Helping the young horse develop the canter confidently

[happyhorse978]

Does anyone have any tips on encouraging a horse to 'open up' the canter? My 5yr old ISH has been cantering for about 8 weeks now, (been under saddle since October but had a light winter building up his strength as he was extremely weak when i bought him bless him). He finds the right canter a lot easier than the left canter at the moment, (this was the same with the trot but now we've done more schooling in the trot he has leveled out and will work really nicely and evenly on both reins in the trot which is positive).

We have one lesson per week (schooling) off a fantastic event rider in my area who is very sympathetic with him and understands him. Massive progress has been made since we have been having these lessons so will keep up with these of course. He has a varied workload of hacking, lunging (very short sessions, nothing too hard) and schooling (no more than 2 times per week as hes only 5 )

He has got the physio coming in two weeks to make sure hes comfortable as he is a growing boy who has changed shape a lot recently so he could just be a bit tight somewhere etc. Saddle fit and teeth, back etc all up to date. He does a lovely canter once he's going and will really 'sit' and collect himself, he offers this automatically! However at this stage I just want him to travel forward confidently and not go quite as short. I know this will come with time and we will continue to work on this slowly, but I'm just wondering if anyone has any tips on how I can encourage him to travel forward in a 'bigger' canter? I am aware the end goal is for them to have a nice collected canter but at the stage he is currently at I would like him to travel forward more confidently and not make it too hard for himself. I was thinking canter poles, maybe a small course of fences to see if it encourages him to be a bit more confident and getting him cantering out hacking as our school is lovely but its not the biggest so he may find this easier to balance himself!

He is a very sensitive boy and was extremely nervous when I had him so building his confidence does take a long time, but he is doing so well and has really come out of his shell. He is really getting there with all other aspects now (hacking, walk & trot schooling) but I just want to help him along in the canter so it is enjoyable for him so he builds confidence in this also. He really hasnt done an awful lot of canter so I know this will be a strength/balance/confidence factor but just looking for any good ideas i can try to help him along the way Any 'fun' but helpful exercises i can try with him on the lunge or under saddle would be great!

Thank you
(Please be nice I get a bit worried about posting on here as have done in the past and had some prickly responses for no real reason which put me off for a while - so I am a bit apprehensive about posting this! I understand people have different opinions and ways of doing things but please put it nicely

 

[eggs]

You are right that he needs to learn to go forwards before asking for any collection at a later date.

If you could hire some gallops and go cantering with a friend who could give you a 'tow' it might well help. It is much easier for young / unbalanced / weak horses to canter in a straight line

 

[happyhorse978]

You are right that he needs to learn to go forwards before asking for any collection at a later date.

If you could hire some gallops and go cantering with a friend who could give you a 'tow' it might well help. It is much easier for young / unbalanced / weak horses to canter in a straight line

Thank you! I'd love to do this - I've not got my own transport but I can see if any friends would like to go who I could pay to take me! x

 

[sportsmansB]

Our youngsters will often follow others to learn to go more forward

Have you gallops near you and another friendly horse you could bring to be in the lead (a sane one is preferable!) - turning and cantering is much harder than in a straight line
Or a large field to go around the edge of?
Practice in half seat (do it in walk and trot first!) to get up off his back and let him move underneath you

You'll get him ok, what you are already doing is great, and at least you won;t have to wait until he's 8 to get a decent canter in the school like some youngsters who only know the big strung out one...

 

[sportsmansB]

I've just seen how similar my answer was to @eggs above!

 

[TheMule]

Mine only really canter out hacking with another horse at the start- have you got some decent tracks or can you get to the gallops/ beach or similar? It's really hard to develop the canter in the arena before they have some basic concept of it being fun to go forwards

 

[happyhorse978]

Our youngsters will often follow others to learn to go more forward

Have you gallops near you and another friendly horse you could bring to be in the lead (a sane one is preferable!) - turning and cantering is much harder than in a straight line
Or a large field to go around the edge of?
Practice in half seat (do it in walk and trot first!) to get up off his back and let him move underneath you

You'll get him ok, what you are already doing is great, and at least you won;t have to wait until he's 8 to get a decent canter in the school like some youngsters who only know the big strung out one...

Thank you so much! I need to have a look at some more hacking routes in the area and find some tracks/grassy areas I can take him for a canter up! I'd love to go to gallops somewhere but havent got my own transport but might be able to sort something with somebody else eventually!

Yeah you're right, atleast the collected canter is there for when I need it haha! Thank you - you've made me feel better! x

 

[happyhorse978]

Mine only really canter out hacking with another horse at the start- have you got some decent tracks or can you get to the gallops/ beach or similar? It's really hard to develop the canter in the arena before they have some basic concept of it being fun to go forwards

Thank you, I will definitely have a look at some different hacking routes and see if i can find some tracks where we could have a good canter! x

 

[ihatework]

Definitely out and about on gallops/decent hacking and behind another horse.

In the school jumping brings on the canter - 3-4 stride doubles, use of poles etc but only if the arena is big enough

 

[happyhorse978]

Definitely out and about on gallops/decent hacking and behind another horse.

In the school jumping brings on the canter - 3-4 stride doubles, use of poles etc but only if the arena is big enough

Thank you so much!

 

[SEL]

Even a big field helps - I canter baby cob in my 2 acre field

Fun rides definitely help for 'forward' if you are brave and the ground is good.....

 

[LEC]

I use small bounce cavaletti a lot on young horses which they tend to find quite fun and it helps with strengthening up. Typically I would do maybe 10/15 mins schooling then for the canter work pop the bounces a few times and call it a day. Gridwork does a similar job out of trot. Typically would build x pole, one stride upright, two strides spread. Again they find it fun and it draws them into being forwards. None of it has to be very big but it helps develop the right muscles and athleticism.

 

[Hallo2012]

hacking,hacking and more hacking!

 

[Red-1]

Hacking. My BH is a year older than yours, last year he was like a sloth! I even took him to the beach to canter in a group. He had absolutely no idea how to lengthen and lower, and the others all cantered off, leaving him behind. He made his canter more animated, but not forward.

I actually turned him away for a few months late Sept to just before Xmas. He has come back a whole lot stronger, so I think growing up and doing the pre-fitness again has helped. His body shape is also changing, he almost has a wither now.

I hack mainly still. He is a big boned Irish, and I think will properly come into himself next year. He is also fabulous with good paces and a cannie jump, so well worth waiting for. I had to change trainers from those who were used to athletic event types to ones who are more sympathetic to the type where the brain is a long way to their feet LOL.

 

[maya2008]

I hack exclusively for 4-6 months after backing. Develops strength, balance and attitude to work. Then they are ready for corners and the demands of working on an artificial surface.

 

[happyhorse978]

Even a big field helps - I canter baby cob in my 2 acre field

Fun rides definitely help for 'forward' if you are brave and the ground is good.....

Thank you! x

 

[happyhorse978]

I use small bounce cavaletti a lot on young horses which they tend to find quite fun and it helps with strengthening up. Typically I would do maybe 10/15 mins schooling then for the canter work pop the bounces a few times and call it a day. Gridwork does a similar job out of trot. Typically would build x pole, one stride upright, two strides spread. Again they find it fun and it draws them into being forwards. None of it has to be very big but it helps develop the right muscles and athleticism.

thank you so much! I will give it a go! x

 

[happyhorse978]

hacking,hacking and more hacking!

thank you

 

[happyhorse978]

Hacking. My BH is a year older than yours, last year he was like a sloth! I even took him to the beach to canter in a group. He had absolutely no idea how to lengthen and lower, and the others all cantered off, leaving him behind. He made his canter more animated, but not forward.

I actually turned him away for a few months late Sept to just before Xmas. He has come back a whole lot stronger, so I think growing up and doing the pre-fitness again has helped. His body shape is also changing, he almost has a wither now.

I hack mainly still. He is a big boned Irish, and I think will properly come into himself next year. He is also fabulous with good paces and a cannie jump, so well worth waiting for. I had to change trainers from those who were used to athletic event types to ones who are more sympathetic to the type where the brain is a long way to their feet LOL.

Thank you - mine is growing/filling out/changing shape which i think isnt helping - hes croup high currently so bound to be finding it hard! He gets frustrated when finding things hard (understandably) which results in mini tantrums of leaping and head tossing etc but hopefully these will get less as he eventually strengthens up I might back off the canter for a while and work on some strengthening in walk & trot and see if that helps when we try again. Lots of hacking and pole work coming our way i think! x

 

[happyhorse978]

I hack exclusively for 4-6 months after backing. Develops strength, balance and attitude to work. Then they are ready for corners and the demands of working on an artificial surface.

thank you very much x