> [EMAIL PROTECTED] quoted/wrote: > > > Cynthia Madden wrote: > > "... Stopping a Cantering Fjord ... We finally solved it when > > we learned about "doubling." > > don't double a horse unnecessarily. It's strenuous for the horses to > do -- and is meant only as something for unusual circumstances, not a > routine activity during riding. > > DeeAnna
Early in our lessons, our instructor tried to teach us about doubling, and also the emergency dismount. Her version of doubling involved taking a handful of mane, half-way up the neck, to help anchor the reins, and her emergency dismount started with leaning quickly forward (to help provide the swing needed to get the offside leg over the horse's rump)---which usually meant planting a hand in the middle of the neck, again. She had us practice both maneuvers, gently, at low speeds. Unfortunately, we didn't get very far, as both of our Fjord geldings would "helpfully" stop as soon as we grabbed manes and put pressure onto their necks! (However, my husband has had to use doubling to stop Rom out on the trail a couple of times, so even our brief lessons did help.) In Sleepy's case, I think this was something he was taught. He was used for 2 or 3 summers by an outfitter, carrying packs and dudes into the wilderness---circumstances in which, if his "load" got off-balance, the best thing to do was stop and let someone fix it. We later had a "John Lyons"-type trainer teach the same to Rom. I'm not qualified to say how it's done, but I certainly like having a horse whose motto is, "When in doubt, stop"! Marsha Jo Hannah Murphy must have been a horseman-- [EMAIL PROTECTED] anything that can go wrong, will! 30 mi SSE of San Francisco, Calif. -------
