Help with youngsters canter work.

ConnieLove

ConnieLove

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Hey guys, just thought I'd share my experience with my newest 5 year old I'm working with right now. I've never asked for advice on here but here goes..

Starting to introduce canter work to my rising 6 year old, however, after getting smooth transitions on the lunge I decided to try and introduce canter whilst riding. The experience involved me on the fence after him bolting. This then started happening in trot. So I called our physiotherapist out to look at his back and also to assess his saddle - no problems.

He is incredibly strong and now on the lunge he bolts off and drags you with him! Nightmare and in all honesty, as I've never really had a bolter that I couldn't stop, it's getting to my confidence.

I'm back tracing my steps and working with transitions on the lunge again, but it's tricky! It would be ace if I had a round pen, but I don't..

Any tips please or just a general pick me up chat. Rubbish weather doesn't help my mood!
 
Perhaps you could take it back a step, doing more walk - trot transitions, trotting poles etc, just try and get him and you more comfortable at that level again. As for concentrating on the canter work/transitions do you have an instructor who could help you and perhaps ride him? Also, what's he like cantering out on a hack is he just as bad or does he not get so panicky?
 
If he was really good until you tried canter for the first time it could still be the saddle, my saddler was telling me recently that some saddles will move forward into the shoulder, so slight that it is hard to feel or see, this has caused serious issues with some horses and a badly broken rider in one case.
I would try lunging without the saddle and see if he gets better, use two reins to keep more control, he needs to regain his confidence in all paces before trying ridden again.
I would also try popping him over some small fences so that you can use them to help pick up canter without using any aids as such it would also make his work more varied to do pole work and give him something else to think about.
 
Thanks guys, I'm glad people are agreeing to take a step back. Pole work he's good on the lunge and under saddle, and general work on the lunge, saddle or no saddle, is acceptable until it comes to canter.

BP - I do generally lunge him with two lines, he is just that strong when he bolts it pretty impossible to hold on! But I will get a second opinion with the saddle and also introduce some small fences. So thank you!

I will persist!
 
Does your wish for a round pen mean you cant free school? A slightly different situation but my old horse used to rush over poles or 'over jump' them when we were introducing jumping so I free schooled him with poles dotted about and allowed him to go round and round and round and round... (on his own accord may I add!) when he then realised he could slow and take them at a slower speed without them eating him! It sounds to me as though your youngster is now going into 'flight' mode with transitions, I would take a step back or allow him to discover that theres nothing wrong with doing beautiful transitions!
 
BillyBob-Sleigh said:
As for concentrating on the canter work/transitions do you have an instructor who could help you and perhaps ride him? Also, what's he like cantering out on a hack is he just as bad or does he not get so panicky?
Click to expand...

Whilst hacking I have cantered him on bridle paths and open spaces, and we've been fine, so I decided to bring it into the school. I guess his confidence/balance/mind frame just isn't there yet. I honestly don't think my instructor would get on him! But she did agree with me to take is back a step and just persist on.
 
Unfortunately, it is pretty impossible to free-school at my livery yard as rules state that it comes 2nd to riding as the owner also teaches there. It's a busy yard from 7am to 10pm with slots booked out for lessons all days. But the times I have free schooled him he's loved. Although it is a very large school so hard work to keep up with him!
 
Are you lungeing him off the bit? If not, I would if he has the tendency to be strong. I think you sound as if you have done everything well and have started the canter out on hacks, and you're absolutely right in saying take a step or few steps back and re establish the basics and gain his and your confidence again. Why wouldn't your instructor get on him? My instructor doesn't ride mine often but in the early days of re-schooling him (he's an ex racer) she did ride him quite often in the lesson, followed by me getting on and doing the same work she had done. I think it's invaluable to see someone else on your horse, often as a bit of a boost as the problem isn't necessarily with you as the rider but also if there is a problem, they may well be able to resolve it from on board or at the very least be able to advise you how to progress from a ridden point of view.

I really sympathise with you. My horse has really been lovely to reschool, hack out etc. He has now turned into full of it and cocky little monster at times and has really been quite horrendous to the point of explosive out hacking. I am braving it out to dressage tomorrow, my first since November so really hoping he knuckles down and shows how well he can go - eek!!
 
Currently lunging on a Wilkie snaffle.

I honestly would think that my instructor would not get on him at this point. She watched me establish my own ex-racer before she would jump on. It's just a vibe I get from her. I love her style of teaching and we work really well together but I agree, it would be such a confidence boost if she would. Her excuse used to be because she'd just had a baby and if she got hurt, then it wouldn't be fair to the family, what I can sympathise with. Amazing instructor, but, as a person, she's a whole other rant on her own...

Good luck with your test tomorrow! Hopefully the good behaviour will come flooding back to him :)
 
JUst to report back - my boy was very good today, 63% and 64%, not quite in placings but only a percent off. Mind you, I did work him again this morning before we set off! Very relieved and very tired! Best of luck with yours, take it slowly and I'm sure things will improve as you've put so much in place already. Do think about finding an instructor who will ride, lunge etc, it's helped me so much and as an instructor myself, I feel that unless the horse is dangerous (in which case you wouldn't want to be teaching them!)the instructor should be able to get on if not just to help you but to help them teach you better
 
My 5 yo welsh does exactly what you have described if not schooled or ridden 6 days per week. The best thing for us is to sit up and kick on, once he realises that I will make him canter one way or another he gives in and goes nicely! He hates the school but is perfect out hacking! Good luck OP persistance is the key x
 
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