the attention getter that says get ready. If he slows or breaks stride, you over did it or you don't have enough impulsion connected to your hands. It is imperative that the foot falls stay exactly the same.. like a metronome.. what changes is shorter and higher- collected, longer and more forward in extension. Try this on foot.. your 2 beat walk.. count one two, one two etc. As you count take a longer stride.. what happens to the count? Initially it slows down.. what's missing? Stronger push off so you step forward with more power to make that 1,2 stay the same.. the longer you make the stride,, the more powerfully you have to step forward to complete that in the same amount of time.. now to collect.. the stride is shorter and if all you do is shorten, the 1,2 speeds way up.. now step short but higher so the 1,2 stays the same. Again, the shorter you step, the more power you need to push upwards to keep the 1,2 the same. The half halt says come under more but not so much forward. A slight move of the hands forward uncoils the horse a tiny bit and the stride will then lengthen with a driving aid that says more forward. If you don't have enough impulsion (drive, oomph, power) the movements are dull . The horse in the video has loads to spare but he graciously accepts Alicia's directions for using that power. Hope this helps..
I only found this video right now..yeah I know, bit late BUT jeez I love you Alicia. You simplify things so understandably. Can't wait to work on all your instruction when I get my new sweet natured boy in June/July & then a few months establishing a trust connection with each other. You're a fabulous little whizz Alicia. Such a great video, I'll be watching it a dozen times! x Linda
I did not really like to train alone as I could not give exercise to my horse, but watching these videos give me confidence and a 50-60 minutes training gets by quickly. Also my horse seems to like it. 🤗
Your enthusiasm is absolutely contagious! I am learning so much from your videos. Thank you so much. You’re touching thousand’s of riders lives. ❤️❤️❤️
I LOVE your channel and VIDEOS!! I am a hunter/jumper and excited 😜 to focus on dressage!! I am working on my collected canter (among everything else, hee hee 😛). I feel very comfortable in my canter / Extended canter - driving from my seat. I am working on my circles and very thankful for Natasha’s input on using my outside rein. *leg to hand :). Thanks for all the great info provided on this channel!! Easily my fav channel on You Tube!!!
You just overflow with enthusiasm, Alicia and I love it. Also, Gee is the bestest most beautiful and happy in his work boy. You have clearly forged partnerships and built strength in all of your relationship with your horses. It is always so good to have that reinforced :)
Briliant your Amazing Alicia I’m so proud to see an Australian giving excellent correct education, training but more importantly how easy the formula is to get right…… and how bloody good it feels! Collection is at the top of the training scale I love hearing you say when things go wrong go back down the scale! You are so bloody right! I wish more trainers in Australia had the same Ethos. So often you see impatient trainers skipping parts to get the collection then blaming the horses when clean quiet supple rhythmic tension free collection isn’t achieved. Well done to you not just for the innovative and intelligent facilitation of learning you provide, but also for the ongoing success we will all have when …….we take the time…… make the time……and use the scale! BRAVO! 👏🏾
Fantastic video! Just a suggestion, a video on Rein Back would be good. How to do, problems with them, like dragging of front or back hooves, how to fix etc? This series is brilliant, enjoying your very clear explanations!! You are a beautiful rider and have amazing horses! ♥️
Thanka Andrea, we can make this for sure, in the meantime, some points to think about with the rein back for you. Whilst people take the rein back a little for granted it is actually a movement that is not shown in dressage tests until Elementary level (or 2nd Level) so it requires a higher degree of training than most think! A correct rein back has clear, diagonal steps back and controlled amount of steps and immediate walk (or trot) out forward. What directly affects the rein back is the halt, so ensure you come in with a square balanced halt before attempting the rein back and take your time and do not try the rein back if the horse is unbalanced in the halt or hollow in the back. Hope these tips help!
Love the riding demo and on the circle. So glad to see a person having a fun in a "bad rider style" moment👍 😁 You're going to be teaching a lot i suspect! Thank you for the effort put into these videos xox
I think the reason you're getting so much feedback about what's NOT in the video is that the title of the video really makes it seem like we're going to learn HOW to do it. Something more like "understanding the canter tempo" or "what is the canter tempo" would give viewers a better expectation of what's in the video. Or even the basics OF the canter tempo would make it clearer that it's more of a theory/explanation video than a teaching of the aids video. :) I agree with the other comments that I would love a video on what the actual aids are for changing the length of the step. Looking forward to the next part because I'd love to be able to do this!
Brilliant. So simple and I wonder why I never thought to do this. I always counted strides when jumping but it never occurred to me in dressage but of course it makes total sense! Thanks
Great Video again Alicia. Now i have to go try this. Still working on the leg yielding stuff. Thats made a huge difference in a couple of weeks. You have an amazing way of explaining everything. Thank you.
Alicia you are wonderfully refreshing! And great at painting a picture how training really looks. Love your videos. I would love, I mean love to come work with you!!!!
Hi Lauren, good suggestion! Did you see our video on flying changes? This had a little on counter canter and we can talk about it more in depth in a future video also ua-cam.com/video/E38wK3Fm8Xc/v-deo.html
I have to agree with the comments it’s the HOW that’s missing. Great explanation on changing the number of strides and not slow down or speed up. What does the rider do to change the number of strides between two points not putting the hand brake on but what changes . Thankyou so much looking forward to reading your comment.
Thanks for the feedback Linda! To collect the canter the rider must communicate to the horse to decrease the length of the stride. The rider's seat is important to do this so you need your seat to become more quiet and still but still have your seat remain as a driving aid. Its important to remember that there are prerequisties of collection - it would be good to review this video on the training scale to understand -ua-cam.com/video/oDze9c40vOY/v-deo.html
Great info on this channel! I love what you are doing! You are so right that we do this all the time when jumping. When trying to shorten on flat work, the horse can often come against the hand and drop the hind end. From other videos, know now to supple with a baby leg yield and it’s helping! Any other tips for rider aids when shortening/lengthening without changing the balance and throughness would be appreciated! 🙏☺️
Thank you! Yes - it sounds simple but just suppleness, this could be anything from counter flexion, turning a circle through to moving the horses body in a more gymnaticising exercise like working pirouette. If you think about it, when the horse loses connection over the back it is just rhythm or suppleness and normally suppleness. Hope this helps!!! ✨
This was so helpful for me. I feel kind of silly because for some reason in my mind I thought that if I can get my horse slower he will become more balanced, supple and collected. So I’ve been trying to work backwards it seems. What I take home is to continue to allow my horse and I to have our regular working hunter canter and to work on getting more straight, supple and balanced in circles and work on counting strides and trying to lesson or increase strides 1/2 step at a time and the “slow” I’ve been looking for will come naturally. I am coming from hunter jumper with a 7 year hiatus so my position is weak and I’m riding a very young horse who is heavy on the forehand and his canter is still unbalanced, he leans and is fast so I just really had myself convinced that I need him to slow down and those things will be fixed by the slower tempo. I have been using hand brakes and you can probably guess how that’s been going…..failure…..I really appreciate this video for opening my eyes to my incorrect thinking. And my horse thanks you too even though he doesn’t know it. Hopefully one day I will be able to show you guys a nice collected canter but I think it will be a while. We have some more basic work to do 😜 Thank you for all the information. I have already watched all the other videos she mentioned to watch too and they have helped me so much already!!!! You guys are awesome!!!!!
Amanda, thanks so much for this message… this make my heart squeal with excitement! This is such a game changer for you. Can wait to see you saw! Alicia xx
Don’t know if this is helpful but I was always taught to sit up really tall with my core engaged, put more lower leg on than normal for support of the smaller stride since Ots harder for the horse and use half halts with the outside rein to collect the canter. I also limit how much I swing my hips in collected canter: if I want to make the stride bigger I swing my hips more, if smaller less motion. Practicing over poles really helped me learn this skill.
Love this!! Have you seen our million subscribers competition? Possibly some reward for you sharing it around!!! ua-cam.com/video/J1m6MsKNJhc/v-deo.html
I have wondered on this too. It almost looks like you ride in thin standing wraps which I have not seen before. Have only ever seen polos or brush/splint boots while working. Thank you!
Like many others here - I understand the tempo changes - but what is the rider doing to cue the changes? What is your body doing to create the smaller steps? The larger steps?
Your boots are lush. Are they Celeris? Great video - love the emphasis on the fact that it takes time and practice to build up strength in the CORRECT way to collect to an advanced level 👌🏼 could be good to hear a bit more around exactly what aids you’re using - particularly your seat which can be tricky to get the hang of for collected canter if you’re new to it!
Hi Sophie, thank you 🙏🏻 the boots are Petrie from Divoza in the Netherlands. Stay tuned as we will be doing another video with more information on HOW to ride the collection, thanks for the feedback!!
Love watching you ride, you make all of it so much fun while giving great instruction. I'm wondering if you have advice for working with a lazy horse. Really struggling with my mare to keep the energy and engagement. She's healthy, very cooperative, and is not green, but some days I think we both are tired by the time I get her moving enough to do any productive work.
Hi there, great question! Have you seen our OTTB video where Alicia talks about setting the horses tempo, using a quick aid and also how making the horse supple can help the horse move more freely? ua-cam.com/video/mBIi_O6GVys/v-deo.html
@@YourRidingSuccess yes, I have watched all of the videos. 🙂 I did have success with many different excersizes 🤗 hence the frustration. When I need the energy and engagement to ask for movements I struggle and constantly work way too hard . I'm riding a much greener horse as well and her rhythm and tempo are already easier to keep than my mare. Frustrating 🤔 Sometimes I need to challenge her with something scary just to work her up 🙄
With horses that are naturally a bit relaxed you often need to "check in" to ensure the horse is in front of your aids but changing the tempo or always checking if you use a quick aid the horse responds.
This was great but what were the aids that you were giving him to shorten his steps as an example was it just half halting or was there extra aids that you were giving. Also loving watching you you've been amazing. Can you also do a video explaining and exploring what and how to give different aids for the different movements???
@@YourRidingSuccess how can I get more opening of the stride? My horse is 19 so I know I won’t get too much push, but I’m really trying to make sure we are showing a clear difference at the beginning. Riding novice but wanting to make the move to Ele! You can see my videos of my tests on my UA-cam!
Hi Jade, if you are looking for more ground cover in the medium paces that comes from a horse that is supple over the back and therefore can take a bigger step when required. Instead of thinking about the medium pace across the test lines think of using suppleness exercises like leg yield on a circle to encourage a more supple back and bigger step then slowly build that into the medium paces on the diagonal. Hope this helps
Loved the video-need to collect the canter by changing the tempo, but didn’t get how to actually change the tempo? I’m not sure what I missed, but how do you actually shorten the horse’s stride or lengthen it? Thank you! 🥰
Hi Jennifer, we had feedback that you would like to know HOW to collect the canter ie what to do with your body so stay tuned as we will be making another part in this series! x
Hi Alisha, thank you that was very well illustrated. Please can you explain what is the next step I need to do after the doing circles to get more strides and less strides down a side. I don’t jump either so not sure about how to go about shortening or lengthening a stride practically myself although I’ve seen people do it. Thank you xx
To make the tempo change to more collection what aids are you using. Opening up canter is something I can do easily but bringing the canter to be more collected is harder!
My horse will fall towards the inside on the right rein and seems stiff. The right hind won’t engage as much on a circle. While on the left hand (even more in canter) she will come towards the inside with her bum and I can’t seem to get her back on the traintracks. She’ll turn a circle immediately if I try and bring her shoulders in as well. Please help? 😇I love your passion and have already gained so much knowledge from your videos. It’s really amazing. Especially my seat has improved and I’m able to sit in the trott for the first time in ~20 years.
Thank you SOO much for writing to us! We would love to help you more and really be able to see what is happening- could you send us an email with a short video of your riding? Send to support@yourridingsuccess.com and put a copy of this message with your email x
When you collected the canter, your horse's croup lowered, and he kept reaching. Yet what I've seen over the years is a lot of "constipated", slowed down canters. Can you address that in a video?
Hi Suzanne, you are right that with this horse he lowered, we are planning on making a video to show how the rider collects the horse and you will see more of the process in that video which might demonstrate more step by step the horse's body also. If you train the horses correctly with the training scale you will less likely encounter issues like you have mentioned - which really is more of a rider error than horse training. Hope this helps ✨
What do I do with my body what is the mechanism used to train the horse, my horse is mainly a 3 years rice horse I want to change his carrier to be more calm and train him the 3 kinds of canter.
Are those some form of compression or something bandages under the polos? Or is it a different type of polo all together? I see them in your videos and Ive been very curious to learn about them
Good question Sarah, the bandages are fleece and have a bandage pad underneath, I have added your suggestion to our list of upcoming video suggestions x
Agree with many comments that you explained what collected canter is but not how to do it. Fun video but disappointing that you say it’s easy but don’t say how to do it.
Thanks for the feedback Michelle, as you have pointed out we have had feedback about this so stay tuned and we will make a follow up video. This video was to show how you can start working towards collecting the canter with circles and also showing the difference with making strides shorter and longer 🤩
How do you feel about draw reins? i use them on occasion for my horse as he's had the typical U.S. hunter training, so he doesn't quite know-how to hold the contact yet.
If you don't mind, I'll answer this from my perspective as a dressage trainer but I'm sure she'll come around later and tell you her version of it. The contact is pretty high up on the training scale for something that nearly everyone tries to use daily, here's why. When we think of the contact, we think it's all about us getting our horse onto the bit with our hands, so we shorten our reins and take up the contact ourselves. In actual fact, that closes off their tmj, throatlach and poll, stiffens their backs, and takes them further away from the contact that you actually want. She went into a bit of detail about this in the dressage training scale video. We need to get rhythm and suppleness before we can get the contact (or connection). Why is that? Horses are trained back to front. We need to take weight off their shoulders (where the weight naturally lands) and move it to the hindquarters. This is why Alicia uses leg yields, even for the young horses. Once they have good rhythm, are pushing upwards with their hindquarters, and they are soft and "moveable" (suppleness), they will naturally take up the contact themselves. This isn't to say you can't take up the contact in the beginning (see Alicia's riding videos on Mowgli) but draw reins hold them in a place that is difficult to understand when they aren't already fairly well trained. The proper position for teaching any kind of contact to a baby is low and wide. This means, use the lunge to get him building muscle and listening to your cues and energy, and then teach them the contact when you ride. Otherwise you are only confusing them, they will go behind or above the bit but it will no longer be just because they don't know what they're doing and actually because you've trained him that the pressure is released there. Training aids aren't very successful in helping in the way that we dream they will unfortunately (martingales, pessoa systems, and the like all do the same thing). Hope this helps!
@@gh0st_xr Thank you so much for taking the time to explain this. I "know" that draw reins will not get the connection you're looking for (and in fact, as you say, cause the opposite understanding for your horse, meaning you may never naturally get the connection through training and building suppleness and muscle). I've read and seen some horrible uses of artificial side reins.
Hi Nora, I have to say that some of the comments already to your question are very good! Training aids are just that, an aid to your training but should not replace good training and using the training scale to progress the horses as otherwise they do not have chance to use their bodies in the most optimum way 🤩
Hi Chuck, do you mean how do you signal a smaller horse in a bigger way? The answer to that is to be quicker, not bigger! Horses react to a quicker aid so try to think about being quicker in your aid in order to have the horse respond quicker rather than a bigger aid.
Recently, I try to catch the collect canter feeling, I get a special feeling, seat and all body(especially the muscle of waist and back) totally control speed and tempo and hand and rein seem to be no longer brakes but reminders and energy , is it correct to right way ? Thanks. Hula hoop can train my waist and lower back muscle.
Hello Sam! Congratulations! Please send us an email with your complete information to support@yourridingsuccess.com so we can send you the prize you've won! x
Hi Kimberly, good question, first of all check the horse is not reacting from pain and assuming it is not then ensure you are using a quick aid rather than a slow, pressuring aid. Teach the horse to react from a quick aid and also ensure you work on the suppleness of the horse as otherwise when you use your leg it will be uncomfortable for the horse as the horses body is stiff. Good luck with your mare!
Thank you 🙏🏻 Yes Gee is such a lovely horse and really is quite special, he is very good on a hack! He is just a lovely horse to have around and do anything with 💕
we would appreciate it much more if you tell us HOW TO DO what you´re showing us (as what aids you use, what you do with the reins and your hands to accomplish your goal) Thks.
Thanks so much for your suggestion - this video was about breaking it down into the basics so you can start the process of thinking about what to do when you change the canter tempo. A 'how to' with the exact aids would need to be a much more comprehensive video... but we will absolutely see what we can do!
You said over and over that collection was not about slowing down, yet at the 10 minute mark you said it was “all about tempo and change the tempo”. Isn’t tempo the speed of the footfall ( and rhythm the evenness)? I think you should just say to change the number of steps in a defined amount of space.
Hi Linda, the point of thinking to “not slow down”, is so that riders don’t make the horses steps slower to collect. When you take smaller steps, the result is still a change in tempo. Thus saying the “tempo change.” Basic summery. You need to control the tempo to collect. Two ways of doing this.. 1. slowing the steps. (Incorrect) 2. Asking the horse to take smaller steps (correct) The tempo reduction is a bi product of the smaller steps taken. If you need the tempo to become “slower” you need to think more small steps, not “slow down”. This point will allow riders to succeed at pirouettes etc later in their careers. Note: the ideal speed for a pirouette preparation is that a person can walk briskly beside the horse. By teaching the tempo control comes from smaller steps not slowing down. Riders can succeed in this, without effecting their basic training scale and or the horse bottoming out. There will be a follow up video re aids. I hope this helped with your learning! Xx
How do you make steps bigger or smaller? This is as frustrating to watch as it is talking to upper level riders that foget that we don't all just know this. I understand it's not a hand brake or pulling and slowing the seat just blocks them as well. I can influence a bit with posting a circle but how is it done sitting?Need a breakdown.
Loved this video but was hoping to know what you actually do as a rider to make the strides bigger or smaller.
I agree, I’ve never found a video of someone explaining how to ACTUALLY make the stride shorter or longer. When my instructor asks me to, then I just somehow manage to do it, it just comes naturally, but I REALLY want to know what actually to do.
I lengthen my body - grow tall and strong through the core and close (not grip) my knee when asking to collect. When asking to lengthen soften and slightly give with the hands, open the knee and increase your scoop with your pelvis. Scoop your pelvis like an icecream scoop and how big your scoop is depends on what you want! Remember to not lean forward and always use your core strength. In collected canter remember to keep the leg on to keep the jump and impulsion. I hope that helps a bit :)
I never heard what aids you use other than turning to collect.
Hi Rosanne, stay tuned as we will be doing another video with more information on HOW to ride the collection, thanks for the feedback!! 🤩
@@YourRidingSuccess can we have the same on extension aswell please . It’s the “how” that’s not clear .
Great video, bit what needs to happen with the riders upper body core as far as engagement/self carriage in order to collect and extend?
I don't think we hear enough about the importance of OUR self carriage is.
Absolutely LOVE the excitement you bring to the channel!!!! Thanks😄🦄
I was asking the same question. The video shows the changes for the horses stride, but didn't seem to explain how to ask for them - ie what the rider needs to change. I assume its a leg aid since its changing the tempo of the hind end, but how? What? When?
Same question I asked!!!
I can tell you what I did. Half halts to ask the horse to jump under more with the reins to say not stronger forward... add more up.. it happens by increments. The half halt is the attention getter that says get ready. If he slows or breaks stride, you over did it or you don't have enough impulsion connected to your hands.
It is imperative that the foot falls stay exactly the same.. like a metronome.. what changes is shorter and higher- collected, longer and more forward in extension.
Try this on foot.. your 2 beat walk.. count one two, one two etc. As you count take a longer stride.. what happens to the count? Initially it slows down.. what's missing? Stronger push off so you step forward with more power to make that 1,2 stay the same.. the longer you make the stride,, the more powerfully you have to step forward to complete that in the same amount of time.. now to collect.. the stride is shorter and if all you do is shorten, the 1,2 speeds way up.. now step short but higher so the 1,2 stays the same. Again, the shorter you step, the more power you need to push upwards to keep the 1,2 the same.
The half halt says come under more but not so much forward. A slight move of the hands forward uncoils the horse a tiny bit and the stride will then lengthen with a driving aid that says more forward. If you don't have enough impulsion (drive, oomph, power) the movements are dull . The horse in the video has loads to spare but he graciously accepts Alicia's directions for using that power. Hope this helps..
@@audreye7078 love that description, thank you!
@@audreye7078 thank you😊
I only found this video right now..yeah I know, bit late BUT jeez I love you Alicia. You simplify things so understandably. Can't wait to work on all your instruction when I get my new sweet natured boy in June/July & then a few months establishing a trust connection with each other.
You're a fabulous little whizz Alicia. Such a great video, I'll be watching it a dozen times!
x Linda
So glad you enjoyed the video so much Lindy!!
I did not really like to train alone as I could not give exercise to my horse, but watching these videos give me confidence and a 50-60 minutes training gets by quickly. Also my horse seems to like it. 🤗
You got this! Tell us how you go x
Your enthusiasm is absolutely contagious! I am learning so much from your videos. Thank you so much. You’re touching thousand’s of riders lives.
❤️❤️❤️
Such a lovely comment to read - thank you 🙏🏻
I LOVE your channel and VIDEOS!! I am a hunter/jumper and excited 😜 to focus on dressage!! I am working on my collected canter (among everything else, hee hee 😛). I feel very comfortable in my canter / Extended canter - driving from my seat. I am working on my circles and very thankful for Natasha’s input on using my outside rein. *leg to hand :). Thanks for all the great info provided on this channel!! Easily my fav channel on You Tube!!!
Hi Sally, glad you are loving the content and it is helping you 💕
You just overflow with enthusiasm, Alicia and I love it. Also, Gee is the bestest most beautiful and happy in his work boy. You have clearly forged partnerships and built strength in all of your relationship with your horses. It is always so good to have that reinforced :)
Thank you so much!
Briliant your Amazing Alicia I’m so proud to see an Australian giving excellent correct education, training but more importantly how easy the formula is to get right…… and how bloody good it feels! Collection is at the top of the training scale I love hearing you say when things go wrong go back down the scale! You are so bloody right! I wish more trainers in Australia had the same Ethos. So often you see impatient trainers skipping parts to get the collection then blaming the horses when clean quiet supple rhythmic tension free collection isn’t achieved. Well done to you not just for the innovative and intelligent facilitation of learning you provide, but also for the ongoing success we will all have when …….we take the time…… make the time……and use the scale! BRAVO! 👏🏾
Thank you so much for your support! This is something Alicia is so passionate about and she will love reading your comment 💕
Very encouraging! Fun to watch and good visuals.
Thank you!
Fantastic video! Just a suggestion, a video on Rein Back would be good. How to do, problems with them, like dragging of front or back hooves, how to fix etc? This series is brilliant, enjoying your very clear explanations!! You are a beautiful rider and have amazing horses! ♥️
Thanka Andrea, we can make this for sure, in the meantime, some points to think about with the rein back for you. Whilst people take the rein back a little for granted it is actually a movement that is not shown in dressage tests until Elementary level (or 2nd Level) so it requires a higher degree of training than most think! A correct rein back has clear, diagonal steps back and controlled amount of steps and immediate walk (or trot) out forward. What directly affects the rein back is the halt, so ensure you come in with a square balanced halt before attempting the rein back and take your time and do not try the rein back if the horse is unbalanced in the halt or hollow in the back. Hope these tips help!
💥 mind blown!!! LOVE these videos! I'm having so much fun trying these things! Thank you so much! 🥰
LOVE this!!! 💕
Love the riding demo and on the circle. So glad to see a person having a fun in a "bad rider style" moment👍 😁
You're going to be teaching a lot i suspect! Thank you for the effort put into these videos xox
You're most welcome! x
I think the reason you're getting so much feedback about what's NOT in the video is that the title of the video really makes it seem like we're going to learn HOW to do it. Something more like "understanding the canter tempo" or "what is the canter tempo" would give viewers a better expectation of what's in the video. Or even the basics OF the canter tempo would make it clearer that it's more of a theory/explanation video than a teaching of the aids video. :)
I agree with the other comments that I would love a video on what the actual aids are for changing the length of the step. Looking forward to the next part because I'd love to be able to do this!
Thanks for the feedback! We are currently working on a follow up video to this that explain the "how" so stay tuned x
Brilliant. So simple and I wonder why I never thought to do this. I always counted strides when jumping but it never occurred to me in dressage but of course it makes total sense! Thanks
You're welcome! xx
Great Video again Alicia. Now i have to go try this. Still working on the leg yielding stuff. Thats made a huge difference in a couple of weeks. You have an amazing way of explaining everything. Thank you.
Thank you! Let us know how you go!
Alicia you are wonderfully refreshing! And great at painting a picture how training really looks. Love your videos. I would love, I mean love to come work with you!!!!
Love it! Thank you! x
Still helps me even tho I watched this a year ago! Thanks for all your videos ❤
Super!! So glad this has been so helpful for you x
If no hand brake at all, how are you getting collection. Half halts with your seat??
I would like to understand the technique too xxx
Hi Linda, stay tuned as we will be doing another video with more information on HOW to ride the collection, thanks for the feedback!!
When you make the video can you include which hand you’re half halting with please break down the steps. Legs and hands
I feel like she didn’t actually tell us how to make the steps smaller or bigger. She said don’t use the break but how do u actually change the steps?
No sadly she doesnt explain how to collect...
Hi Samantha, thanks for the suggestion, we have received feedback on this so we are planning on making another video - stay tuned!
Great video! I am learning so much from this channel! Can we talk about counter canter soon please? Thank you 🦄
Hi Lauren, good suggestion! Did you see our video on flying changes? This had a little on counter canter and we can talk about it more in depth in a future video also ua-cam.com/video/E38wK3Fm8Xc/v-deo.html
I have to agree with the comments it’s the HOW that’s missing. Great explanation on changing the number of strides and not slow down or speed up. What does the rider do to change the number of strides between two points not putting the hand brake on but what changes . Thankyou so much looking forward to reading your comment.
Thanks for the feedback Linda! To collect the canter the rider must communicate to the horse to decrease the length of the stride. The rider's seat is important to do this so you need your seat to become more quiet and still but still have your seat remain as a driving aid. Its important to remember that there are prerequisties of collection - it would be good to review this video on the training scale to understand -ua-cam.com/video/oDze9c40vOY/v-deo.html
Thank you, nice simple explanation.
Glad you liked it x
Great info on this channel! I love what you are doing! You are so right that we do this all the time when jumping. When trying to shorten on flat work, the horse can often come against the hand and drop the hind end. From other videos, know now to supple with a baby leg yield and it’s helping! Any other tips for rider aids when shortening/lengthening without changing the balance and throughness would be appreciated! 🙏☺️
Thank you! Yes - it sounds simple but just suppleness, this could be anything from counter flexion, turning a circle through to moving the horses body in a more gymnaticising exercise like working pirouette. If you think about it, when the horse loses connection over the back it is just rhythm or suppleness and normally suppleness. Hope this helps!!! ✨
You’re awesome and thank you so much! Love this channel and your energy/willingness to help others! 💖
Gee is so funny ,he thinks you are a bit crazy ,but in a good way xxx
He is such a good boy but yes at times I am sure he thinks ... what is going on!!! 🤩
Wow, I never thought of it like that. Thank you :D
You're welcome!
This was so helpful for me. I feel kind of silly because for some reason in my mind I thought that if I can get my horse slower he will become more balanced, supple and collected. So I’ve been trying to work backwards it seems. What I take home is to continue to allow my horse and I to have our regular working hunter canter and to work on getting more straight, supple and balanced in circles and work on counting strides and trying to lesson or increase strides 1/2 step at a time and the “slow” I’ve been looking for will come naturally.
I am coming from hunter jumper with a 7 year hiatus so my position is weak and I’m riding a very young horse who is heavy on the forehand and his canter is still unbalanced, he leans and is fast so I just really had myself convinced that I need him to slow down and those things will be fixed by the slower tempo. I have been using hand brakes and you can probably guess how that’s been going…..failure…..I really appreciate this video for opening my eyes to my incorrect thinking. And my horse thanks you too even though he doesn’t know it. Hopefully one day I will be able to show you guys a nice collected canter but I think it will be a while. We have some more basic work to do 😜
Thank you for all the information. I have already watched all the other videos she mentioned to watch too and they have helped me so much already!!!! You guys are awesome!!!!!
Amanda, thanks so much for this message… this make my heart squeal with excitement!
This is such a game changer for you. Can wait to see you saw! Alicia xx
Oh my goodness so good! 💡
So glad you enjoyed the video Megan!!
Don’t know if this is helpful but I was always taught to sit up really tall with my core engaged, put more lower leg on than normal for support of the smaller stride since Ots harder for the horse and use half halts with the outside rein to collect the canter. I also limit how much I swing my hips in collected canter: if I want to make the stride bigger I swing my hips more, if smaller less motion. Practicing over poles really helped me learn this skill.
It is helpful, thank you!
We are making a part 2 to this video showing exactly how to collect the horse to stay tuned!!
Great video thank you ! I'm sharing your videos to our riding club members telling them to subscribe to this great chanel !
Love this!! Have you seen our million subscribers competition? Possibly some reward for you sharing it around!!! ua-cam.com/video/J1m6MsKNJhc/v-deo.html
@@YourRidingSuccess yes ive seen it.
Love this helpful video! Can you do a bandaging video please? 😍
Good suggestion! Stay tuned x
I have wondered on this too. It almost looks like you ride in thin standing wraps which I have not seen before. Have only ever seen polos or brush/splint boots while working. Thank you!
The bandages that the horses wear in the videos are fleece with a bandage pad underneath. Stay tuned for a more in depth look though!!
Like many others here - I understand the tempo changes - but what is the rider doing to cue the changes? What is your body doing to create the smaller steps? The larger steps?
HI there, thank you for the suggestion! As others have also given this feedback we are working on a follow up video x
You are a amazing TEAM ❤️🌈✨🌟🐴
Thank you ✨
Your boots are lush. Are they Celeris? Great video - love the emphasis on the fact that it takes time and practice to build up strength in the CORRECT way to collect to an advanced level 👌🏼 could be good to hear a bit more around exactly what aids you’re using - particularly your seat which can be tricky to get the hang of for collected canter if you’re new to it!
I second that! What aids are you applying for the collection stride to go larger and smaller without changing the actual speed?
Hi Sophie, thank you 🙏🏻 the boots are Petrie from Divoza in the Netherlands. Stay tuned as we will be doing another video with more information on HOW to ride the collection, thanks for the feedback!!
Love watching you ride, you make all of it so much fun while giving great instruction.
I'm wondering if you have advice for working with a lazy horse. Really struggling with my mare to keep the energy and engagement. She's healthy, very cooperative, and is not green, but some days I think we both are tired by the time I get her moving enough to do any productive work.
Hi there, great question! Have you seen our OTTB video where Alicia talks about setting the horses tempo, using a quick aid and also how making the horse supple can help the horse move more freely? ua-cam.com/video/mBIi_O6GVys/v-deo.html
@@YourRidingSuccess yes, I have watched all of the videos. 🙂 I did have success with many different excersizes 🤗 hence the frustration. When I need the energy and engagement to ask for movements I struggle and constantly work way too hard . I'm riding a much greener horse as well and her rhythm and tempo are already easier to keep than my mare. Frustrating 🤔 Sometimes I need to challenge her with something scary just to work her up 🙄
With horses that are naturally a bit relaxed you often need to "check in" to ensure the horse is in front of your aids but changing the tempo or always checking if you use a quick aid the horse responds.
This was great but what were the aids that you were giving him to shorten his steps as an example was it just half halting or was there extra aids that you were giving. Also loving watching you you've been amazing. Can you also do a video explaining and exploring what and how to give different aids for the different movements???
Hi Metina, Stay tuned as we will be doing another video with more information on HOW to ride the collection, thanks for the feedback!!
omg,that horse. He look at you,and thinking, What....Okay 😂
😂😂😂😂
I’d love to ride like you one day! I will certainly be picking up some of these exercises! Any help with the medium trot much appreciated
Hi Jade! What would you like to know exactly with the medium trot? x
@@YourRidingSuccess how can I get more opening of the stride? My horse is 19 so I know I won’t get too much push, but I’m really trying to make sure we are showing a clear difference at the beginning. Riding novice but wanting to make the move to Ele! You can see my videos of my tests on my UA-cam!
Hi Jade, if you are looking for more ground cover in the medium paces that comes from a horse that is supple over the back and therefore can take a bigger step when required. Instead of thinking about the medium pace across the test lines think of using suppleness exercises like leg yield on a circle to encourage a more supple back and bigger step then slowly build that into the medium paces on the diagonal. Hope this helps
You are ANGEL 😇 of horse 🐴 riding BBFL 💕🌈🍎❤️✨🐴
Thank you so much x
Maybe I’m the only one but for me it still isn’t clear what i should do durung riding, obviously not pulling the reins but then what else?
Yes I have the same uncertainty. How do you shorten or lengthen???
I have basically the same question :D I get the mind set and the turns but what does the rider's body do exactly? It's probably half halts and core?
Yes! Same question.
I really want to know that too but people don’t often say frustratingly
You grow from your seat upwards, and keep your leg closed. Belly button back to your spine. Need to have good half halts to get to this stage 😊
Please add a video on which aids you are giving to lengthen and shorten the strides!
Great video thank you for this
Glad you enjoyed it
Loved the video-need to collect the canter by changing the tempo, but didn’t get how to actually change the tempo? I’m not sure what I missed, but how do you actually shorten the horse’s stride or lengthen it? Thank you! 🥰
Hi Jennifer, we had feedback that you would like to know HOW to collect the canter ie what to do with your body so stay tuned as we will be making another part in this series! x
Hi Alisha, thank you that was very well illustrated. Please can you explain what is the next step I need to do after the doing circles to get more strides and less strides down a side. I don’t jump either so not sure about how to go about shortening or lengthening a stride practically myself although I’ve seen people do it. Thank you xx
Thanks Jan, great suggestion! Yes we can do a follow up to this one explaining that, stay tuned! x
What are you doing with your seat, legs, and hands to communicate that he needs to make smaller or bigger strides?
Hi Kimberly, stay tuned as we will be doing another video with more information on HOW to ride the collection, thanks for the feedback!!
To make the tempo change to more collection what aids are you using. Opening up canter is something I can do easily but bringing the canter to be more collected is harder!
You can do it! Go for it! xx
My horse will fall towards the inside on the right rein and seems stiff. The right hind won’t engage as much on a circle. While on the left hand (even more in canter) she will come towards the inside with her bum and I can’t seem to get her back on the traintracks. She’ll turn a circle immediately if I try and bring her shoulders in as well. Please help? 😇I love your passion and have already gained so much knowledge from your videos. It’s really amazing. Especially my seat has improved and I’m able to sit in the trott for the first time in ~20 years.
Thank you SOO much for writing to us! We would love to help you more and really be able to see what is happening- could you send us an email with a short video of your riding? Send to support@yourridingsuccess.com and put a copy of this message with your email x
@@YourRidingSuccess I will absolutely do that! Thank you so much!!!!!!
Could kick myself for not thinking about the obvious. The show jumping exercises I have planned for my horse are going to help his canter.
Yes! Let us know how you go x
When you collected the canter, your horse's croup lowered, and he kept reaching. Yet what I've seen over the years is a lot of "constipated", slowed down canters. Can you address that in a video?
Hi Suzanne, you are right that with this horse he lowered, we are planning on making a video to show how the rider collects the horse and you will see more of the process in that video which might demonstrate more step by step the horse's body also. If you train the horses correctly with the training scale you will less likely encounter issues like you have mentioned - which really is more of a rider error than horse training. Hope this helps ✨
could you possibly do a video on banding a horse? I have a really hard time lol
Hi Connie, we have had this suggested a few times so stay tuned x
Light bulb 💡 moment here! not slower but smaller!
You got that right!
What do I do with my body what is the mechanism used to train the horse, my horse is mainly a 3 years rice horse I want to change his carrier to be more calm and train him the 3 kinds of canter.
Hi there, stay tuned as we will be doing another video with more information on HOW to ride the collection, thanks for the feedback!!
I understand what collection is but HOW do we do it??
I think many people have the same question.
Are those some form of compression or something bandages under the polos? Or is it a different type of polo all together? I see them in your videos and Ive been very curious to learn about them
Good question Sarah, the bandages are fleece and have a bandage pad underneath, I have added your suggestion to our list of upcoming video suggestions x
can you show how to do this in the trot please
Hi Lucy! Great suggestion for a future video!
Agree with many comments that you explained what collected canter is but not how to do it. Fun video but disappointing that you say it’s easy but don’t say how to do it.
Thanks for the feedback Michelle, as you have pointed out we have had feedback about this so stay tuned and we will make a follow up video. This video was to show how you can start working towards collecting the canter with circles and also showing the difference with making strides shorter and longer 🤩
If Alicia gets video footage of competing I’d love to hear a voiceovers if way she was thinking and doing ect x
Great Idea! x
How do you feel about draw reins? i use them on occasion for my horse as he's had the typical U.S. hunter training, so he doesn't quite know-how to hold the contact yet.
If you don't mind, I'll answer this from my perspective as a dressage trainer but I'm sure she'll come around later and tell you her version of it. The contact is pretty high up on the training scale for something that nearly everyone tries to use daily, here's why. When we think of the contact, we think it's all about us getting our horse onto the bit with our hands, so we shorten our reins and take up the contact ourselves. In actual fact, that closes off their tmj, throatlach and poll, stiffens their backs, and takes them further away from the contact that you actually want. She went into a bit of detail about this in the dressage training scale video. We need to get rhythm and suppleness before we can get the contact (or connection). Why is that? Horses are trained back to front. We need to take weight off their shoulders (where the weight naturally lands) and move it to the hindquarters. This is why Alicia uses leg yields, even for the young horses. Once they have good rhythm, are pushing upwards with their hindquarters, and they are soft and "moveable" (suppleness), they will naturally take up the contact themselves. This isn't to say you can't take up the contact in the beginning (see Alicia's riding videos on Mowgli) but draw reins hold them in a place that is difficult to understand when they aren't already fairly well trained. The proper position for teaching any kind of contact to a baby is low and wide. This means, use the lunge to get him building muscle and listening to your cues and energy, and then teach them the contact when you ride. Otherwise you are only confusing them, they will go behind or above the bit but it will no longer be just because they don't know what they're doing and actually because you've trained him that the pressure is released there. Training aids aren't very successful in helping in the way that we dream they will unfortunately (martingales, pessoa systems, and the like all do the same thing). Hope this helps!
@@gh0st_xr what a bloody brilliant answer 👌🏼
@@gh0st_xr well put!
@@gh0st_xr Thank you so much for taking the time to explain this. I "know" that draw reins will not get the connection you're looking for (and in fact, as you say, cause the opposite understanding for your horse, meaning you may never naturally get the connection through training and building suppleness and muscle). I've read and seen some horrible uses of artificial side reins.
Hi Nora, I have to say that some of the comments already to your question are very good! Training aids are just that, an aid to your training but should not replace good training and using the training scale to progress the horses as otherwise they do not have chance to use their bodies in the most optimum way 🤩
I need to know how you communicate bigger to smaller to horse?
Hi Chuck, do you mean how do you signal a smaller horse in a bigger way? The answer to that is to be quicker, not bigger! Horses react to a quicker aid so try to think about being quicker in your aid in order to have the horse respond quicker rather than a bigger aid.
@@YourRidingSuccess no , I need to know exactly what my body does to tell horse big to small steps
13:14 I never expected to see myself in a DMA video!
😬😇
Nice!!
Thanks!
Recently, I try to catch the collect canter feeling, I get a special feeling, seat and all body(especially the muscle of waist and back) totally control speed and tempo and hand and rein seem to be no longer brakes but reminders and energy , is it correct to right way ? Thanks. Hula hoop can train my waist and lower back muscle.
SAM! BANG! BOOM!!! HELL YEH! YOU GOT IT!
Hello Sam! Congratulations! Please send us an email with your complete information to support@yourridingsuccess.com so we can send you the prize you've won! x
@@YourRidingSuccess Really? Is it amazing? I send you an email right now.
My OTTB mare pins her heads when I use leg aids. I need help!
Hi Kimberly, good question, first of all check the horse is not reacting from pain and assuming it is not then ensure you are using a quick aid rather than a slow, pressuring aid. Teach the horse to react from a quick aid and also ensure you work on the suppleness of the horse as otherwise when you use your leg it will be uncomfortable for the horse as the horses body is stiff. Good luck with your mare!
Alicia, I just love love love Gee (I hope I spelt his name right. He's really beautiful. If I may ask a silly question how is he on a hack?
Thank you 🙏🏻 Yes Gee is such a lovely horse and really is quite special, he is very good on a hack! He is just a lovely horse to have around and do anything with 💕
@@YourRidingSuccess oh that is so awesome
Can I ask you something can you feed ur horse 🐴 any kind of fruit 🍎 for a snack? Are there any veggies 🌽 or fruits 🍌 bad for horse 🐴?
My horse loves bananas and watermelon 😂
Hi Lauren, horses love treats like apples and carrots and some will eat bananas etc.
we would appreciate it much more if you tell us HOW TO DO what you´re showing us (as what aids you use, what you do with the reins and your hands to accomplish your goal) Thks.
Thanks so much for your suggestion - this video was about breaking it down into the basics so you can start the process of thinking about what to do when you change the canter tempo. A 'how to' with the exact aids would need to be a much more comprehensive video... but we will absolutely see what we can do!
You said over and over that collection was not about slowing down, yet at the 10 minute mark you said it was “all about tempo and change the tempo”. Isn’t tempo the speed of the footfall ( and rhythm the evenness)? I think you should just say to change the number of steps in a defined amount of space.
Hi Linda, the point of thinking to “not slow down”, is so that riders don’t make the horses steps slower to collect.
When you take smaller steps, the result is still a change in tempo. Thus saying the “tempo change.”
Basic summery. You need to control the tempo to collect.
Two ways of doing this..
1. slowing the steps. (Incorrect)
2. Asking the horse to take smaller steps (correct)
The tempo reduction is a bi product of the smaller steps taken. If you need the tempo to become “slower” you need to think more small steps, not “slow down”.
This point will allow riders to succeed at pirouettes etc later in their careers. Note: the ideal speed for a pirouette preparation is that a person can walk briskly beside the horse.
By teaching the tempo control comes from smaller steps not slowing down. Riders can succeed in this, without effecting their basic training scale and or the horse bottoming out.
There will be a follow up video re aids. I hope this helped with your learning! Xx
Also, would you ever take him to a show
Hi Tamlyn, yes Gee does compete 🤩
How do you make steps bigger or smaller? This is as frustrating to watch as it is talking to upper level riders that foget that we don't all just know this. I understand it's not a hand brake or pulling and slowing the seat just blocks them as well. I can influence a bit with posting a circle but how is it done sitting?Need a breakdown.
Hi Meaghan, hang in there as we are making a Part 2 to this video to explain this!!! Will be coming soon! x
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So what are the aids to collect the answer? This video doesn’t explain it :/
Hi there, stay tuned as we will be doing another video with more information on HOW to ride the collection, thanks for the feedback!!
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First!😍
Yes you are!
Second!:3
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I love this channel! Agggh!!! Signed up for the goodies too. 😁😁😁 finally. 👐🙌🫶
Welcome aboard!