Dropping out canter

[Darcey22]

Hey all
I have a lovely mare I have owned for 3 months. Our walk and trot is great, however, she runs into canter and drops out of it very quickly unless I kick every stride. If I use a stick she bucks and it unnerves me. He back, teeth, tack, bit have all been checked and she passed a 5 stage vet only 3 months ago, so I doubt it is pain related. Could someone give me some guidance?
I don’t want to ride her through it if she bucks me off and wins anyway?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would find a well recommended local instructor and have some lessons from someone who can see from the ground what is happening.

 

[AmyMay]

Running into and then falling out of canter is a rider issue and lack of balance of the horse. So providing there’s no medical issue, a good instructor will be able to help.

Also what age and breed is the horse? Does she do this out hacking or just in the school?

 

[Skib]

My current share horse also needs leg every stride in canter. It seems to be a safety thing with RS horses that they stop cantering unless actually cued to go forward. I once did a W T and C test at an RS where the horse stopped or transitioned down unless one used leg every stride.
It doesnt really annoy me.
You should really ask your own instructor to sort out why she is running into canter. You need to collect the walk or trot to transition into canter and it is easier to prevent the horse running in trot, if one begins canter on a circle rather than going large.
I think RS horses start running because new riders think of canter as a faster pace than trot so tend to ask the horses to go faster and faster going large in trot before asking for canter. Whereas horses who are going to canter need their back legs well under them in order to push off. Our RI taught us canter from walk. But few RS horses learn walk canter transitions in case they take off with beginners who havent yet learned to canter.
You need to think carefully what you want. And how to stay safe. My favourite Connie went from halt to canter for me (I was challenged by staff) But I wouldnt even ask it of my current ride - who is bigger, stronger and faster and might have me off if she powered away.

 

[blitznbobs]

This is a schooling issue usually, kicking every stride will make it worse. So the horse thinks when you stop kicking you want it to trot (which if its the type it wants to do anyway.) get canter and dont kick once its cantering, the second it breaks ask for canter immediately then sit there until it breaks again once again ask for canter - until it gets that if you do nothing you want it to keep cantering…

 

[Jenko109]

You need to lose the attitude that your horse is 'winning'

This horse is just doing what it knows or is able to do. You may need to address the way you ride or you may need to teach the horse another way.

Either way, you need a good instructor who can see what's going on.

 

[Widgeon]

Does she do this out hacking or just in the school?

That would be my first question too, if she tends just to do it in the school I would get her out hacking come spring when the ground dries up, and have some nice canters in straight lines on fields and tracks. That way she doesn't have a surface or corners to deal with and you should both be able to find your balance better. Cantering out hacking is so much easier than in an arena.

 

[mustardsmum]

Usually unless you have a good forward trot, you wont get the canter and this may be why you are finding the canter such hard work. However, forward doesn't mean running which is what is happening because they dont understand the aid for canter. It does sound like you could do with some lessons from an instructor. Generally the horse should be working harder than you not the other way round! If you sit up and with your shoulders back you might find that will help your balance and ride the canter, which in turn will help your horse be more balanced. Use your outside leg as you sit up and ask for canter. Get an instructor, and work on transitions to get your horse off the leg, so trotting, coming back to walk for a couple of strides and then trot of again - doing it over poles can be a great way to get your pony listening to your leg. If you keep kicking every stride, your horse will just switch off and you will find them really hard work to ride. You will get there but it does sound like a balance/schooling issue. Bucking if you use a stick is your horses way of objecting, and it could be that your horse doesn't actually understand what its meant to do so try not to use the stick to get the canter. If you really feel you need a stick, get a schooling one and get your instructor to show you how to use it effectively behind your leg to back your aids up - apologies if this is what you are doing and what your pony is objecting to in which case you really do need to work on the transitions.

 

[Dexter]

I'd do a PSSM test before you do anything else. Canter issues like this can be the main sign.

 

[[153312]]

I'd do a PSSM test before you do anything else. Canter issues like this can be the main sign.

Yes, I was going to say struggling to maintain a canter is a classic sign of PSSM and/or SI problems - either of which would necessarily be picked up on a 5 stage vetting.

 

[Darcey22]

I think it’s more a me thing as my instructor can keep her going fine