Canter help

[Irishcobs]

We have a little welsh at work. He is super but he finds canter really hard, he only canters on the lunge at the moment as his jockey isn't off leadrein yet.
He goes into canter fine, but then gets disunited and collapes in a heap. His trot is really balanced. I guess because he has alway been a leadrein/first ridden pony, doing walk + trot test etc, he's not done much cantering.
I'm not sure what to do to help him.

 

[Fattie_Hattie]

Try and get someone a bit more experienced to ride him to bring him on a bit and get him balanced off the lunge.

 

[Irishcobs]

Thats what we thought, but finding a little jockey is really difficult. We had a girl that could ride him but we decided she was too heavy, specially with him struggling in canter.

 

[Fattie_Hattie]

You could always advertise arund but i dont think it could get better unless someone capable can help him. How big and what breed is he?

 

[Shilasdair]

Try to improve his co-ordination over walk and trot poles, jumps etc (tiny ones, obviously).
Then ask for only a couple of strides of canter at a time...it doesn't matter if he goes disunited, breaks into a heap...he'll learn what is easier. Keep him on a big circle, and try to maintain the bend. Sometimes they get the correct strike-off more easily if you ask them over a pole.
Time and practice - he'll be fine!
S

 

[lizzieuk1]

it takes time to build the muscle and balance for canter work, if he's not used to it then just give him time, keep working him on the lunge and doing short bursts of canter and gradually he'll build up, try to keep the circle big and you may need to move around with him till he's more balanced.