Cantering Issues

[jambolet]

My husband and I hve been riding for over a year now but due to issues outside of our conrol we are on our 3rd riding stables now which we joined last August.
When we joined we could walk and trot (rise and sit) and had both just done some little canters which went well.
In September we haad to move into a group as no private lessons outside. Our riding has gone backwards and all we have done fo the past 5 moths is trot around an arena which we are totally and utterly fed up with.
2 people in our group had a canter yesterday which we were told we were not ready for and when I challenged our instructor and w were told we were not baalanced enough - something which has never been mentioned in the past 6 month at all and in fact never.
I was told in September I was ready to canter properly as was my husband.
My husband amanged 3 canters during private lessons with 3 diffreent instructors before Christmas
The tuition from different instructors is not consistent either as the younger ones seems more open for yu to try as long as you are ready but our group instructors are older and seem over cautious
We have ridden outside with friends who have been riding for years who say we should definately be cantering now.
Any Ideas or thoughts please
Thanks

 

[Red-1]

Whereabouts are you located, as it does sound as if your current stables are not suiting you and someone may have a suggestion for somewhere better?

 

[Red-1]

I just had a browse at your messages to see if I could see where you are from, and I see that you may not have had the best help from the start, if it took 3 months to be at the rising trot stage.

Whilst it is true that once a week is not ideal, as a gauge, I would generally get riders doing rising trot on their first lesson. The first lesson would start on the lead rein, position, balance etc, and then go forward to trot so the rider could learn to use whilst everything was controlled. Generally though, by the end of the session the rider would not be steering as that was not needed as I was in control of the horse, but would have a rudimentary understanding of leg to go, rein to stop and be rising trot on the lunge.

I used to mainly teach adult novices on a course, but by the end of two weeks I would expect them to be walk/trot off the lunge and walk/trot/canter on the lunge, with walk and trot also being performed without stirrups quite comfortably on the lunge.

After 4 weeks they would have a dressage test at walk, trot and canter, ride independently without stirrups at walk and trot and have a basic jumping position where they could demonstrate balance over poles on the ground in preparation for jumping. Some riders would be doing canter poles at this stage, and some popping a small fence within a trot or canter pole grid too.

The riders would generally be previous non riders and aged 30-45. But we were there 5 days a week, starting at half an hour actual riding and building to 2 hours a day. They also had time to learn about horses on the floor, starting with catching, head collar and grooming (which teaches more about horses than you would think, body language etc), plus they would lunge their own horses prior to riding, which is also important as they learned about body language, the paces, assertiveness, how small a signal can make a big difference, how horses react to your energy, how important even your breathing and how you hold your shoulders is (even on the end of a lunge line).

With that in mind, I was glad to see that you are off on a riding holiday abroad where you can ride every day. I hope you will also be immersed in the horses for the day so you can reap the benefits of all of that too.

When back at home, weekly group lessons will always be inferior to private and weekly lessons is inferior to a more immersive experience. If you found somewhere to do a couple of weeks with 2 privates and a group lesson (so two evenings and a weekend) I think you would find that more conducive to learning. Even if you did one private and one group lesson on a more regular basis, I am sure your progress would accelerate, not least because the riding centre would feel more invested in you.

 

[silverunicorn]

I was allowed to start cantering at my first riding school after a few months of weekly lessons, and the two I went to recently let me canter right away. I’ve been riding about the same time as you as an adult, though probably less often (I had a gap of 6 months + other gaps). Are there any better riding schools in your area? Or could you share horses and get a private instructor?

 

[jambolet]

Whereabouts are you located, as it does sound as if your current stables are not suiting you and someone may have a suggestion for somewhere better?

Hi
We are on stables no 3 now through no fault of our own
Dont really want to change again so need to find a way to make it work where we are
Thanks

 

[jambolet]

I was allowed to start cantering at my first riding school after a few months of weekly lessons, and the two I went to recently let me canter right away. I’ve been riding about the same time as you as an adult, though probably less often (I had a gap of 6 months + other gaps). Are there any better riding schools in your area? Or could you share horses and get a private instructor?

Hi
We are on stables no 3 now which is the best one around us
We just need to get to the bottom of the lack of cantering issue somehow
We dont really want to change again so are really trying to make it work
Thanks

 

[jambolet]

I just had a browse at your messages to see if I could see where you are from, and I see that you may not have had the best help from the start, if it took 3 months to be at the rising trot stage.

Whilst it is true that once a week is not ideal, as a gauge, I would generally get riders doing rising trot on their first lesson. The first lesson would start on the lead rein, position, balance etc, and then go forward to trot so the rider could learn to use whilst everything was controlled. Generally though, by the end of the session the rider would not be steering as that was not needed as I was in control of the horse, but would have a rudimentary understanding of leg to go, rein to stop and be rising trot on the lunge.

I used to mainly teach adult novices on a course, but by the end of two weeks I would expect them to be walk/trot off the lunge and walk/trot/canter on the lunge, with walk and trot also being performed without stirrups quite comfortably on the lunge.

After 4 weeks they would have a dressage test at walk, trot and canter, ride independently without stirrups at walk and trot and have a basic jumping position where they could demonstrate balance over poles on the ground in preparation for jumping. Some riders would be doing canter poles at this stage, and some popping a small fence within a trot or canter pole grid too.

The riders would generally be previous non riders and aged 30-45. But we were there 5 days a week, starting at half an hour actual riding and building to 2 hours a day. They also had time to learn about horses on the floor, starting with catching, head collar and grooming (which teaches more about horses than you would think, body language etc), plus they would lunge their own horses prior to riding, which is also important as they learned about body language, the paces, assertiveness, how small a signal can make a big difference, how horses react to your energy, how important even your breathing and how you hold your shoulders is (even on the end of a lunge line).

With that in mind, I was glad to see that you are off on a riding holiday abroad where you can ride every day. I hope you will also be immersed in the horses for the day so you can reap the benefits of all of that too.

When back at home, weekly group lessons will always be inferior to private and weekly lessons is inferior to a more immersive experience. If you found somewhere to do a couple of weeks with 2 privates and a group lesson (so two evenings and a weekend) I think you would find that more conducive to learning. Even if you did one private and one group lesson on a more regular basis, I am sure your progress would accelerate, not least because the riding centre would feel more invested in you.

Thanks for your in depth reply which was really helpful
We can only ride at weekends as we work during the week and cant do evenings either unfortunately
We are working hard to establish a reason for the lack of cantering opportunities and hopefully we can get through this issue and start some cantering before our May holiday in Herefordshire which will be a total cantering experience
we dont want to give it up but will just have to see how things go
Thanks

 

[JFTDWS]

Hi
We are on stables no 3 now which is the best one around us
We just need to get to the bottom of the lack of cantering issue somehow
We dont really want to change again so are really trying to make it work
Thanks

Unfortunately you can't force the instructors to become more consistent, or to allow you to canter if they don't want to do so. Most of the things you can do to improve balance - working without stirrups and / or reins, on the lunge or other activities - would involve having free access to a horse and not subject to lessons.

Your options at riding schools are very much to do as you're told and enjoy it (or not!), or to find another school that might suit you better.

 

[Red-1]

Thanks for your in depth reply which was really helpful
We can only ride at weekends as we work during the week and cant do evenings either unfortunately
We are working hard to establish a reason for the lack of cantering opportunities and hopefully we can get through this issue and start some cantering before our May holiday in Herefordshire which will be a total cantering experience
we dont want to give it up but will just have to see how things go
Thanks

If I was taking a group lesson, and someone unfamiliar to me had only cantered a couple of times, I would not invite cantering either with these conditions.

I teach canter on the lunge, then when that looks safe I more to with either just you or maybe one other person also on the arena so you can get the feel of going large without other people to dodge and so you can have time to get organised, get cantering and get safely back to trot and walk. This takes a lot of my attention in the early days and a lot of talking to make sure you are prepared and get a good transition and keep safe. I can't do that and also control a ride.

I only canter in group lessons once I know you are proficient enough to be safe if I sere to have to give my attention to someone else.

Most riding schools don't fit private lessons in on a weekend as the demand for lessons is high. Apart for finding time on the school, a properly given private lesson takes more out of a horse than a Saturday group (where the horses spend a lot of time walking round awaiting their turn). Group lessons tend to be popular as they are social and cheaper. I guess you pay your money, pick your time and take your choice, but a once a week group lesson will always take longer to progress someone.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy your holiday.

 

[Dwyran_gold]

I would recommend one to one lessons for yourself and your husband, together without a group and of at least 45 mins a week to make the progress. With the two of you an hour would be better. x

 

[HazuraJane]

The test for canter at a local riding school is the ability to post the trot without stirrups once around the arena.
Not saying I agree or disagree with that test, just that it's one gauge used locally.

 

[jambolet]

Thanks everyone for all the great replies which have been really helpful