leads from the one on which they approached as they go over an obstacle. So if they approached on the right lead, they will land on the left. This is because of how they line up their hind legs as they push on take off. A rider can practice asking for a certain lead by trotting a small vertical, and asking for the canter over the fence. Aids The canter stride should be easily lengthened and shortened, making the horse "adjustable" between fences so that it may meet the distance correctly. Lengthening and shortening are also key components to dressage tests. In general, the rider should use half-halts as the horse is raising its head and neck upward (during the suspension phase), because this is when the horse is engaging its hindquarters. Aids for shortening stride When the horse shortens its stride, it rebalances its weight toward the hindquarters. In the actual collected canter, the horse should carry the majority of its weight on the hind end, rather than the front end. The hindquarters will sink lower toward the ground, and the forehand will appear higher and lighter. The horse should maintain tempo, rhythm, and impulsion. To shorten the horse's stride, the rider sits taller and lengthens the spine. He or she also performs multiple half-halts in rhythm with the horse's strides, using the restraining aids to ask the horse to engage the hindquarters, yet keeping the leg to the horse's sides to keep impulsion. The rider should not hold the aids or hang onto the horse's mouth when shortening. If the rider does not keep sufficient leg on, the horse will simply fall onto the forehand or break into the trot or walk. Aids for lengthening stride The lengthened canter results in a longer frame from the horse, with a larger stride. The horse should still maintain impulsion, and care should be taken that it is not driven forward onto the forehand. Rhythm and tempo stay the same. To lengthen the canter, the rider uses his or her legs against the horse's sides in rhythm with the gait. The leg aids should be applied as the hind legs are engaging. This is the time when the rider's seat moves forward in the canter stride. Additionally, the rider should engage the seat at the same time as the leg aids are used, "rolling" is forward with the canter motion. Contact