Short stride? Crooked horse? This may be the answer to your problems!

Today I have 12 year old Ella McDermid demonstrate an excercise that aids in helping maximize a limited canter step, or organize a larger step, or recover a once adequate step through angles and straightness.
The excercise is simple to set up, can be done as poles, and can be done over weeks, rather than all in one day.
A horse is born conformationally with a certain length to its canter step; sometimes this step just isn't enough to make for a great hunter or jumper or eventer. However, a step that is short can be helped a little with the right work and a step that has shortened over time due to injury, age or crooked riding can certainly be helped.
Ella, our test rider today, is a 12 year old riding Finn, a large childrens hunter pony. I was asked to help Ella while her stable, Looking Back Farm, were still in Florida. Ella boards at Mark and Paulin Esdale's wonderful facility just down the road from where I live. Finn came in to the stable with a minimal step and a very crooked way of going due to learned habits prior to when Ella began riding him. This excercise certainly helped him to gain confidence within the lines and helped Ella to also straighten her own body and riding.
I would like to thank Ella, her parents Lisa and Jason, Mark and Pauline Esdale, and of course the Erynn, Katie and the entire wonderful crew at Looking Back for allowing me to use this video!
Ps: Ella and Finn were champion at their first A show in the childrens hunter ponies this season! Congrats to all and thank you for allowing me to be a small part of your success.
#horsepro #horsetraining #riding