Help with schooling

[littlen]

I am having some problems schoolig horse can anyone offer some tips/ advice!

First problem is his leaning. At least I think he is leaning. He used to work aboe the bit and I have spent months lowering his head but he now feels heavy and is pullig me forward. How do I lighten him without causing his head to go back into the clouds?

He also has troubles with the canter transition and it takes 5-6 asks to get a canter. How do I fix this?
Also how can I train walk to canter rather than walk-trot-canter?

 

[NicoleS_007]

Are u asking him for canter properly? i would say he needs to understand the trot 2 canter before he starts walk 2 canter or he may get confussed

 

[VioletStripe]

First, sort out the canter. He may be leaning because he's unbalanced, not going forward, or not supple enough. Do lots of circling, lungeing with side reins, trotting poles on a circle etc. Make sure he's going forward plenty, a nice up-beat canter, covering plenty of ground. Do lots of wide circling, practicing collecting and lengthening, but make sure he can canter forwards and properly on the lunge also, because then, when you ask for canter with your leg at the same time say "canter" and through the lungeing he should get what you want. Praise him thoroughly when he does go into canter, also. Then move onto canter poles to improve balance, feet coordination, interest, and to help him go forwards. Make sure he can do all of this before trying walk to canter. Any horse can do walk to canter once they are happy to do trot to canter. Through lungeing he should be quite responsive to your voice. So, first trot and then go to an active, energised walk, using your voice to encourage him forwards. Once you reach the corner, ask for the right bend and do your leg and voice aids for canter. If he shoots off into trot, bring him right back to walk. Repeat until he gets it right, and once he does get it right, praise him and finish off. Don't keep repeating it or it will get stressful and boring for him. If he's still leaning on your hands, after getting balanced and forward, make sure you're doing plenty of half halts, this often helps. If not, maybe try changing your bit to something like a waterford? They're usually quite good at stopping them leaning on the hand, or maybe something with a lozenge or peanut roller so he can't just take ahold of the bit? xx