8/ JULY 2020 THE RIDER MY SPIN: Counter Canter Benefits


Tim McQuay, Heroes and Friends Se- ries with Bob Avila, Larry Trocha, Clinton Anderson, and Shawn Flar- ida. There are more. I watched what- ever I could. And this is what this column is


all about - sharing those secrets and my experiences.


Discovering the Counter Canter I was watching Bob Avila’s ex-


By Susan Dahl.


Counter Canter Benefits Many years ago - I’m talking back


in the 90’s, I was in search for a new reining coach. With there being no one locally that I wanted to go to, I began to look on the internet. Western trainers were starting to come out with VHS training tapes of their “secrets”. I was intrigued. I’ve bought tapes from people like


ercises on counter cantering and I re- member a really funny story that bears repeating here. He talked about a conversation he had with a little rider at one of his clinics. Bob was demonstrating his counter canter ex- ercises when this little rider came up to him and said: “Excuse me Mr. Avila. Did you know that you’re on the wrong lead.” I couldn’t help laughing with Bob’s laughter and fa- cial expressions as he recounted the story.


I had traditionally thought that


way as well. It was revolutionary for me at the time to discover that trainers were doing it on purpose and it had so many good benefits.


Count on Counter Canter World champion reining trainer


Bob Avila explains why adding the counter canter exercise has many benefits here in this February 2017 updated Horse&Rider with Bob Avila article.


Benefits Improve Loping - Adds greater


degree of difficulty and therefore im- proves the horse’s loping skills. A must for reining and other riding dis- ciplines.


Anticipation of Lead Change - a great refresher exercise to keep the horse honest through the middle of the fig- ure 8 maneuver and elsewhere.


Strength and Balance of Your Horse - for maneuvers like Lead Changes and overall improved performance.


Improve Overall Flexibility and Sup- pleness - for both sides of the horse so one side is not stiffer than the other.


Keeps The Horse Attentive - to the rider and removes the horse ‘thinking ahead’ of the rider.


The Other Half - Improve Rider’s


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Ability Counter cantering really im-


proved my riding skills tremendously. It improved my accuracy of my lead changes and how to fix problems. I felt more confident. My horse was more balanced and we were able to do a great, difficult skill. I would recommend using draw


reins or a german martingale when doing the exercise. It helps the rider to concentrate on getting the horse to counter canter easily and not having to work on the face at the same time. Makes this easier for everyone.


My Counter-Canter Funny: Sometime after I had become


proficient at the counter canter, I was observing what riders were doing for warm up at a reining show. One of the first coaches I ever had started talking about their warm up program and I was interested in hearing how it had changed since I was their student. I joined the conversation and


mentioned about doing figure 8s and loping on the wrong lead for the 2nd loop or circle. The former coach jumped in to insult me and said: “oh because you don’t know you’re on


the wrong lead.” and I said “no”, I wanted to counter canter. I was elated to see the look of surprise and bewil- derment on the former coach’s face. My decision to move on was a good thing.


Updated from original article January 25th, 2015.


Putting my spin on Counter Canter- ing


Reinersue @KISS Reiners


About Susan Dahl Susan Dahl, ORHA/NRHA past mul- tiple champion, writer, blogger, au- thor and clinician, retired certified professional horse trainer. Owner of Foundation Reining Training Centre in Durham, ON. She specializes in ef- fective horsemanship, and reining. For more information on her serv- ices: judging, clinics or resale horses, please contact her on facebook, her website: www.reinersuehorseman- ship.com or reinersue@hotmail.com


Foundation Reining Training Centre “Better trained horses to western riders.”


Susan Dahl B.Sc. Computer, Math


Retired Certified Professional Horse Trainer Myler Bit Certified,


judge, clinics, horse sales, writer 315538 Highway 6, RR1


Williamsford, ON N0H 2V0. 519-369-4631, reinersue@hotmail.com www.reinersuehorsemanship.com


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