Canter exercises?

[tatty_v]

Looking for some suggested exercises to improve our canter - specifically on the left rein!

Right rein canter is delightful, can happily bowl round a 15m circle, change rein, hold counter canter etc.

Left rein canter just isn’t as good… we can hold ourselves together on a 20m circle nicely enough but as soon we come off the circle, it feels like he goes long, flat and fast, pulls me forward and I just don’t have enough core strength to sit up and hold us together.

Has had vet checks etc, no signs of any issues.

Doesn’t help that I’m right handed (as I think is he!) so we’re sort of doubly good on one rein and doubly useless on the other…

Instructor’s suggestion was gradually turning a 20m circle in the middle of the school into a sort of oval so we are slowly introducing a couple of straight strides followed by a turn, which we will be trying. Any other suggestions? I wondered if poles might be helpful in some way (although I only have four )

 

[Carrottom]

I like shallow loops off the track to the three quarter line and back on the long side.

 

[TheMule]

Canter squares, or diamonds- place it where you normally would a 20m circle, but ride to a point and turn, point and turn. It has transformed my horse's canter in a very short space of time. You have to sit the canter so don’t do it for too long to start with. See how many strides you can get on each straight and try to increase it to force the canter really small.

 

[Rowreach]

What is he like in walk and trot, circle and straight lines, left and right reins?

 

[DabDab]

You can try using counter bend on a circle. So on a 20m circle in the middle of the school start off in correct bend, then start putting in 3-4 strides in counter bend (staying on the circle). After this you can then start doing 3 strides of counter bend over E, back to correct bend then another 3 strides of counter bend past B, building up to going down the long side for a few strides in counter bend from B (no longer on the circle), before arching back round in true bend to the other long side, then counter bend down the long side to a few strides past E, and arch around to the other long side in true bend and so on.

To start with the counter bend will likely feel horrible, and he will be above the bit etc etc, but keep at it just focusing on keeping his body straight, and usually after doing the exercise when you go back to going large you will find they move into a far better frame with a noticeable improvement in suppleness.

 

[tatty_v]

What is he like in walk and trot, circle and straight lines, left and right reins?

Pretty good, not a noticeable difference between reins and he rides a straight line in both paces beautifully. Scores over 70% at intro.

Has a tendency to want to use his shoulder and neck rather than his back end if left to his own devices but this has improved a lot with patience and gentle correction.

I haven’t done as much work in canter with him because when he first arrived he was very unsettled and spooky, as well as VERY unfit, so we are just now progressing to more canter work.

 

[Britestar]

I second squares and diamonds.
Makes you both think.

 

[dottylottie]

i’m nowhere near as creative as the above, but to incorporate poles you could try putting out some canter poles and trying to get the strides shorter to fit more in - little bit more interesting for him, and may help you think about it differently!

 

[Rowreach]

Pretty good, not a noticeable difference between reins and he rides a straight line in both paces beautifully. Scores over 70% at intro.

Has a tendency to want to use his shoulder and neck rather than his back end if left to his own devices but this has improved a lot with patience and gentle correction.

I haven’t done as much work in canter with him because when he first arrived he was very unsettled and spooky, as well as VERY unfit, so we are just now progressing to more canter work.

I’d be interested in seeing how he uses his right hind tbh