Any knowledgeable Section A peeps about?

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DuckToller

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Have ended up with a very cute, somewhat chubby, little section A chap. He hasn't done much for a few years, but in his youth he was professionally produced and shown in-hand.

We have been lunging him and done some ridden work, but he is having huge problems cantering. When you ask on the lunge he runs faster and faster, looks more like a mini section D with legs going like pistons, and eventually if you bring him back to a slower trot and ask again, he manages a few strides before trotting at high speed.

Under saddle it's even harder, poor little chap will trot for ages but won't offer more than a few strides of canter before he drops back into piston trot.

Is it because he has never really cantered before? Don't know much about lead rein M&M but obviously they only walk and trot. So would he not have been cantered before even on the lunge? Even in the field he only appears to trot about and his conformation is so chunky, he is much heavier than what I thought an a should be, I wonder if he isn't really built to canter!

Am hoping less blubber might help, but just wondering.
 
My A was a former good lead rein pony and he couldn't get his head round canter at all. Eventually he got it by being led of my mare, who he worshipped, and her going so fast that eventually he had to. He was never great at it and was hard work to get to do it in the school but would canter on hacks.
 
That's a good idea. Will try that in a few weeks. Can't chase him with a whip in case he bucks, and obviously he isn't that fit at the moment so can't expect much yet.

But he does seem an odd shape - he is a much chunkier build than my sec B and my friend's little sec a mare - do some of the breed lines come up bigger than others? He is like a tank with a leg at each corner!
 
Sounds like he is an 'old fashioned' type like the older Coed Coch lines etc for example.

Could try the riding a bigger one & leading (often produces good results with small ponies) as mentioned above.
Going up hill when leading off a bigger one can really encourage pony to ping on too.
Also, try putting a pole in a corner when you lunge & gradually move over to get him to get moving over it. Can help to lift the pole to up to a foot high to encourage him to 'lift' & then pop on into canter.

Use of voice is encouraging - just like you do when initially backing them.

Its a common problem in ponies just used to in-hand or l-rein only (not just little round welshies, but have had it with much bigger ones too such as D's and Fells etc)
Good luck :)
 
My A does a bit of everything, but I would recommend hacking him out and letting him go forward for a while, then start on the canter work. It will come in time, its a balance issue aswell if all he has done is LR.
On the lunge concentrate on keeping everything slow and laid back but with impulsion. Have fun with him! My fave breed! Such dudes lol! :D

xx
 
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