Getting off the forehand in canter?

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jennirosie

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my mare is quite fast and flat in her canter. When we go up to a fence, all her weight is on the forehand so she's finding it hard to pick herself up over a fence. When I try to collect her, she falls back into trot so when I do canter up to a fence, I have to let her keep her flat canter to prevent her from picking up trot. Are there any exercises on the flat I can do to get her working in a bouncier, more uphill canter? Thanks!
 
I was told about an exercise, whee you canter 4 strides, stop, turn 180degrees, pick up canter immediately, canter 4 strides, repeat. I can really feel the difference with my mare.
Another one is to slow the pace ( I usually do this in walk and trot) until you are practically placing every foot, super slow, then push them forward, it really helps to get them back underneath you.
I had a lesson last well, and she said to put a 4 poles on a circle (12/3/6 and 9 o'clock), and then practice cantering round it.
Hth
 
Shoulder in in canter, and 5m loops with changes of bend in canter. You should see a difference immediately :)
 
I would work on walk or hàlt to canter. Only a few strides the repeat. The more sttidesnof center you do the more she will unbalance herself.
If she can't do that yet then work on 8-12 strides of canter then trot and repeat. Aiming to do a few strides of each as possible
 
I found that with my gelding, this helped in our jump warmup - canter round the arena doing small circles at each corner. By the time we had gone twice round he would be off his forehand and much more uphill.
 
Turn on the forehand and then straight to canter works well, also on a 20 m circle half trot, half canter and just keep repeating, horse will start to anticipate the canter but it also works
 
Walk to canter, then canter to walk do it on a circle & about 5/6 strides of each & you will find that she has to get her arse under her.

Also when I'm warming up i do a small circle in a corner & make sit, then extend to medium then bring back to my normal jumping canter then collect on a circle again.

If you really develop your gears in canter it will help a lot rather than having trot or canter.

I also like leg yeilding in canter & counter canter but they need some degree of balence & uphill canter before trying yhese
 
I've found few strides of canter on a small circle, to trot for a few strides to halt then to canter then repeat.....

Hard going but works well IME
 
You don't mention how old she is, or how balanced she is. Does she know what you're asking for when you ask for collection but finds it hard, or does she think you want trot?

For a horse that's finding it physically difficult, I start in canter on a 20m circle then spiral the circle slightly smaller. Ask for some collection, as soon as horse shortens (even only a little) then allow them to go longer again onto the 20m circle. Repeat, asking for a a few more strides/little more collection as they get more relaxed and start to find it easier. This is hard work, so it's up to the rider to judge how it's going and stop before horse gets overly tired. Little and often works best.
 
Also make sure you aren't hanging on too much! You should be able to give away your reins in canter with nothing changing. At first it feels counter-intuitive, but if you give them something to lean on they will ;)
 
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