Controlling canter speed on a hack?

[dwi]

I've worked long and hard to get Daisy fit. When she came to me she was overweight and enjoyed a canter but couldn't sustain it for long. Now she has lost the excess weight and her fitness is much better she is really keen. This is especially a problem at the moment because I have to ride her after work so we are doing 40 min hacks at most, I don't have time to tire her out/take the edge off before we start cantering.

When we're in the school it isn't a problem because she struggles with bending so it slows her down because she has to think about it.

What do people do to ask their horse to settle into a nice collected canter out hacking rather than going at full pelt? I'm wary of restricting her too much with my hands because she is prone to buck when excited . I have been toying with doing lots of transitions to get her listening but that just seems to fizz her up.

Any ideas of exercises etc to do on a hack?

 

[TinselRider]

I have the same probs with cantering, I just keep a deep seat and ask with a gentle squeeze. Regular half halts help as does asking for bend.

hope I've helped

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

No idea but when you find out let me know!! Our cantering out is always at full pelt and a bit of a control battle

I'd love to have a nice collected canter and enjoy it more rather than a power struggle

 

[tanflislibs]

lean back!!! as far as it takes!!! the unbalancing will make her check herself, mix with halt halts and genlte encouragement with the leg, lots of practice aswell!

 

[Irishcobs]

Can you do little turns like weaving from side to side, may help to get her to slow down as she has to do slight turns.

 

[_April_]

The only advice I would really give is don't canter at the same bit on every ride... make her walk it!

When I was first getting to know mine I tended to ask her to walk along calmly on a loose rein when we reach the 'fast' areas. Then I would trot and if she was still behaving I would canter, then get her to come back into a walk on a loose rein before cantering again.

Now that I know she doesn't get out of control (and I can stop if I need to) I can let her blast along!

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

[ QUOTE ]
lean back!!! as far as it takes!!! the unbalancing will make her check herself, mix with halt halts and genlte encouragement with the leg, lots of practice aswell!

[/ QUOTE ]

Knowing my luck I'd go straight over her back!!! I have tried to do transitions too and it just winds her up even more

 

[dwi]

[ QUOTE ]
The only advice I would really give is don't canter at the same bit on every ride... make her walk it!

When I was first getting to know mine I tended to ask her to walk along calmly on a loose rein when we reach the 'fast' areas. Then I would trot and if she was still behaving I would canter, then get her to come back into a walk on a loose rein before cantering again.



[/ QUOTE ]

The last two hacks we've cantered in places that we've never cantered before so tis not that shes working herself up for it.

She's very good about not trying to bomb off without being asked, she just doesn't seem to appreciate what speed she should be going at when she is asked.

She's 10 but a real baby in her ways. I've only had her a year, she didn't do much before I had her so everything is vey exciting, especially when we hack on our own. She's not naughty in the least, just very very keen

 

[_April_]

[quote
She's not naughty in the least, just very very keen

[/ QUOTE ]

She does sound lovely! Mine is 20 so she has no exuses lol

I'm sure she will chill out once the novelty wears off. So long as you it's not actually dangerous I would just have fun

 

[claireross]

If my horse if a bit fresh, i tend to trot for however long it takes for him to settle. Or try never asking for canter straigt away, go into trot first then canter then trot etc. Once you have a horse anticipating when and where your going to canter your horse can then got over excited about it.

 

[WelshRareBit]

I tend to bridge my reins and that seems to help, also if I stand in my stirrups that helps too.

 

[dwi]

[ QUOTE ]
I tend to bridge my reins and that seems to help, also if I stand in my stirrups that helps too.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's bridging your reins?

 

[Tierra]

Have the exact same problem out on hacks with mine

His canter when schooling is beautiful and something we always get marked well on in dressage.

Out on a hack he seems to flashback to his eventer days and he's gone I can just about manage to hold him steady if I stay in the saddle as I can get him held on my back and use my body rather than my hands. If i go into a forward position im doomed and tend to accept that we're off for a blast

Not much help im afraid really!

 

[benrolo]

Do you ride out with any other horses, she may think she is in a race? I found by accident that loosening the reins calmed Ben down (like jockeys do at the end of a race), I was actually grabbing the saddle for safety when he slowed down cos I had released the tension and had also sat back a bit while I looked down at the saddle.

 

[4whitesocks]

when my boy goes he goes....he thinks he's a racehorse and sometimes it feels like he actually might be! Taking a hold on him just made me knackered & made him go faster so what I try to do is not go to forward seat and try and slow him down with my seat (bring my knees in & just sit really deep - I remind him I'm there with vague attempts at half halts but a lot of it is voice too - he's good with voice commands which I work on on the lunge & then sometimes (only sometimes!) he'll listen to me at speed.

 

[gailt]

Hi DWI,
Bridging your reins means once the rein has passed between your thumb and fore finger it goes across the horse’s neck to your other hand where it is held between your thumb and forefinger. You can do this with one or both reins. Keep your hands low, resting them on the horse’s neck if you want to, id suggest lots of transitions, walk trot halt trot walk..etc, do the same sort of things you would do in a school situation, then slip in a canter when the horse is maybe getting a bit bored, and not expecting it but just a few paces then back to trot walk etc, if youve got a hill you can canter up thats a bonus...lol...or maybe go somewhere where it doesnt matter if you cant stop when you want, ie a gallop or something, and just practise, id say sit up straight, relax, put in half halts etc, once your confident you can lean forward to take the weight off but until then id say keep your seat until youve got control...really work on the ride to keep the horse listening to you at all times and not just speed trotting etc...but if your in a safe place...enjoy!..lol

 

[Tierra]

Ooh actually yes, echo what benrolo said. I cant pull against my horse as he just panics and runs even more. If hes really going-going, its better to slacken the reins off and give him a pat because he just gets himself in such a tizz that anything much else makes him worse.

Does your horse respond to application of the thigh to try and control speed? If so, Id go for sitting up (not back, but like you would when schooling), squeezing with the thigh and sitting as deep as you can! Much better generally to try and use your body than your reins imo

 

[Iestyn]

Sdchooling. If she improves her canter in an arena then her canter out hacking will become improved. People can't expect horses to be perfect out hacking when they don't spend time in the arena schooling their horses as well. If people don't like schooling, or can't, then they have to accept that canters out hacking will be fast and with less control.

 

[Tierra]

Not always true though

My boy is a PSG level dressage horse and he scores extremely well for his canter. In the arena it's beautiful. He's very light in his front end and I can give and I can generally give and retake the reins without any huge change in the quality of the canter.

Now on a hack, when theres grass under his toes, its a different matter. I can sometimes keep him in a nice canter but its not easy by any means and there are still occasions where he's going regardless of what im doing.

I do change tack slightly when hacking in that I slap a martingale on him to try and keep some sensible control over his head height (he does amazing giraffe impressions) and tbh, I should probably put him in a slightly stronger bit :/

 

[WelshRareBit]

Hi
bridging is what Gailt said! Sorry should have checked the post sooner! x

 

[fizz-tally]

i have the same problem,jay takes hold of the bit & his head goes down & at that point i start praying

he will not turn,half halts dont work,leaning back is usless on him etc etc etc

i know dont hack out with others as they all want to canter & when he is with other horses i cant stop,even if they do we dont

 

[Iestyn]

True, any horse can get excited and stronger in an open space and on a stretch of grass. I'm not saying a well schooled horse doesn't, but people can't expect to be in control of a horse that is unbalanced in its canter and schooling does play an important part in a horse becoming more responsive to the rider's aids. Even with a stronger bit you still need to be able to control the speed of the canter without relying on the bit and reins.