Canter help?

[Cob Life]

My share cob is very unbalanced in canter so I'm looking for some exercises that will help him develop that balance.
I can't canter him out hacking as he is far too strong so we are limited to in the school

 

[Equi]

20m Circles, canter poles, letting him go more extended on the long side (and you possibly off the saddle) but then using the corner to slow and collect for the short side for a few laps. Build up to being able to stay collected for longer and eventually bring in a few circles at each corner.

 

[Cob Life]

20m Circles, canter poles, letting him go more extended on the long side (and you possibly off the saddle) but then using the corner to slow and collect for the short side for a few laps. Build up to being able to stay collected for longer and eventually bring in a few circles at each corner.

Thank you, we do 20m circles but the extension collection is one I hadn't thought of!

 

[Leo Walker]

Some cobs can struggle with canter, I know mine does. The fitter you have them the easier they find it. I'd be doing lots of transitions. Pop up into canter for 3 or 4 strides then back down to trot. Really focussing on the quality of the transitions. Theres little to be gained from charging round the arena out of balance. Whats the walk and trot like? I'd be doing lots of transitions again, lateral work. poles etc, in walk and trot for now, with just small amounts of canter.

 

[sportsmansB]

The quality of the transition is key - and voice aids can really help with that, as well as doing preparatory transitions halt / walk / trot / halt/ trot etc, to get him listening and off your leg. If you can go on a big circle and think about doing half of it in trot and half in canter, and be very specific about where you want your transitions, be disciplined so that you're really preparing.

How is he on the lunge? If you can develop voice aids successfully on the lunge, thats a good start for working towards walk to canter. If you go walk to canter, they tend not to get nearly so onward bound and unbalanced as they don't fall into it from a fast trot- but they do need a certain degre of strength / fitness for that so it depends on your starting point.

 

[Cob Life]

Some cobs can struggle with canter, I know mine does. The fitter you have them the easier they find it. I'd be doing lots of transitions. Pop up into canter for 3 or 4 strides then back down to trot. Really focussing on the quality of the transitions. Theres little to be gained from charging round the arena out of balance. Whats the walk and trot like? I'd be doing lots of transitions again, lateral work. poles etc, in walk and trot for now, with just small amounts of canter.

His walk and trot work is really good! I've spent months working on getting him fitter, more supple and balanced in walk and trot.