Bucking on 20m Canter Circles

ShadowHunter

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Ive been bringing my horse back into work after a long period turned away due to various issues. We've started doing a little bit more schooling recently and she's doing okay, a little rusty but its to be expected. However, she's seems almost incapable of cantering 20m circles. Whenever I ask her to turn away from the track she seems to not be able to maintain the canter and falls back into trot. When I ask for the canter on the circle, she bucks, not massively but enough to show she's not happy. She's perfectly fine trotting 20m's, serpentines and cantering large. She's very heavy on the forehand; and sometimes gets carried away and pulls like a train, so I'm wondering if its a balance issue?
 

Lillian_paddington

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I think you’re right - it does sound like a balance issue, especially if she hasn’t been worked for a while then she won’t have the muscles necessary for schooling. Lots of horses will break into trot on circles because they’re unbalanced; I would be more worried about the bucking. However she might just be trying to re-balance herself and sort out her back legs - I knew one very rushy horse and she would often buck in canter when going round corners and this was apparently the reason she bucked. If she’s still bucking once she’s stronger then I’d be more inclined to think it was pain-related and would want to get the vet out.
 

tashcat

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How long have you been bringing her back in work for? I imagine it's hard work for her, and she's not strong enough to balance in a 'tighter' turn.
In your feet I would work on strengthening her up with an instructor. We'd found it so helpful to have someone on the ground who can really see his areas of weakness. He was very crooked - couldn't keep straight at all! - and in some movements appeared lame. It all transpired to be him using himself wrongly and then building up the wrong muscles whilst lacking in other areas! Its a long process but now he's lovely and straight and getting stronger by the day!

A pretty obvious one but i'm guessing you'd had a full vet check over and physio?
 

Goldenstar

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If you can I would canter up hill in grass .
In the school I would ride eggs with straight sides so you do a half circle at each end of the school.
I would also do transitions walk to canter and canter quarter a circle .
You don’t say what was wrong with your horse don’t dismiss saddle fit and other pain I would defiantly talk to the treating vet about the bucking and get a ACPAT registered physio to look at the horse .
You also don’t say if you are sitting on the horses back of cantering off the horses back you need to have an experiment to see which works best .
 

Sukistokes2

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Your asking for a lot, she needs to build the balance and muscle to do what your are asking. Also she might be in discomfort somewhere. A horse coming back in to work will change shape quickly and significantly. Her tack or even her rider might be blocking her. Build her up with lots of walk and trot , lots of hacking , be patient and it’s will come. Get some professional help , for eyes on the ground. Do the checks
 
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