Sometimes, the most straightforward training exercises are the most productive. This simple but challenging flatwork exercise practises counter-canter on a figure-of-eight, to help boost the quality, lift and balance of the canter.
I once had a lovely Irish three-quarter bred eventer who jumped superbly but was built on his forehand. I discovered that counter-canter really helped him lift his shoulders and go in self-carriage. We would do this exercise before every dressage test, and our marks improved dramatically.
This is an exercise for horses whose canter is well established. They should already be able to shorten and lengthen in the pace, perform loops in counter-canter, and canter 15m circles, all while maintaining rhythm, balance and impulsion.
No setup required. You can do this exercise in an arena or in the field – anywhere you can fit in two 20m circles.
How to ride this exercise
(Image credit: Future)
Warm up in walk, trot and canter on both reins. You may want to ride some loops in counter-canter to prepare the horse for the forthcoming exercise.
Establish a balanced, active canter and go large. Collect the canter a little to ensure your horse is listening and engaged.
Starting on the left lead, begin a figure-of-eight shape with a half 20m circle to the left. As you cross the diagonal, continue on the left lead in counter-canter as you embark on the second 20m loop to the right.
Keep your weight centred and you upper body aligned with the new direction of travel.
Your left leg should stay on the girth for bend and impulsion; your right leg slightly behind to control the hindquarters and maintain the left canter lead.
Your horse’s poll should be gently flexed to the outside of the circle, keeping the bend over the leading leg.
Complete the second loop of the figure-of-eight in counter-canter, returning to true canter as you cross the diagonal again, and complete the pattern.
Repeat on the other rein.
Tips and troubleshooting
1. Quality not quantity
If your horse goes disunited or changes leg while trying to complete the loop, it shows that their canter is unbalanced or lacking engagement. Start by attempting just a few good strides of counter-canter across the diagonal and into the corner as the quality and suppleness improves. Only ride as much counter-canter as your horse can maintain with good quality.
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2. Back to basics
If a 20m half-circle is too challenging, practise shallow loops in counter-canter to develop the suppleness and understanding of the aids.
The key principle is that counter-canter should improve the canter not compromise it, so you may need to simplify the exercise until your horse developed the strength and balance to maintain a correct, rhythmic tempo.
Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
