Half-good canter

I have a smart horse, but that’s not always so good.

A good example of when it is good: learning after two repetitions not to nip at other horses passing his stall.

A good example of when it is bad: figuring out my asking for a canter and developing a less desirable response. In evidence last night.

After the warm up and all, Champagne is perfectly willing to canter left whenever I ask. That’s his preferred direction. He seems to have an asymmetrical body, and it is easy for him to bend to the left (in fact, it is easy to OVER bend to the left, and even when we are tracking straight he has to be reminded to not bend a bit left.) But canter is easy, ask-and-ye-shall-receive, it just works.

HOWEVER, canter right is a no-show. In lessons, Cath has been saying that when he fails to canter, return him to the trot and steady him, give him a couple of taps with the crop for the correction, and ask again. Also, to ask entering the corner since then it is easier for him to pick up the correct lead.

My smart horse has figured out that the ask will come entering the corners, and he slows his trot . . . or even slows to a walk! He also has figured out that the correction will come as we exit the corner, and he begins to crab sideways with his butt into the ring and get ready to kick as a response to the correction. This has gotten so bad that now he crabs sideways all across the short side, which puts him in completely the wrong position to ask for the canter at the next corner.

Cath has offered to give him tune-up rides to school him better, but I haven’t taken her up on it yet. He’s smart enough that he will learn he has to behave properly for her, but not for me. Plus it just seems odd to have to pay someone to ride my horse.

Meanwhile I guess that if I want to canter, I better want to go left!