Controlling the speed of the canter

[MB1201]

Hi,

I have just got my first part loan horse - a lovely safe mare - slightly unfit but a been there done it type.

How do i control the speed of her canter? Often we start off with a nice canter but within a few strides she quickens - we only have a field to ride in at the moment and today she had a really nice canter going upwards but on the turn she starts speeding up - and when she does this she doesn't listen to light squeezes on the reins and if i start pulling she just takes off a bit more. She doesn't bolt what so ever but whenever i canter with her she speeds up and then wont come back down into trot until I'm really desperate to bring her down - what can I do with her?

I'm very wary of circles as she is in her twenty's and stumbles quite often out in the field - its not the flattest either but their are some flatter bits.

Am I best trying to keep her on a circle when we canter - shes always so eager just to go quicker in a straight line and as i begin circling she really falls in and wants to speed up and just go straight, she'll have her head up and will glide sideways if I try and canter on a circle - sometimes she does it nicely but most of the time i start turning and she'll sort of trot with her front legs and then try cantering straight up. - it doesn't help from my point of view that we dont have arena markers either so im guessing circle size and not sure if im turning too tight/ not enough

I feel like i have no control of her canter pace at the minute whilst in the field.

Apart from this she's a lovely mare - she's done dressage and light eventing, I know shes capable - obviously the stumbling and turning tight may just be due to her being stiff. She is responsive to seat and will listen 90% of the time to light squeezes half halts.

How do I apply my seat and/ or reins and legs to set the canter pace i want and keep it that way -whether I'm in a field or an arena, up hill or downhill etc.

 

[Equi]

Its all about balance and fitness and at her age and fitness level shes maybe just not fit for it. Maybe for a few weeks work on trotting circles and lots of trot to canter transitions on the straight.

 

[Barnacle]

As above, part of the issue is that the horse isn't balanced. Often horses, particularly if they are not regularly schooled or have been out of work a while (or are young), will speed up on turns in trot or canter because they are unbalanced. I think the clearest way to explain is to think about riding a bike and how you can easily topple over if you're not moving or going slow. The faster you are going around a turn, the better the momentum carries you and you stay upright. The fact the field isn't flat is going to be contributing to this as well.

In addition, if you're not very secure yourself and able to help the horse to balance, you may be making it even harder for her and the issue will be exaggerated.

As well as lots of trotting on the circle and transitions on the straight, you can try to leg yield to get her stepping under herself more in both directions. This will improve her balance while carrying you as well as get her paying attention. If she (and you) is able, you can do other lateral movements too. At first do these at walk and build up to trot. Depending on your current level of experience, this may also help to teach you how to help her balance. Leg yielding on the circle is especially useful for getting the feel of this, pushing the horse out on the circle so that you leg yield the circle rather than just going around "straight" by pulling them around with your rein between imaginary points on the circle as people often tend to. If you do your corners and turns this way too, you should start to find the speed control aspect easier (you need to also sit deep and use your outside rein to steady). Again, walk first and only move to trot and later canter when you feel confident and she's responsive.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

In addition to what's been said above, try to come back to trot before the canter deteriorates. If you only manage a few good strides of canter that's better than a few good strides followed by a lot of rushed strides and trouble slowing down. Knowing she's only going to be allowed to do a few strides of canter before returning to trot might help curb her enthusiasm too. With time and practice, the amount of well balanced strides of canter you can achieve before it deteriorates will improve.