Tips on improving the walk

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Lipsmackerpony88
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Tips on improving the walk

Postby Lipsmackerpony88 » Wed Nov 24, 2021 9:23 pm

I'd love tips on improving the walk. Lynx just has a sluggish walk. Getting more in front of the leg is always the mission, especially after stifle injury/feet soreness.

The free walk is especially a weak area. He just wants to meander around.

I'm thinking trail rides will help? Anything in the area that will help? I've always owned horses with great walks so this is new territory.

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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby Ryeissa » Wed Nov 24, 2021 9:49 pm

It comes with time- once he gets a good stretching trot and towards 1st I think the walk will improve as he is more gymnasticized. I won't fiddle with a walk on a green horse too much, to be honest....
However, to answer your question I would do transitions to sharpen him up and develop more activity. I think it will help in the free walk.

Lipsmackerpony88
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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby Lipsmackerpony88 » Wed Nov 24, 2021 10:13 pm

Ryeissa, He is starting to get pretty good at the stretchy trot although I really only ask for it at certain times, especially after canter when he's more loosened up... Transitions are definitely always a priority in my book but especially with Lynx lol.

I know you have to be careful with the walk with any green horse but we just want a little more march. He was like that in hand too. We've been working on that as well. He's just very relaxed and not in a hurry to go anywhere ;)

I'm sure it's coming from me a little bit too maybe being tighter in my hips. Hopefully as I continue to work on my own body that he too will improve along with me as I ride better.

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quinta
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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby quinta » Wed Nov 24, 2021 10:27 pm

My 4 year old pony mare has a similar walk. Here's a few things we are doing:

* Lots of hacking (and her hacking buddies all have bigger walks)
* Poles and raised poles to show her that she can do a bigger walk stride
* Always free walk across the diagonal, with neck scratches and 'good girl!" when she moves out at all
* Ground person with a lunge whip - nothing dramatic, just enough encouragement to step out (and we keep this short)

I avoid nagging with the leg to get a bigger walk, and also know that the walk will get better through working the other gaits. Good luck!

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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby Moutaineer » Wed Nov 24, 2021 11:12 pm

Really working on loosening my hips and following the motion has made all the difference to Potters' walk. Also, no "in between" walking. Either on the bit for a specific purpose like practicing a movement or on a loose, unrestrictive rein.

My hips, however, hate me at the moment for all this change. This too shall pass.

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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby blob » Wed Nov 24, 2021 11:22 pm

Can you feel when each hind leg comes forward? In the walk to will feel the belly swing as it does. For example when the right hind steps under, you'll feel the belly swing towards the left. If you can get a really good sense of that rhythm and timing you can start adding leg as each leg comes in, so that you're alternating legs, meanwhile you can keep your seat moving and swinging forward (be sure the seat doesn't get side to side). This kind of aiding should feel distinct from a trot aid or lateral aid.

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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby MsM » Wed Nov 24, 2021 11:38 pm

I laughed ruefully seeing the first post. It is winter now, and my horse gets a bit "fizzy" and views walking as too boring. So we have to practice walking calmly! Quite the opposite issue.

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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby Lipsmackerpony88 » Thu Nov 25, 2021 4:34 am

blob wrote:Can you feel when each hind leg comes forward? In the walk to will feel the belly swing as it does. For example when the right hind steps under, you'll feel the belly swing towards the left. If you can get a really good sense of that rhythm and timing you can start adding leg as each leg comes in, so that you're alternating legs, meanwhile you can keep your seat moving and swinging forward (be sure the seat doesn't get side to side). This kind of aiding should feel distinct from a trot aid or lateral aid.

Yes, I've been working on that too. I just have to be careful not to nag.

He's a quieter horse which is great but it's definitely a challenge for me as a rider. Very different type. It's getting better but I feel it most in the walk for sure.

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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby Lipsmackerpony88 » Thu Nov 25, 2021 4:34 am

MsM wrote:I laughed ruefully seeing the first post. It is winter now, and my horse gets a bit "fizzy" and views walking as too boring. So we have to practice walking calmly! Quite the opposite issue.

Ha! That's the type that I'm used to dealing with. Lynx is a challenge in his quietness but it's good for me as a rider!

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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby piedmontfields » Thu Nov 25, 2021 2:34 pm

My horse has an average walk. In fact, she did not walk when I got her--she only pranced! :lol:

Improvement did come with tons of walking up/down hills and across slopes, plus very clear long rein walking mixed in with square turns and mini leg yields in the walk (ex. around a big circle). Trail riding helps, too. I also really insist on a forward walk (on a mostly long rein) *every* ride. In fact, I'd say that if I tap with the whip it is most likely at the walk----not at any other gait--just to get her into forward gear!

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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby heddylamar » Thu Nov 25, 2021 3:37 pm

Walking out like piedmontfields suggests is my go-to tactic.

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Chisamba
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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby Chisamba » Thu Nov 25, 2021 7:23 pm

my father taught me a good tip. thevwalk us always work, it's never a lazy break just shuffling around. humans create bad walks by not focusing on every step of every walk.

I do not like the alternate leg aid. I like to use the leg for a brief directive then expect the horse to maintain. I do not nag. I ask, then remove the leg. if the horse slows rhe.moment I relax my leg, or even a second or two later, u remind it with the whip. I do not raise the leg because that turns too easily into nagging.

I do.like trails to teach a forward walk but in the arena is where walk is WORK not rest. rest is at the stretch trot or halt.

that's how I develop walk. forward horses need more leg that lazy ones.

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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby blob » Fri Nov 26, 2021 1:19 am

Chisamba wrote:I do not like the alternate leg aid. I like to use the leg for a brief directive then expect the horse to maintain. I do not nag. I ask, then remove the leg. if the horse slows rhe.moment I relax my leg, or even a second or two later, u remind it with the whip. I do not raise the leg because that turns too easily into nagging.
.


I do not think of the alternating aid as raising the leg or even nagging. I do thikn of it as asking the horse to move forward and then swinging the seat forward with them. It's not a constant leg.

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Chisamba
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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby Chisamba » Fri Nov 26, 2021 4:50 am

blob wrote:
Chisamba wrote:I do not like the alternate leg aid. I like to use the leg for a brief directive then expect the horse to maintain. I do not nag. I ask, then remove the leg. if the horse slows rhe.moment I relax my leg, or even a second or two later, u remind it with the whip. I do not raise the leg because that turns too easily into nagging.
.


I do not think of the alternating aid as raising the leg or even nagging. I do thikn of it as asking the horse to move forward and then swinging the seat forward with them. It's not a constant leg.


so you use one left leg, one right leg and then relax your leg into position?
as I have often expressed I do not use seat for forward, of course important not to inhibit with tight hips and seat. to me weight on a horse is like weight on a surf board or paddle ski. I did not say any technique was wrong, I described my technique and preference.

to me any use of aid every stride is nagging. I do not use the rein every stride, I do not use the leg every stride. I train with an expectation of response to the aid and maintenance to position. I use weight for balance, not forward. whip for forward spur for lateral ( when I use spurs,) calf for impulsion, heel for transition . I use my leg like I was pushing a ball for lateral, and like I was lifting the belly for transition so the horse never mistakes a half pass for a canter aid ( for example) I try to be and teach clear consistency in those things so that the horse never has to relearn an aid as the next complexity occurs up the levels.

people.laugh at me because I say I train every horse as if I were planning to take it Grand Prix, but having twice had to step back and reteach aids because I had blurred the application of aids prior to reaching half pass to flying change , I now ride every horse with those distinctions in place so that I avoid obvious pitfalls up the levels.

I am.very specific about weight and balance for 3 reasons. 1. I am heavy. 2. I have sailed and surfed and skiied and 3. in 30 years of professional teaching I have never taught a human who can use their weight with equilateral uniformity.

I apologize. LSP for diverting your thread. but to bring it back to context. the walk is the widest gait . it occupies the most space . I do nothing to contribute to making it wider. I pretend I am approaching a narrow gate. and I ride the walk forward through a narrow opening. like pushing toothpaste from the back of the tube, not squeezing the middle. so like demi, I use the whip gesture more in walk than any other gait. often directly over the top of the rump midline.

I am not suggesting that anyone is wrong. consistency is important. it us not an I am right you are wrong scenario. it's a tip on how I improve the walk.

my choice is NOT an implied criticism of other choices. it is my choice with an explanation of why.

Lipsmackerpony88
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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby Lipsmackerpony88 » Fri Nov 26, 2021 4:55 am

Much better today! I did use an alternate leg aid like Blob talked about but only did it twice. If that didn't get a response it went to the whip. He seemed to get the idea.

I think I just need to get really clear and honestly a bit firmer in my expectations at the beginning of the ride. I did then cool out by walking around the property on the farm.

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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby piedmontfields » Fri Nov 26, 2021 1:38 pm

Chisamba wrote: rest is at the stretch trot or halt.


This is a great reminder! Totally agree.

I also avoid the alternate aids (actually, the seat alternate aid is the cue to come down to walk from trot for us). But I have a cold-hot horse and less is more at the beginning of the workout.

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Re: Tips on improving the walk

Postby blob » Fri Nov 26, 2021 11:15 pm

Chisamba, I did not see it as criticism, but I was clarifying what I do. So, I will alternate to encourage the horse to move forward for a few strides, once they understand what I am asking for, I relax my leg and follow with my seat and hands. Sometimes this requires just aiding once, sometimes it requires more. But once I get the response I want, I relax. I do it to set the tempo and then i let the horse carry. If the horse gets short or tight, I will remind for a stride or two and then relax again. Just like at the trot or canter, when I want more, I aid with leg and then release/relax until/unless I need more again or the horse loses the impulsion initially asked for. However, while at the trot I would ask with both legs simultaneously, with the walk I ask with an alternating aid. If i were to use both legs together at the walk, I would expect/want the horse to trot.


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