Help - Improving Canter Pls..

[bandit]

Hello

Need some advice pls! before we had a set back recently where the mare had to be off work for a while, things were fab!

Now, she's been back in work, albeit not 'hard' work for about 4 weeks, but when I was on holiday she had a futher setback with a massive bite on her belly (?? no idea) so wasn't lunged as she would have been.

Anyway, need some advice on getting her canter stronger, esp on one rein... She is fine cantering on the gallops where I suspect she pulls from the front more than pushes from her hind quarters, as in the arena, she is struggling to get a full circuit of hte ring without breaking when i ask her to really sit and use herself.

Back / teeth / Saddle are all fine, I know she is probably stiff from the problem that enforced her small lay off, however I've booked in H-wave for her and I'm going to start the pessoa alot more now as we've mostly been hacking recently.

Any other suggestions of helping her?

I currently don't ride with spurs or a whip as she'd have me on the floor in a jiffy if I did!!!

thanks guys...

Bx

 

[BBs]

This is what i struggled with with snoop, because hes young and weak.
Ive worked on this for the past few months tho and built up using the pessoa, spirling in and out and using raised trot poles.

Under saddle Ive done lots of trot/canter/trot transistion, canter poles - playing with the canter opening it up and bringing it back, going through bounces etc.

I wont let him lean on me, obviously because hes weak he couldnt hold his canter for very long or would get longer and more strung out, which i would allow him too before asking for him to collect a little again.

Hacking is great, but just make sure you arent slopping around the whole time, and also remember when you go for a canter she can get long and lean on you. Where as in the school she has to be short and bouncy which is harder.

Vxx

 

[Tempi]

i personally would ride her with a stick and tap her behind to keep her active - the worst she can do is buck, and aslong as you have hold of the front end and are sitting deap into the saddle then you will be fine. She will soon get the hang of it.

Also do lots of circles, shoulder fore in canter is excellent for engageing the hind leg, as is leg yielding in canter.

 

[bandit]

thanks!

I don't hack on a long rein or slosh about as I got severely told off by trainer for doing so, so actually we do work, although most of it is walk and trot and then a canter on the gallops, but she'll naturally canter on her right fore lead, not left, which is hte one that needs work!

Bx

 

[bandit]

[ QUOTE ]
i personally would ride her with a stick and tap her behind to keep her active - the worst she can do is buck, and aslong as you have hold of the front end and are sitting deap into the saddle then you will be fine. She will soon get the hang of it.

Also do lots of circles, shoulder fore in canter is excellent for engageing the hind leg, as is leg yielding in canter.

[/ QUOTE ]


LOL - the worst she can do is buck!! Its the buck that landed me in A&E once!!! However I will try a long schooling whip in the next few days..

Pls explain shoulder fore in canter as I'm not sure what exactly that is

...

We do leg yeilds but again, she's weak and tries to just go skittling across without actually using the hind quarters properly!

I'll work on it - and thanks!

Bx

 

[Tempi]

ooooooo didnt realise that - mayb go gently with the stick then!!

Shoulderfore just means bringing her shoulders on a slightly inside track whilst cantering, so her hindquarters are on the outside track.

When she 'skittles across' in leg yield sit up, half halt on the outside rein firmly to bring her back to you, ride her straight for a couple of strides and start again.

 

[bandit]

[ QUOTE ]
ooooooo didnt realise that - mayb go gently with the stick then!!

Shoulderfore just means bringing her shoulders on a slightly inside track whilst cantering, so her hindquarters are on the outside track.

When she 'skittles across' in leg yield sit up, half halt on the outside rein firmly to bring her back to you, ride her straight for a couple of strides and start again.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thankies!! All makes sense...

But you can see my reluctance at a stick LOL!!!

I'll let you know how I go!

Bx

 

[LEC]

I have a horse with the worlds worst canter - we have done hours of transitions to get him to sit on his hocks and also shortening and lengthening the canter so again he can balance. I have spent hours on 10m circles spiralling in and out.
I tried the pessoa but he was so unbalanced and gangly he fell over so was a bit worried about doing again. Henry Horn had great success with putting side reins beneath the front legs and lunging. Have a chat with her about it.

 

[john2007]

Hello,

I had a horse once with a similar problem, the canter seemed very stiff especially on the right rein. I tried every thing to get the canter to come through. In the end i used gait analysis and that really helped as it identifed where the stiffness was. i then focused on that area and the canter became much more through, maybe that is an option.....