Any recomendations for slowing down the canter - help

[jenz87]

HI everyone
Does anyone have any recomendations, schooling exercises etc, for helping to slow down the canter. My mare is a bit like a steam train at the moment and does a fantastic medium canter, but we really need her to slow down her working canter, and come back from medium, she just gets carried away and zooms off. All of our dressage comments are "very nice but need to slow down" etc etc.

Any suggestions are welcomed
Thanks

 

[tallyho!]

THIS is what I have been having a nightmare with until about 6 months ago! I changed RI and I am on cloud nine with my canters.

I've been taught to control the canter with my whole body - sounds odd I know - but I really can now I'm so chuffed.

Canter was my most dreaded gait... not anymore, I try and slip in a canter wherever I can and not only that, I had a horrid time getting the right canter lead. I can now pick a canter anywhere, any lead and accidentally did flying changes during our lesson I so confident with it now. It's just sooooo liberating.

It's hard to explain, but you really need to ask with your hips. Then you have to control it with your seat - as in get that horse in between your legs and practice by pushing out on a circle with your legs but push with your seat, keeping your head up, back straight and VERY strong legs (you will ache). Then, once you can get this going, actually COLLECT the horse, UP into your stride - count in your head - HOLD the horse with your whole body i.e seat, legs and control the shoulders with your hands very gently on outside rein. Then, let it go again, and start re-collecting.

It sounds ever so silly when you read it. It probably wont work at home. I suggest you find a good classical trainer near you. Honestly, I feel like I'm riding on a wave in canter these days... and he's a heavy horse! I mean, he's also recovered from navi through barefoot and is so much free-er anyway but I swear, pay for the best you can find..

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

lots of transitions. more leg, and try to block the hind quarters from powering on, sit very tall and behind the shoulder. half halts with the leg on. work on 20 m circle down to 15 up to 20 down to 15 gradually reducing to 10 once horse has found canter! he will find his own balance and steady as circles reduce and increase. it will take a few weeks. sounds like he is motoring on and getting on forehand. Good luck and keep working on it. canter poles can be helpful.

 

[georgiegirl]

another one who suggests lots of transitions!

I also own a 'steam train' and going onto a 20m circle with regular transitions helps lots.

imagine the circle as a clock face ie canter at 12, trot at 3, canter at 6, trot at 9 etc or backwards for other rein. this works well walk to canter too. as well as medium/working canter transitions within the pace

smaller circles also help as the horse has no choice but to carry himself and not power along, again you can spiral these in and out depending on how hes feeling. as soon as he starts powering along bring it in a bit and then when hes carrying himself properly bring the circle out a bit and so on - this exercise is quite hard work for them though.