canter poles

[serena2005]

whats the best way to teach canter poles, never really had this problem arise before, but recent horse dosent know how to do them properly and just runs over them as if they are not there if his feet happen to land in the right place then its a bonus, otherwise hes happy to tread, and kick the poles flying across the school.

There was a slight improvement today where his stride was wrong but he stretched to get his feet in the right place, but that was the only time he tried to get it right..

any ideas and advice would be appricated (sp)

thanks x

 

[pixie]

Perhaps try raising them slightly on alternating sides, so he's almost jumping over them?

 

[serena2005]

no he is cantering but just as if they arent there!!

 

[pixie]

How about having them high enough to be bounce fences, so he is jumping them, and then gradually lowering them, so he's more likely to take notice of them?

 

[helenandshadow]

Maybe approach in trot so he gets the right stride then ask for canter over the first pole.

 

[serena2005]

i know where you are coming from, but im just not sure, hes only just started jumping, if i have them as bounce jumps his stride will still be wrong and he will just be throwing him self over the fence wont he?
being a unexperienced horse and still a little unbalanced he wont be able to correct himself.

or am i just thinking about it too much?

 

[serena2005]

i was doing that today while lunging, it does work when he goes off into canter in th correct place but still doesnt shorten or lengthen to get his feet in the right place.

and he get carried away, like today he wouldnt come back to a trott and ended up galloping towards the poles, i suppose he thought i was going to tell him to go faster... i then ask him to trot over the poles then he relaxes and i ask for canter over them again, but still its hit or miss..

is it better to lunge? i have done canter pole ridden but i wasnt 100% positive he was doing them right as he felt so smooth going over them...
iv also tried free-schooling over poles

 

[serena2005]

how many poles are best to use? at the moment iv only been using 2, when iv ridden i have used 3. but i diddnt really feel any difference.

 

[pixie]

I would use at least 3 - I once had about 15 of them set up in a semicircle, raised up on the outside.

 

[beaconhorse]

you should always have an odd number of poles so that they don't think they should jump them. I would continue to lunge him over them until he is happy about doing so before riding over them

 

[wattsy]

if you put the pole (try with one first then add as you get good) on a circle, you can decide where on the pole to cross, so that if you feel you are approaching with not enough room you can guide him on to the pole nearer the centre of the circle, and if you feel you can get more strides you can cross the pole on the outer circle. Eventually you will both get used to it and he will start to lengthen and shorten his stride as he gets used to it.

 

[Oaksflight]

I'd start with one until he gets the hang of it, but you should always use an odd number of poles!