Getting a canter when lunging

grandmaweloveyou

grandmaweloveyou

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Hi

I am struggling to get my lazy boy to canter on the lunge line - he will happily trot for hours & a nice extended trot at that!

Last week I resorted to tapping the lunge whip on his bum resulting in him hooning off (we dont have a fence around our school)

Tonight I didnt even get to trying to tap him, he hooned off three times, only a few steps thankfully, twice I managed to pull him back but the 3rd time I let go.

He came back into line really well & was listening and thinking but of course I didnt try to canter him tonight so I feel disappointed

Any tips please?

(It might help to know that we have never mastered getting into the right leg right rein canter even with our riding instructors help - not sure if that is relevant or not)
 
Just reading between the lines, are you sure you are getting an extended trot or are you getting a long lopey one? If the latter canter will be harder to get as he is not collected enough. What do you lunge with? (bridle, cavesson etc)
 
Ooooh now I am not sure what the difference is between extended & long an lopey haha!!

I think I need lunging lessons - shame after having done it for so many years, he used to canter ok but alas no more, if he does its only a couple of strides.

Bridle & lunge line through the rings reins double tied around neck and rarely a saddle.
 
I would place bets on it being long and lopey one! (kinda nice and floaty looking, ooh ah, as I had with my lazy boy). I would definitely get some lunging lessons, they helped me tremendously in being able to spot the difference and get the right work from him.and the only reason I commented was because I was having the same problem! :D
 
He is 12 & for a second i thought u were asking me how i ride him in canter....hmmm in the school its hard to keep him flowing, stop start stop start but usually when hacking its smooth & consistent however on monday it was an effort.

He is at a new yard & in a huge field playing with a new mate & judging by his fur has only this week started laying down to sleep, could he genuinely be tired?
 
I would suggest you get an active trot but don't let him run into canter. If he trots too fast, bring him back to a working trot, get him balanced and ask again. Maybe try a ground pole and ask for canter as he's going over the pole.
 
thanks l_c will give that a go however when I have tried the same thing under saddle he still runs. He will canter if I let him run into the transition and I can tidy it up afterwards but he doesn't seem willing / able to stay "through" in the transition - does that make sense??
 
It can be very hard for horses to canter on the lunge .
In your situation I would put a pole in the school and ridden ask him to canter over it I would give a clear voice command .
When he's consistently striking off over the pole I would train him to the voice command without it work at this until when you say canter he does.
Then you have a way of getting strike off without the getting him mixed up and thinking you mean run in trot which is what he's doing.
The other way to try is just to keep driving him forward in trot on the lunge until he has to try then praise him but I would do option one.
Horses can be trained to strike off to a voice command beauifully all mine do but it takes time.
 
Thanks. Have tried the pole tact but will try again. He trots on a sound i make, every time, he goes back to walk as soon as i say 'aaaand' but i admit, im not.consistet when i ask for.canter
 
Sorry to hijack thread, but i have a similar problem, although my horse is only just 5 and still very unbalanced.

He knows the word 'canter' and as soon as I say it he knows what I am asking, but still rushes around very quickly and runs into the canter. Will it just take time for him to balance himself into a smoother transition or is there something I can do?
 
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