Building canter skills without a school

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I am just beginning a loan on a cob x thoroughbred 6 year old mare. She's a lovely girl with plenty of potential, still green though. I am considering taking her into XC in future.

When I rode her out last week, I took her into a large field, with another horse (older and calmer than my horse) and rider, to try out a canter. The two horses got overexcited/potentially spooked but the source was unknown. Both bolted away at speed. This has happened again. Is it possible that the large expanse encourages this behaviour? I am not keen on taking her to an isolated field alone, but will try it as this behaviour may be reduced if there are no other horses around.

I can ride her along a bridle way and mud track at canter but this limits turns and balance work, which I would like to build with her before jumping.

Our yard does not have an enclosed schooling arena, though there is one which we rent at the local riding school located about two miles away. This is done on a weekly or so basis, and I'm sure will help with behaviour outside the arena too, but financially or logistically it is not possible to do it much more frequently.

I am firm with her and we seem to get on well otherwise, just in this environment she explodes! Does anyone have any advice for how to deal with this? What could I be doing wrong?
 
You need someone with a calm horse to go with you, never can in the same place until you can control them in walk and trot. Find a field with hedges at least on two sides, and use a corner as a school. Working in walk and trot, doing circles changes of direction and pace. Do not canter until you are in full control at all times.
This time of year its natural for horses to get a bit giddy in open spaces, so I would avoid them until you get more brakes.
 
I often practice canter transitions on a straight track out hacking, I just ask for canter but make sure I get the correct leg I am asking for then back to trot for a few strides then ask for the other lead, i feel this has really helped when I want to then go in the school.

I sometimes school in a field in the summer,my horse is better if i go alone, and if he gets a bit excited i then just stick to one small corner, doing lots of circles rather than using the whole field which can sometimes blow there brain, although much of our riding is in large open spaces so my horses are used to it, i think the more you do it the less they react to it.
 
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What often happens is the owner/regular rider of a horse always asks it to canter or gallop in an open field, especially if places for a good blast are limited. The horse then comes to expect it.

Start with a few strides of trot, then walk again. Build up gradually. Lots of walk/trot transitions round the edge of the field and schooling in the field just in walk to start with. This is to help you remain in control and to break the association in the horses mind that open grass means gallop. Progress to schooling in trot as the horse becomes more supple. Same with the canter.

Only when you're in control round the edge of the field on those long straight stretches in trot should you progress to trying a few strides of canter, before returning to trot again. Any excitement or if horse becomes strong, return to trot/walk transitions until calm then try canter again.

The horse will eventually learn that the field, like everywhere else, is for working and listening to the rider not exploding like a rocket every time hoofs touch grass.
 
Thanks very much for the helpful suggestions. I will work on establishing good control and communication in walk then trot in a sectioned off part of the field, and will work on canter transitions on the bridleways.
Yes, I should have said originally, the horse's owner says she is usually OK in the field, very forward going and excitable but not in a bolting sense. However, her experience within the field is limited as the horse tended to be ridden on roads, bridleways and in the school only.
 
Sugar_and_Spice said:
What often happens is the owner/regular rider of a horse always asks it to canter or gallop in an open field, especially if places for a good blast are limited. The horse then comes to expect it.

Start with a few strides of trot, then walk again. Build up gradually. Lots of walk/trot transitions round the edge of the field and schooling in the field just in walk to start with. This is to help you remain in control and to break the association in the horses mind that open grass means gallop. Progress to schooling in trot as the horse becomes more supple. Same with the canter.

Only when you're in control round the edge of the field on those long straight stretches in trot should you progress to trying a few strides of canter, before returning to trot again. Any excitement or if horse becomes strong, return to trot/walk transitions until calm then try canter again.

The horse will eventually learn that the field, like everywhere else, is for working and listening to the rider not exploding like a rocket every time hoofs touch grass.
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well put
 
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