Turns Out its My Fault As Usual

Sunday morning I finally got down to the sand arena with Dude. It was a wet, sloppy mess down there -- 5 inches of damp sand over slippery mud underneath. He kept his footing pretty well, considering. Saddling, we had our usual merry go round. He dumped the saddle a couple of times, but I finally got him. I used the mounting block to get on and he walked off a little.

Once I got going toward the arena gate he hopped a couple or three times. I'm not sure what that was about -- he may have been trying to shift me into a more comfortable position. My saddle was pretty far back because somebody won't stand still to get it on right.

I rode him around at a walk and trot for awhile and then got off and adjusted the saddle. He did not move at all for taking the saddle off and putting it back on. He stood for me to mount from the ground and get my stirrups.

I asked for canter on the right lead and he bucked about 5 times. My daughter was watching me and she said I was "kicking him" and that's why he bucked. I tried the left lead and tried to keep my legs off. No buck and he started out pretty fast, but petered out when we got to the big puddles down at the far end of the arena. He did not do the quick cut to the left. I cantered him several times in both directions and my daughter would yell at me when I was "kicking him." So, I need to work on my lower leg because it seems to be bouncing all over the place including against his sides.

Later, when she rode Matt, my daughter showed me what I was doing (banging) and what I should be doing instead (following, steady leg). Damn, she's got a great seat -- athletic little bugger. I take credit in that I "bred" to her father partially because of his athletic ability. I got the improvement in the filly. LOL.

Mostly, I had trouble getting Dude to pick up the canter at all, but I wasn't cuing him with leg after the first time. I was just letting the reins way out, using my seat and and the corners of the arena and giving the kissing sound. My biggest improvement is staying out of his face. He didn't toss his head at all. I trust him more not to run off (he can't run far in the arena). OTOH, he can really move out to a fast trot when he wants to. LOL. The moral to the story is: Have somebody watch you ride, especially if you are a spazz, like I am.

My plan is to put some more trotting miles on him and canter a little on trails for awhile to work on my riding and my legs. I'm going to use my English saddle and maybe try cantering in 2 point some to try to get stronger and not bang my damn legs. I don't really like that western saddle as much, but we're required to use it for the timed events in our club.

The next show we are shooting for is English. It has little cross rails and an 18" jump - trot in, canter out. My daughter says she doesn't want to jump, anymore, which is too bad. I think she'll change her mind when I start working on it again, but I told her we'll probably both just do the flat classes.

Now, I need to find a narrow gullet English saddle for Matt. He's really doing well in that narrow western.

And I need to get the big truck by then so we can take both horses at once.

ETA: When I was working Dude in the arena, my daughter offered to get on him and show me what I was doing wrong. She hasn't offered to ride Dude in a long time. Thus, I had forgotten my big idea that we would switch horses eventually, anyway. I figured that when she got her confidence on Matt and wanted something hotter that I'd have her switch to Dude since he's younger and more forward. Since she seems to want to go western she'd be better with Dude since has the headset for WP, too. I figured as I slowed down and my daughter sped up, she'd get the hotter horse and I could have old Matty who has the smoothest trot and canter ever.

ETA2: This is a good thread on a horse with similar canter issues. http://fhotd64476.yuku.com/topic/4132?page=2