# help me - Using leg aids when in canter



## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

Hi Guys so since ive finally gotten lynn to keep cantering around thea rena without breaking into trot. I now want to work on the way im applying my leg aids in canter wheneven i apply leg aids in canter it looks and feels absolutely terirble baiscally my leg goes back to far and it feels like my legs are just flapping about. Has anyone got some tips on what part of the leg i should be using when applying leg aids im ok in walk and trot but canter is a disaster i know its basic thing and i should have it but i feel ive never beuing thought correctly


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

Make sure that you keep stretching your heel down. Your aids should be applied with your lower leg/calf – so you never use your heels as an aid at all. Really work on keeping your heel down and "scooping ice-cream" with your seat when you canter.


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

So am I correct in saying that alot of the aid comes from the seat. At the mo I allow my seat to follow the movement of the canter also it sounds like I've being applying leg aids incorrectly for years because usually when asking for an upward transition I give slight nudge with my heel and to maintain rythymn I more less just point my toe downwards and kind of stroke horse suds with heel
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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Minime said:


> Hi Guys so since ive finally gotten lynn to keep cantering around thea rena without breaking into trot. I now want to work on the way im applying my leg aids in canter wheneven i apply leg aids in canter it looks and feels absolutely terirble baiscally my leg goes back to far and it feels like my legs are just flapping about. Has anyone got some tips on what part of the leg i should be using when applying leg aids im ok in walk and trot but canter is a disaster i know its basic thing and i should have it but i feel ive never beuing thought correctly


http://www.horseforum.com/dressage/applying-aids-walk-trot-canter-93962/


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

Minime said:


> So am I correct in saying that alot of the aid comes from the seat. At the mo I allow my seat to follow the movement of the canter also it sounds like I've being applying leg aids incorrectly for years because usually when asking for an upward transition I give slight nudge with my heel and to maintain rythymn I more less just point my toe downwards and kind of stroke horse suds with heel
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Yep – no heel! Heel is bad! Your heel stays stretched down and never comes up. You ask for transitions, etc. from your calf/lower leg.


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

I tried again the last few days even asking her to bend im struggling I can't seem keep my heal down am apple to apply leg aid but I know it doesn't look correct and most def doesn't feel good it's really annoying me
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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Is it keeping your heel down via stretching your calf or is it keeping your heel down and your stirrup is slipping around?

Either of them, go into 2-point. ride your horse walk and then trot in two point. Use your WHOLE leg to ask for bend, never ever ever your heel.

By using your heel, you curl up your leg, sacrifice your seat, get out of balance which throws your horse out of balance, and it's not a nice quiet aid, it's a sharper uncalled for aid.

Use your leg. It may be hard, but once you can do your riding w/t in two point (I wouldn't do canter but you may need to!) then you know which part of your leg moves your horse and gives aids. And you'll stretch down and relax into your seat more.


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

Try shortening your stirrup some. It takes some practice, and you have to think about it a lot at first, but soon it will be completely natural to you.  Just remember that the aid comes from your calf, not your heel!


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

When I'm cantering and not applying leg aids I'm fine but when I apply a squeeze in canter my heel comes up and If I nudge her my leg just flops
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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

Do you have any pictures of you riding? I have a hunch that you're riding with a "chair seat" and that that's where the issues are coming from.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Ohhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! I know what you mean!!! 

It helps to have the right timing since there is that moment of suspension.. least that's how I see it.

Shortening stirrups.. I don't think that would help. It might, but if it's what I think it is.. 

OP, do your thighs and seat stay solid and fluid with the canter motion? Or do they come out of the saddle?

OP: 




The audio of the video is for the canter depart, but look at her leg. See how her leg is? She's not pushing into that stirrup, she's just resting it on her toe. It's her leg that is stretching down, and you can see when she squeezes, her leg is the only thing that moves. 

Just make sure you aren't pinching with your knee or grasping with your thigh, relax down and forward into the motion. Curling up = when problems start to happen.

I hope I've been helpful.


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

I'll Keep trying and ride a bit two - point
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## ElaineLighten (Jan 1, 2012)

I've recently learnt to sit my loan horse's (Gabby) canter much better and can apply the aids much better just by a few simple processes!! (I was very bouncy/flappy before working this out)
1. When asking for canter, go into the sitting trot at a corner and think about your weight being in your heels and "wrapping" your lower leg around your horse. 
2. Your outside leg only needs to go back 4 or 5 inches (learnt this after asking my instructor)
3. When asking, instead of kicking your inside leg (when your legs are in the correct canter aid position), squeeeeeeze. I found this stopped me bouncing around, as kicking with one leg in the sitting trot unbalanced me completely! When Gabby doesn't respond straight away to my squeeze I give a little tap on her bum with the whip. After that first use, I don't need it anymore - she listens to my leg aids really well!
4. Somehow I managed to learn to sit to Gabby's canter by focusing on my lower leg hugging her and heels down rather than focusing on my seat. Maybe it would work for you, I dunno! 

It's taken me 2 months to get good canters so just be patient and it will come


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

Thanks for all your help I'll just keep trying. I know I'm not squeezing correctly but I don't understand how come I can do it in walk and trot but not canter. Im afraid I don't have any pics but I can try get some next day I ride 
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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

Minime said:


> I'll Keep trying and ride a bit two - point
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I'm thinking that your issue (perhaps all of your guys's issues) is that you ride in a bit of a "chair seat." Remember that there needs to be a straight line from your head to your hip to your heel. Try bringing your leg back – this should help a lot.

I'd stay away from a lot of two point until you've got this canter depart down – It's not going to help any. Drive with your seat (make sure that your leg is underneath you) and squeeze with your calf while pushing your heels down.


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

Just watched the video and I realise that I'm defiantly squeezing incorrectly. I was trying to turn my toe kind of outwards and squeeze. Thanks for all the help ;-) what a bunch of nice people
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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

You're welcome! And glad the video helped! 

mudpie, my position is fine just so you know 

It's funny, I can manage cues at the walk perfectly fine, fail at the trot, and do okay with cues during canter xD


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

I guess it's practice makes perfect. I'm such a prefectionist which doesn't help ;-)
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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Before worrying about leg aids, get your own seat worked out first. If your lower leg is swinging back, your knee and upper leg will be gripping, and your upper body will fall fall putting you completely out of balance and in no position to be asking the horse to do anything. 

Get some lessons on the lunge with no stirrups. You need to learn how to, and develop, your seat by strengthening your core muscles. When you can sit on your seatbones, keep your upper body upright and release the upper leg and knee, your lower leg will sit quietly and you will have no problems with giving an aid with your calf. 
A good exercise is to remove your stirrups, and try to lift your knees and thighs slightly off the saddle in walk, trot and canter. It hurts, your muscles with burn and your hip flexors will ache, but it is fantastic for finding your seat bones and learning to balance through your seat and core, rather than hanging on for dear life with your legs.


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

I may have to try this as I Prob am gripping. I was talking to my friend today she regularly competes but she seems to think that i should just use my crop instead of my legs but I don't agree after all it's not the horses fault if I can't do something correctly and if not using leg how do I ensure we are bending when cantering a 20m circle
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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Well if you do use a crop, you can still give you leg cue, but have the crop there to back your leg up if you horse ignores {your leg.}

But I don't know if your horse is ignoring your leg cue, or if the way you're asking and you gripping, which may be hazing/fogging up the cue and making it hard to do.

EDIT: "which may make the cue unclear to your horse" probably would have been a better phrase.


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

I don't even need the crop she fully understands what am asking even though I'm doing it incorrectly. I turn my toe outwards and try applying a squeeze but I end up gripping with my knee therefore my heel comes up and I get insecure in my seat. In the video above it looks like the rider is just closing her leg in in the horse is that correct ???
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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Minime said:


> I turn my toe outwards and try applying a squeeze but I end up gripping with my knee therefore my heel comes up and I get insecure in my seat. In the video above it looks like the rider is just closing her leg in in the horse is that correct ???
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Yeah, you don't want to turn your toe because that puts the heel and the back of your leg on the horse. Your toes should be pointing as straight forward as you can manage, without pinching with your knee, and then squeeze from the inside of your calves.


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

Minime said:


> I don't even need the crop she fully understands what am asking even though I'm doing it incorrectly. I turn my toe outwards and try applying a squeeze but I end up gripping with my knee therefore my heel comes up and I get insecure in my seat. In the video above it looks like the rider is just closing her leg in in the horse is that correct ???
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Yep. Sorry, I missed that in explaining xP I've gotten to the point where I don't really think about it anymore :\

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

Thanks a million I feel like such an idiot but I think have a better understanding of how it should be done - something I didn't have before I looking forward trying
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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Minime said:


> Thanks a million I feel like such an idiot but I think have a better understanding of how it should be done - something I didn't have before I looking forward trying
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


No reason to feel like that! I used to ride with my heels too, then my riding instructor told me to knock it off and now I'm getting a lot better responses from my cues.

Just need to do it a few good times, make some muscle memory, and it'll be natural in no time!


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

I'm going to keep reminding myself and hopefully in time it will be natural
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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

Ive being having lessons on the lunge riding with no stirrups to build up my leg muscles but once off the lunge problem still occurs going start watching dressage videos 
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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Minime said:


> Ive being having lessons on the lunge riding with no stirrups to build up my leg muscles but once off the lunge problem still occurs going start watching dressage videos
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


You should ask your trainer to watch your legs at the canter and give you some help. How do you do at the walk and trot?


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

Walk and trot it's no problem at all. I'm prob worrying about it to much
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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Do you have a trainer, Minime? They should be able to help you with that..


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

I have recently acquired trainer tomorrow is my first lesson with her but we sat and had a chat about my concerns it yesterday she's watched me ride a few times. She's thinks I need to establish a stable leg for cantering she said she's also going to teach me to ask for bend using my seat and hands which will help me I think 
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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Well I'm glad! Hope to hear updates!


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

Thanks skyseternalangel Im going keep trying I've always had problems with my leg aids but have fixed them in walk and tot now just canter;-)
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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

So I had my first lesson on Lynn today and I think it went well. My trainer said that my leg comes back to far when applying a leg aid in canter causing my heel to creep up.

My trainer had me cantering lots of 20m circles and figures of eight but instead on concentrating how I apply leg aids concentrating on getting Lynn to really stretch out her head and back when doing this my leg did improve.
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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Great news, it'll get easier and easier (as well as cleaner) over time. Glad you found a decent trainer


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## Minime (Jan 11, 2012)

Thanks my trainer said im actually doing the same thing in walk and trot but my leg isnt going back so far so shes going to do some work on applying the leg aids correctly


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