HELP Cantering my four year old

DressageQueen11

DressageQueen11

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heya just wondering if anyone can help me. Im usually good at getting horses to go into a nice consistant canter but recently im having a problem with one particular pony (my own :S) hes got a really nice smooth trot and his walk is good its just when i go to put him into canter he picks it up then just goes really fast and bumpy
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, his saddle fits fine his bits good and my position is fine ive tried everything (e.g lunging ect) and nothing seems to work he's only 4 but amazing a everything apart from canter thanks any sugestions will help
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yes he tends to jump over them but i still keep doing them with him but the only thing is he really pulls and trys to bomb off after them, hes not a bad pony at all hes lovley, we got him from a dealer she said he came came from travellers so dont really know his background but his maners are great i just dont know why he does it :S
 
At four he is still very young so I wouldn't worry too much... as he matures and develops I'm sure it will improve. He's still got a lot of developing to do physically so it is still challenging for him... give him time and he will be fine which sounds like what you're doing
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How is he at cantering out hacking? It was recommended to me that I keep to cantering my 4 year old out hacking so he can figure out what to do with his legs without having to worry about pesky corners until he is more developed. It also keeps him thinking forwards.
 
He came from travellers? Is he a trotter then????? If he was bred from trotter racing stock then he may struggle to learn to canter. It'll just take time, that's all.
 
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How is he at cantering out hacking? It was recommended to me that I keep to cantering my 4 year old out hacking so he can figure out what to do with his legs without having to worry about pesky corners until he is more developed. It also keeps him thinking forwards.

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That's some great advice to bear in mind.... never thought of that! xx
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thanks for all the surgestionhe used to drive so maybe that might be something to do with it

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Deffo sounds as though he was a trotter
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I had terrible trouble getting my cob to canter, it's taken me almost two years to get a nice steady canter and we still only have it like that on one rein, the other is still a little rushed and unbalanced.

At first he couldn't even canter on a hack, the only way he'd do it was if there was a horse in front that got too fast for him to keep up in trot. Then after a while i could just about get it while he was on his own by really making it obvious what i wanted from him while saying canter.

After that i went back to lunging him, took ages to get it on the lunge but getting him used to the word canter on a hack helped with the lunging.

It feels like it takes forever for them to get it but it does happen in the end.
 
yer it really gets to me all the other younger horses and ponies ive worked with have never had a problem with canter but when i bought this one it seems all he wants to do is jump lol even if its just over a pole, i feel horible just making him do flatwork because he is a very talented jumper (even if he is jumping from a very bouncy canter) i hope he gets better because he has defo got bsja potensial ill keep you all posted thanks for the advice x
 
put him into canter today while i was out hacking, total desaster he picked it up then bombed off :S i think ill stay clear of doing that for a while. I mite go to the school and do some canter work in there tomorrow what do your guys think of cantering on the lunge? x
 
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