I have a few, but one of my favorites is getting on a horse that is really good at the extended trot and just pointing him across the diagonal and letting him go!
My least favorite is not really a moverment, but I find it almost impossible to feel if my horse has done a square halt. And if he hasn't I have a REALLY hard time knowing which leg is back. Any suggestions?
If I could be a better rider, I have no doubt there is anything I wouldn't enjoy about riding but alas, I am still learning and as yet, struggling with the pains of growth.
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"....there is no normal life, Wyatt, there's just life..."
Favourite: 1/2 pass in canter/zig zag or Passage Least fave: 1/2 pirouette (or turn on the haunches) at the walk because there is SO much discrepancy in the judging! I have done really good ones and received a 4 and bad ones and got a 4.
I think there is something special about just riding a great trot or canter. By the same token, riding a horse with less developed gaits can often be unpleasant until they learn to be through and relaxed.
myvanya I completely agree with the statement about undeveloped gaits. I'm training a 5 year old right now and when he's 'on' he's fantastic and his trot is like floating, but when he's 'off' it's the absolute worst thing to post to let alone sit.
Outside that, I love a good collected canter. For me, cuz I'm a bit out of shape, I find the extended trot rather uncomfortable to sit - but I'm working on it.
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No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle. ~ Winston Churchill
My absolutely most favourite is the canter half-pass... When my boy does that he feels like he's floating sometimes...then I like counter-canter and piaffe, shoulders-in....travers.....soooo much fun...
my least favourite...hmmmmm getting that squar halt!!! but even that I don't mind...
My favorite 'aspirin' for training oroblem is riding 'in position' (or shoulder fore and shoulder in), it controls the shoulder and straightens the horse. My least favorite is probably leg yielding, it is useless for many horses, and for some even very imbalancing.
To watch, my favorite is piaffe pirouette on a light connection. It reveals the real balance and degree of collection. I cannot stand over bended canter pirouettes.
Imho turns on the haunches or pirouettes should be judged on their training value, and their proper creation by the rider. The requirements in the rules are clear, and the scores should be also. They are my specialty, and if the comments from judges are unclear go to show management or the judge and require more input.
For the OP: how to tell if the halt is square? A couple of things should be felt. Is the horse literally up to the hand, not the rider holding the horse low/closed. IT maintains te connection with the hand. If so, the forelegs are square and likely the hindlegs are pretty close. As far as which hindleg is left, does the rider's fanny feel level or is it rather like standing more on one leg with a tilted hip. Remember square halts are a result of a horse which is ridden correctly as well as a learned behavior.
There is NO full pass in canter (only in walk and even then it is dangerous as to which legs are crossing over). There is the vaquero skittering sideways with conterbent meant for bull flighting. A proper half pass (travers on a diagonal) cannot be more angle than the short diagonal of the GP half pass. Why? Because the movement MUST be forward and sideways.