my stonewall doesnt canter easily, he used to a little when first
under saddle but as his gaiting improved he gave it up entirely and if
i would try and get him to canter he would just rack faster and faster
and if really pressed jump into a gallop. One day a teenage girl in
an arena started in begging me to let her ride him. She was a former
winner at age 14 of the Dixie Nationals AQHA in mississippi for
something, anyway. She got on him and gaited him about two rounds
around the arena and then started riding him just like a QH and he
just fell into an easy loping canter and she turned him toward a three
foot jump and he sailed over it with room to spare, his little front
feet tucked. I was fairly amazed. Then later I learned its very bad
to let a young horse jump. But I will never forget the way she just
relaxed and something in her rhythm and movement just made him fall
into that canter.
Janice
--
yipie tie yie yo
