Disunited in canter - any ideas?

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sfward

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Missie my 5 year old gets quite strong in canter and has an annoying habit of changing legs behind, particularly when I'm trying to shorten the canter (although only on the right rein, oddly). I think it's an evasion as in canter she is less balanced, finds it hard to take the weight behind and prefers to run onto her forehand.
Anyone got any good ideas for helping this? In particular any short term tips for helping me not get bogged off with down the long side of the dressage arena on Sunday would be appreciated!!!
thanks
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I presume you have ruled out back?

I can't give any short term solutions but you may find it useful to build her up by doing lots of walk canter and trot canter transitions. Don't keep the canter going too long just half a circle and then do another transition. Providing you have a reasonable quality transition the best canter strides are usually straight after the transition and these are what you need to maximise. At the moment don't keep cantering until she changes just build her up.

It doesn't help for Sunday I know.
 
I hope this is unecessarily doom and gloom.. But my mare started to do exactly this and gradually worsened until she couldn't canter at all without changing behind. It turned out she had sacroiliac problems and still isn't sound after a year; in trot you wouldn't think there was a thing wrong and she'll even jump happily.. I hope that's not the problem and sorry I can't be of more help!

Best of luck for Sunday too.
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Jack does this (only it is because he is arthritic and weak behind rather than young and evading). Solution for him is to use a strong outside leg to keep his bum in line. I also legyield a little into the transition to get him engaged (suggested by someone on here recently!). Seems to work most of the time(!).

zooming - I presume you do lots and lots of halfhalts? In which case - can't help sorry!
 
Thanks all. Hopefully nothing physical, although she is getting her back checked in a couple of weeks anyway just to be sure.
I think you're probably spot on S_J in terms of not cantering for too long, as she does usually begin quite nicely and then gradually picks up speed... at which point I say whoa and she says 'too hard- think i'll change instead!' tbh she can't really do halfhalts in canter properly at the mo, so lots of transitions are prob a better option for now
 
No it can be but is often just a lack of strength as the rider is asking the canter to collect and come through more it is a way of evading if they find it too difficult.
 
I would always assume some discomfort somewhere. Sienna started going disunited recently which rang big warning bells for me. Her problem is with hoof balance at the moment rather than her back, I would normally assume it's an issue with engagement and evasion relating to pain somewhere I'm afraid.
 
Has she always done this or is it just a recent thing?? If its recent then i would be inclined to say pain somewhere but my first initial thought was inbalance
 
I have a horse that changes due to pure excitement at events. He cant contain himself, then rather than bog off he changes / bucks- so its not all doom and gloom - a whopping dose of calmer got him back on form.
however with your mare being young- maybe she is lacking the strength to carry it for long periods- keep your canter work minimal working in- a couple of right rein transitions and half circles are plenty and try not to worry about it- better a little onward bound than chopping and changing behind.
Good luck.
 
Antifaz quite often goes disunited in canter (left rein in his case). He was never corrected with previous rider and so he still does it although much less now that he's fitter. I did have the vet check him out and she said he's fine.
I expect that as your horse gets fitter and more balanced she'll stop doing it
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