Canter problem.....help please!

Perfect_Pirouette

Perfect_Pirouette

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Okay, so new horse is getting a lot better at being balanced/bending etc in walk and trot. He had the physio and dentist this week, both say he's the picture of health, no back/teeth problems etc. Physio said he's very supple and bendy so thinks it's a case (which I did think) of him just not being very balanced hence the reluctance to bend on a circle.

But that is all coming.

HOWEVER, the canter is still awful. He falls in and just generally not very balanced. If I let him career around any old how then he will canter unbroken, however the minute I try and pick up and ask for any sort of contact or try to balance him off into the outside rein he breaks. :(

I really need him to sit back on his hocks and USE himself. I want to get the canter as slow as possible to enable me to try and help him balance but as I said, he careers around, falling in etc and the minute I sit up, use my core BUT also pick up the reins to try and direct/balance him he falls back down to trot and it's SO frustrating.

Is there any exercises I can do to try help this?
 
On an unbalanced and weak horse, I often find it is helpful to start canter work in a half seat, out of the saddle. It is easier for the horse to collect and work under themselves without you sitting deeply in the saddle, and once they get a bit stronger and get the idea of balancing themselves into a contact and working in a more together canter, you can then start to sit back in the saddle.

Edited to add, if he struggles in the school, you can do the same exercise out hacking - its easier for horses if they don't have to contend with tight corners.
 
Haven't thought about half seat actually- in fact I've been doing the opposite and sitting back/deep, asking him to bring himself up etc but perhaps that's where I'm going wrong so will try tonight in half seat to see if I can keep him going any longer like that thanks.

Not really TBH, very frustrating as I live in a VERY rural area with loads of fields/grassy tracks alongside fields, however none of the farmers will let you go on them and you ALWAYS get caught if you do. So really, there's only about 2-3 places out to have a good canter atm which I am taking full advantage of. Once the stubbles out etc they're more relaxed so could do more then but not at the moment unfortunately.
 
agree with the half seat. He needs to learn to balance, he won't be able to "collect" until he can just canter round unaided.

How is he at cantering on the lunge?
 
My horse struggles with this too, my instructor says it takes quite a bit of time for them to build the strength to hold a balanced canter.

We've been doing lots of transitions, with short bursts of canter, for example one 20 metre circle then back to trot, then another etc. which gives us a chance to rebalance and for the horse to have a break before the next transition. It does seem to be working now and she is finding holding her balance easier.

I agree lots of practise hacking helps as they are more keen to go forwards.
 
SummerxStarsx said:
Haven't thought about half seat actually- in fact I've been doing the opposite and sitting back/deep, asking him to bring himself up etc but perhaps that's where I'm going wrong so will try tonight in half seat to see if I can keep him going any longer like that thanks.
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It really does help in my experience. I recently had the same issue with a tb mare I was bringing back into work after the winter off. She was very weak over her back, and when I first brought her into work she couldn't sustain a canter at all, would bunny hop behind or go disunited instantly and practically fall on her face. So we did a few days of cantering purely in half seat, initially quite forward but gradually asking her to collect more and more.

It didn't take long for her to get the idea, and it was only 3 weeks between no canter at all, and this (still very much a work in progress but getting there!)

541617_605898350787_2142312802_n.jpg
 
also worth getting your saddle checked out - when mine started to not fit (too narrow) as soon as i sat my ass down in the saddle in canter, she'd break into trot as it would force her to hollow.
 
WandaMare said:
My horse struggles with this too, my instructor says it takes quite a bit of time for them to build the strength to hold a balanced canter.

We've been doing lots of transitions, with short bursts of canter, for example one 20 metre circle then back to trot, then another etc. which gives us a chance to rebalance and for the horse to have a break before the next transition. It does seem to be working now and she is finding holding her balance easier.

I agree lots of practise hacking helps as they are more keen to go forwards.
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Yeh, I will try and do more short bursts and bring it down on a good note before he gets unbalanced and then ask again.
 
half seat and sending him forwards, keep canter sessions short. don't worry about outline for now, just rhythm and straightness if you can. he can't collect until the back end is working, he'll be like a broken bridge if you try to sit deep before he connects through. he'll get there, gradually! you'll prob be surprised, suddenly you'll feel the canter really improve.
 
PooJay said:
also worth getting your saddle checked out - when mine started to not fit (too narrow) as soon as i sat my ass down in the saddle in canter, she'd break into trot as it would force her to hollow.
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Saddle was checked on Monday by physio who said it was okay but could get it checked again if things don't improve.

Can I just add that this horse is 12!!! However I think he's always been a bit unbalanced, he's fine out on hacks as its a straight line, however circles etc he finds difficult. He's better on the left rein than the right, left rein he can sustain a lot better.
 
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