Horse canters when changing diagonal

[oliviasinclair14]

Hope this is the right place to post this.

Got a new loan horse last weekend and he’s perfect, so different from our previous pony and SO much more forward.
One problem I’ve noticed is hat when I sit twice to change diagonal, he assumes I’m asking for canter and off he goes. I’m just wondering how I go about trying to teach him thats not what I want him to do?

 

[alainax]

Try introducing a halt transition on the diagonal, and at any other random areas. So you are half halting then sitting to halt, not canter.

Lots of upwards and downwards transitions till he clicks that sitting isn’t the cue for canter.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Bring him back immediately to trot. Is this in the school? You could try trotting him on the road, most horses will know that they are not expected to canter on the road, so teaching your horse sitting trot on the road could be an idea.

 

[oliviasinclair14]

Try introducing a halt transition on the diagonal, and at any other random areas. So you are half halting then sitting to halt, not canter.

Lots of upwards and downwards transitions till he clicks that sitting isn’t the cue for canter.

Bring him back immediately to trot. Is this in the school? You could try trotting him on the road, most horses will know that they are not expected to canter on the road, so teaching your horse sitting trot on the road could be an idea.

Thank you both, I’m going up to ride him now so I will try out your advice and hopefully he gets it!