One of my very favorite exercises for developing the canter is canter leg yield. A canter leg yield is one of the absolute best ways to help your horse push into the outside rein, have soft, correct bend to the inside, and develop more jump and cadence in the canter. This exercise takes a lot of guesswork out of “Is my horse in the right balance? Are we shoulder fore? Is my outside rein engaged? Is my inside leg working in the correct rhythm?”
If you are cantering to the right, proceed up the quarterline in a slight shoulder fore right position. Once you feel that your horse is balanced on this line (it might take a couple of passes with no leg-yield until you’re comfortable cantering on a line away from the rail, that’s ok!) you will now ask your horse to take one step towards the rail at a time with your right leg (forward of course) as you are on the “up” stride of the canter. Fun fact-you can’t influence the horse’s gait on the “downstride”. Each time the mane comes up towards you, ask for a step sideways with the inside leg and a soft half halt on the outside rein. Gradually make your way to the rail in a shoulder fore position until you complete the leg yield. Once you’ve done this successfully 2-3 times, meaning you’ve been able to maintain cadence and rhythm in the canter while leg yielding in soft right bend and shoulder fore position/outside rein connection, you can increase difficulty by starting the movement, turning up the centerline, and making the leg yield more “steep” with even more jump in the canter. To do this, you will increase your half halt on the outside rein and pressure from your inside leg on the “up” stride.
Do this exercise daily (or alternating days to not create anticipation) on both leads and an equal number of times (always equal and even for any exercise) until you feel a marked improvement in your horse’s ability to take weight on the outside hind leg and give the feeling of more “jump” in the canter while maintaining balance, whether you are traveling straight or otherwise.
I promise the repetitions will make a marked difference in your canter quality! Video document and compare for progress updates!
– Blair at BJN Dressage
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