Canter problem, any advice/exercises to help appreciated

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Vicki1986

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walk and trot are balanced now and she is doing some lovely transitions up and down - some stunning trot to halts. she is leg yielding well in walk and a little in trot when out hacking on the road (havent tried in the school yet)

however when we canter its well better than it was by miles but it still is like a motorbike whizzing round the school, very unbalanced, no rhythm to speak of, and no bend...its literally how fast can i whizz round the school!

i am trying to sit up and hold her between hand and leg as much as possible and im sure - as with our walk and trot - the more i practice the better it will become

she also runs into her transition and as i ask for canter she does her "driving trot" and extends beyond belief, at speed. she has a tendency to buck due to excitement (not back or teeth problems) so its all a bit bouncy and all over the place at the moment

any exercises people can recommend to help??

i dont enjoy schooling much and gave her a break from it from around nov/dec-now, only been in the school a hand full of times to have fun and do some jumping etc. and have been hacking and lungeing mostly. she has come back, it seems, marvellously and is working in a lovely soft outline in walk and trot and is now bouncier than ever
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i have really enjoyed schooling her the last 2 times which is nice! i have no ambitions to do dressage, xc/showing/m-hunting is our 'thing' however i do want to do ridden showing this year locally so need a decent display - she goes much better on grass than surface.
 
Hello
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Lots and lots of trot - canter transitions to improve balance and use of hind quarters. Try to get her sharper off your leg in transitions.

If she is very unbalanced in canter, avoid long periods. Stick to shorter peroids i.e. half cirlce trot - transition to canter - half circle canter then back to trot.

Build up slowly. Work on a circle to improve balance and bend round your inside leg.
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Lol.

Do you use a schooling whip?

Get her in a nice balanced trot before you ask. If she runs off, bring her back to the balanced trot - will be easier to canter from. Reinforce leg aids with whip. Avoid tipping forwards or throwing the reins at her to encourage in to canter - keep the contact.

Dori has exactly the same problem with Issy
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I've had EXACTLY this problem with George - in fact I only just feel I'm starting to see light at the end of the tunnel with his canter!!

We have always worked on getting him sharper and sharper of the leg etc and he is. The canter transition though was more often than not a leap and then and dive bomb into a full on battle charge canter!!!
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Not good for a 17hher in a 20x40!!!

Anyway most recently we had a bit of a breakthrough when we just began focusing on riding a very accurate 20 mtr circle in the centre of the school.

My trainer explained to us that if the horse's quarters are very straight on a circle then that free's up the hind legs for hte canter transition.

It really was amazing!! Basically now I just work on riding very accurately, pay loads of attention to steering from his hind legs, get a good circle established. Now I only have to gently put my inside leg on (no outside) and he just pops into canter!!

I can't tell you how wonderful it feels!!!
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He can sometimes still then gradually go on to zoom off (and for my once lazy boy I find it funny even typing that!) but we're getting there.

Last night I worked on this and then just decided to canter large and get of his back on the longside (the joy of having a lovely long outdoor). My logic is I now want him to find a nice relaxed rhythm by himself that I can then work with.

I know from experience that my best attempts to hold it together only made me AND him tense and so feel that now I want him to not worry and just feel it. He was an abolute star last night and it felt wonderful!!
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good for you sam! leap and charge is about where i'm at! but she IS definately improving steadily. circles we have a slight problem with re falling out (i think i must have a lazy outside leg as had same problem with an old horse i rode????)

FM god know i cant use a whip on her in the school its more than my lifes worth !!!! she would buck or bolt haha i might try but think that would make her more het up?? once ive done one canter she anticipates it and jogs and goes sideways if she thinks we are about to again

Claire78 gave me some help with getting her off my leg (she used to lean into it rather than move away from it) she used to be an absolute arse so i gave her a big boot to say GET OFF my leg and move, haha not done it since the buck was on tremendous proportions!!!

i think i am right to say until my circles are better my canter isnt goign to get better?
 
I think working on the circles might be the way to go. Try putting poles out to mark the points of the circle and aim for middle of pole, to get accuracy.

Unfortunately, her bucking may be her way of evading your leg
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Might have to ride her through it, to teach her that she has to go forward off your leg and bucking makes no dofference.

Notice how easy it is for me to say that - as I don't have to ride her lol
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[ QUOTE ]
good for you sam! leap and charge is about where i'm at! but she IS definately improving steadily. circles we have a slight problem with re falling out (i think i must have a lazy outside leg as had same problem with an old horse i rode????)


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Oh oh oh! that was me too!
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The breakthrough with me was basically not trying to stop the falling out, but think more about aiming his quarters and supporting myself through my left side.

It's hard to describe without a demo but basically as I'm riding the circle I don't think about holding him on it with my outside leg (although my leg is there) I just imagine I'm supporting the back of my left rib cage and ride the circle a qtr at a time.

It works on both reins with me thinking about my left side (my trainer says because in general it is the horse's left that is the weakest).

Just try it in trot, see if you get a better more fluid circle then just sit and gently ask for the transition - you may get a surprise!
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I have riden a horse at college that is unbalanced especially in her canter, the last time i rode her we got right up another horses behind !! lol just try your best to keep control when cantering and half haults if she/he does nt listen make them slighlt stronger each time !! well thats what i would say from my experience
 
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