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> The attitude in my mind at the time was: This cantering feels so nice,
> think I'll sit back and enjoy. Well, sat back like you would if riding a
> motercycle leaning into the curve on a wide figure 8. Repeated the same
> body shift and it happened again. Will you or some on the list try to
> explain to me the mechanics of why this happens.
Okay, I will take a stab at over-simplifying the weight issue. But
generally speaking, you want you weight set to be borne by the first leg
that the horse uses during the course of a stride (which will vary from
right to left, but generally speaking, if your horse is moving properly,
will always be a hind leg).
As I said, this is an over simplification, and in actuality, you want it
to shift duirng the course of the stride as the horse's center of gravity
moves.
However, that said, by and large, when cantering through a turn, you want
your weight set to the outside (the first leg that the horse uses in a
normal canter stride is its outside hind).
In order to counter the effects of centrifugal force (which pulls your
horse to the inside--just like on the bike), you must use your weight to
"pick up" the inside of your horse. Think of it more like sailing, or
skiiing rather than motorcycling.
If you don't do this, depending on how tight the turn is and how fast you
are going, you risk a) having your horse's feet slip out from underneath
it or b) (ask Luke Steele) you risk "rolling" your horse, because it
cannot pick up its inside fore and will go down on its inside shoulder,
taking you with it. If your horse is on the wrong lead as well, this
situation is excabberated.
Simply put, you want to set your weight to the outside, plant your outside
seat bone firmly in the saddle with your outside leg behind the girth to
keep the hindquarters from drifting outwards and drive with your inside
leg as the horse is bringing its inside hind (and outside fore) forward so
that it steps further underneath itself with the inside hind prepatory to
rasing the inside shoulder (last phase of the canter stride). If
necessary you can use an inside CLOSING (don't use and opening rein) to
also "pick up" the inside shoulder.
Okay, so maybe that wasn't so simple. Set your weight to the outside and
drive the horse with your side leg.
If you want to really understand what it is that riders are doing when
they take their horses around sharp turns at the canter, watch some video
of GOOD barrel racers. If you can get it on video and run it through slow
motion it is a great help.
Hope this helps. I have been brief, and maybe a little confusing since I
am composing this "on the fly." If it has raised more questions than it
has answered, let me know and I'll try again.
kat
Orange County, Calif.
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