Cantering on the road - What are your views?

3Beasties

3Beasties

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 September 2008
Messages
15,574
Visit site
Just been thinking about this lately after a comment a friend made.

I personally don't canter on the road BUT if I went hunting I think there would be times that I would. I think a steady canter on the road has got to be better then a pounding trot (plus when hunting Charlie doesn't do Trotting
blush.gif
)

I would never canter purposely on the road out hacking although I have done on occasions when horse has spooked of the verge we were cantering up or has got over excited, he is always taken straight back to trot though.

Does anyone actually canter on the road on a day to day basis?

What are your views on cantering on the road?
 
I don't even like trotting on the roads but I was once told that canter was better for joints then trotting on the road. But I have never put that theory to the test, intentionally anyway.
 
i do out hunting but not on a hack. My horse has a "power trot" which is very difficult to sit to so i prefer him to canter out hunting otherwise i look ridiculous bouncing all over the place... but i wouldnt do it out hacking. I canter on tracks but not on roads, i just trot on them, especially before hunting to build up whatever it builds up!
 
It's happened to me a few times by mistake!
I didn't feel particularly safe.
I've heard the arguements for trotting v cantering and have no clue which is best but I certainly wouldn't want to hit a slippy patch of tarmac at canter
crazy.gif
 
Canter usually means gallop for my ex-racer so if I were to choose any type of tarmac to canter it would most probably be the M25 lol!
grin.gif
 
Now and then we do, barefoot or in hoof boots, uphill usually when the neds decide they fancy a canter up the lane, zero difference from cantering on rock hard tracks but without the mud ruts to contend with.

Concussion is less barefoot or in boots thou, wouldn't fancy it with shoes, be too worried about slipping over.
 
I only do it in two situations

1. If the horse doesn't want to go down the road, but after a kick on it canters, I let it and keep kicking for a bit.

2. If a collected canter is the only alternative the horse offers to p!ssing off completely.
grin.gif
 
only when hunting or when having slipped off the verge. hunting cos otherwise Frank goes into welsh power trot mode. No need to otherwise we can have a couple of tracks we can canter down and a half mile stretch of flat turf available for fast fittening work.

Do lots of trotting though, have to do my best to keep him fit.
 
Only on the spot, or sideways up the road, when she's being a complete arse!
blush.gif


In contrast to others above, I'd rather do a strong trot on the road than canter. I never canter intentionally on the road, and try to get her back to at least a trot as soon as possible. It's my understanding that trot puts less stress on the legs, and a nice endurance-style extended trot is good exercise for both horse and rider.
grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I only do it in two situations

1. If the horse doesn't want to go down the road, but after a kick on it canters, I let it and keep kicking for a bit.

2. If a collected canter is the only alternative the horse offers to p!ssing off completely.
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

i have one that out hacking has/had 2 places where the only two gears i have are stop and stand or canter ( im pretty sure we would have gallop but i dont want that gear on tarmac!) no way no how in these two places could i ever get her to walk or trot. I did after a long time manage to get a trot that occasionally broke to canter purely through me aiming for walk and her aiming for flat out and us meeting in the middle! shes a nightmare but i love her!
grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
if I went hunting I think there would be times that I would. I think a steady canter on the road has got to be better then a pounding trot

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm of exactly the same opinion.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
no i won't trot on the road let alone canter

[/ QUOTE ]

Really
shocked.gif
Why not? (genuinely curious!)

[/ QUOTE ]

my boy has sensative feet so do wanna cause any problems. he has had concussion from being a prat about roadworks in walk. since that i have always been wary of trottinf on the road
 
I rarely trot on roads (or hard forestry tracks) unless in competition after being told by the vet hospital that one likely reason for my old horse developing navicular was concussion from too much trotting on hard surfaces. So the younger horse has been spared that.

I've often wondered whether a slow canter would be better in terms of concussion than a fast trot on roads, but I guess the likelihood of slipping is greater at canter.
 
I wouldn't no. Not really cos of the concusssion, more for the fact that the horse might slip and fall and having seen my sisters horse do that in walk and her break her collar bone, I don't fancy doing that!

I do steady canters on tracks that can be as hard as a road though, just don't have the slippy surface
smile.gif


Mild concussion is meant to be good for strengthening horses legs and improvin bone density, too much schooling on a surface imo softens the tendons and ligaments, making them more prone to injury.
smile.gif
 
I do alot of road work to get between tracks and ride into off road areas and I trot not canter, Always done it (had horses in same place since I was born!!) I mix up the troting and walking, lots of transistions and we leg yield on the quiet roads to mix it up too. Never canter on the roads!

Horses have never been bothered by it - all have had good feet and good legs.
 
Traumatic laminitis (road founder) can be the consequence of trotting and cantering on the road. Due to the trauma the sensitive laminae are bruised and torn. I have done both but now Im older and wiser, no, I wouldnt trot or canter on hard going of any kind. M.
smile.gif

PS, I cantered on the road while hunting
blush.gif
 
I wouldn't dream of cantering on the road
crazy.gif

It's certainly not safe to go at such a speed (for you/your horse or other road users) and it's not fair on your horse's legs either
frown.gif


Last week I was faced with two galloping horses coming towards me in my van... one had a rider one didn't - I don't like people chasing after horses to catch them as this spurs the loose horse to gallop on - and the girl who was riding was totally risking her horse - I did eventually help her slow the horse down but crikey their legs must've been very sore
frown.gif

(Sorry - went off on a tangent then!)
Kate x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top