Question: My 10 year old mare feels "wobbly" when she strikes off canter on her left leg whilst out riding (going straight). Is this a question of being unbalanced. ve had her 18 months now. She feels the same if I canter either in a circle or in a straight line. Someone has suggested that she's disunited when striking off on the left leg but I don't know what to look for to tell! She feels better when leading from her right leg. Your thoughts would be appreciated! Thank you. Julia

Answer: Hi Julia, If she were cross-cantering or disunited at the canter I think you would feel the "wobble" more than just at the strike-off - unless she strikes-off disunited then does a change in the rear after she gets started - but once again that would be something you'd probably feel. Have someone watch you and let you know if the "wobble" is a disunited issue. If the issue is disunited canter then that means she has a habit of carrying more weight to the left which makes her right strike-off canters easier and the left more difficult. If so then you need to work on getting her balanced and collected before asking for the left canter lead. Make sure that she is relaxed and has some collection, then ask for a haunches in movement. When a horse does a haunches in movement it forces them to put more weight to the outside which frees up the inside. Make sure to practice the haunches in movement until you can get it in a reliable relaxed manner before asking for the canter strike-off - and if you feel the "wobble/disunited canter" then immediately bring her back to trot set her up again and ask again. Try not to ever let her continue the canter if she strikes off incorrectly. Look for a trainer that can work with you and additionally ride your horse and demonstrate the correct method. Amber

Followup Question: Amber, thanks for the advice. Whats "haunches in movement"? Is that collection from behind? If so, how do I do this? I do not do alot of schooling, mainly hacking for pleasure. If I was to lunge her in canter on he left leg, what do I look for in the legs to tell if she's disunited? I'm confused as to what leg should be going where? Many thanks Julia

Answer: Before teaching your horse the haunches-in movement (and she might already know) you need to learn how to move the individual parts of your horses body. Whoa her nose into a fence or wall, then take your right leg and move it behind the girth towards her hindquarters and press and keep pressing with your heel until she moves her hindquarters to the left. It is very important that the instant the horse takes even the smallest step you stop nagging her with your heel and relax and tell her she's a good girl. Then do the movement again until she steps over to the left again. If you make sure that you stop nagging with your heel the minute she moves away from it she will figure out what you want and give it to you quickly. Do the same exercise with your left leg and have her move her hindquarters to the right. Once she is doing the above reliably then you can try the Haunches-in movement: while going along a fence at walk (fence should be on your right) take up contact to the horses mouth, move your right leg back closer to the hindquarters and press with your heal. Make sure to keep the contact in the mouth (not roughly but just enough to keep her from going faster) because the natural inclination will be for the horse to speed up and that is not what you are asking. While pressing with your right heel behind the girth use your left leg along the girth to keep her on the fence since you don't want her to do a leg yield away from the fence. Keep her shoulders going straight and have her step in slightly with her hindquarters - the minute she moves her back end into the left even one step then release the pressure to her mouth and relax in the saddle and tell her she's a good girl. In the beginning you'll only get one or two steps and the haunches-in will be slight - but with practice she'll get better at doing it in a more relaxed way. Once you can have her do the movement in a relaxed way for several strides at a time then go back to the beginning and start the process all over at the trot. Once you can do haunches-in (relaxed) at the trot then you should start asking for a left canter lead and get it reliably. Make sure to practice equally on both left and right haunches-in. On the lunge line when you ask for the canter then both the front and back leg closest to you should be reaching out forward further than the outside legs. Can you skip? Think about skipping and skip in a right circle and then in a left circle - see if that helps with your visualization. You really need to take lessons with someone who is not only qualified to teach the rider but is also very knowledge about training horses. If you don't have time or money to do that then try and get a few good beginner riding videos. Ask around your barn to see if anyone has any you can borrow. Good Luck, Amber