This week's live Q&A was all about preparing for the canter and the 5 essential elements that set you and your horse up for success.

We talked about why the canter feels so different from the walk and trot, shared some stories from riders who've been there (including a horse who went from bucking and head-tossing to round and soft in just 30 days), and covered some of the most common roadblocks like explosive transitions, wrong leads, and that moment where your brain just stops working the second you pick up the canter.

There are also some really helpful takeaways on groundwork, why your trot quality matters more than most people realize, how to close the energy gap between gaits so departures stop feeling like an event, and why visualization is one of the most underrated tools for riders.

We also talked about knowing when you're ready, and why it's always better to wait one more minute than to create a problem you didn't need to have.

Happy Riding,

Amelia

PS. The 30 Day Canter Challenge starts today! If you're a Strides member, you are automatically enrolled. If you're not in Strides, you can check it out here!