Advice about standardbred horses and canter

[Abigail1]

I have a standardbred cross on loan. I have had her just over 18 months and we struggle to stay in canter on a circle. I have put this down to stiffness due to age (she's 18) and history (her previous loaners did parelli with her for 4 years and no schooling). I have read recently that standardbred trotters can struggle with canter but I don't know if this is just if they have been used for racing or is a charactersitc of the breed. Can anyone advise?

 

[Lanky Loll]

They usually struggle to begin with when they come out of training because they're muscled to pace rather than canter (but can usually canter on their own in the field). Within 6 months of finishing training the muscles should be "let down" enough that this isn't a problem, and as she's been out of training considerably longer this shouldn't be the issue with your mare.
I take it she canters ok otherwise?
We usually find that working them really slowly on a circle helps to build the muscles they need once they've got an established straight line canter.

 

[Abigail1]

Thanks. Yes she canters fine in a straight line and when out. Thing is I don't think she has ever been raced. Her owner has had her since she was 4. I wondered if the conformation of the breed had something to do with stuggling on a circle it but from your reply probably not? She also occasionally jumps into upward transitions.

 

[sea_view]

I had a Standard bred ex-champion trotter and yes he did struggle in canter - if he felt panicked at all he would go into trot.

I used to canter him in a semi-circle and then back to trot then back to canter then increase the amount of circle - never asking for too much, bring back to trot on a good note then back to canter and gradually increase.

It is defo, a slow process with them but you will get there in the end as long as you don't get impatient.

He is now a dressage horse with his new owner competing successfully up to elementary

 

[Lanky Loll]

Just realised you also said she's a part-bred. With that in mind and the info you've just given I'd say that it is definitely more down to weakness or an underlying issue rather than breed conformation. There are pure-breds out there doing dressage and eventing

The jumping into transitions could well be because she finds that easier than "changing gear" normally, have you had all the normal checks done (back etc)?

 

[Abigail1]

Yes she's had checks from physio and saddle fitter. showed up stffness behind so it seems as though i was right in putting probs down to that rather than breed...

 

[Lanky Loll]

Yup I'd say so. Stretching and strengthening exercises in walk and trot should help and then build on that up to canter, the exercise Sea_View suggests will probably help.
Good luck