Horse keeps breaking into canter and won't trot

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JessM23

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Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could provide an advice regarding a training issue I'm having with my gelding who's 14. I'm finding that sometimes I am fighting with him to stop him breaking from trot into canter. He warms up fine, trots fine and canters fine but, once he's done about 20 minutes and I'm trying to do some trot around the school he simply wants to canter and I'm fighting to keep him in trot, then, once he's in trot, he slows to a pace that's barely a trot. He's done eventing and is a very capable horse.

There have been a lot of jumps in the middle of the school which has meant that we are generally circling at the top or bottom or sometimes across the middle so I'm not sure if it's maybe a boredom thing and canter is just an easy option? Additionally, I think he's doing it as we approach a corner so maybe he's anticipating the canter and trying to go into canter early?

He is extremely well behaved and doesn't generally put a foot wrong. We've been doing really well since I got him six months ago but I feel like we've took a step back over the past few weeks.

We do have access to an outdoor arena that has no jumps set up so there is always the option of using that if the indoor isn't clear.

I am going to ask my instructor for some advice when I have my next lesson but if anyone could provide any advice, reasons why he may be doing this, exercises, etc that might help in the interim it would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
 
Not sure if this is the best technique, but its worked for me; if they break, I let them canter a couple of strides and then quietly bring them back to trot (followed by a softening of the rein, a pat on the back and a 'good boy'). My old horse used to do it, and eventually he just got bored of that trick, as I effectively ignored it, and just rewarded the good behaviour.

It would probably only work if they'll come back into trot relatively easily, I guess, and I prefer it to fighting with them to prevent them from cantering as it keeps them forward, and you get maintain paces.
 
JessM23 said:
Hello,
I'm finding that sometimes I am fighting with him to stop him breaking from trot into canter. He warms up fine, trots fine and canters fine but, once he's done about 20 minutes and I'm trying to do some trot around the school he simply wants to canter and I'm fighting to keep him in trot, then, once he's in trot, he slows to a pace that's barely a trot. He's done eventing and is a very capable horse.
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I would suggest getting him looked over with a physio as my horse went through this stage some time ago. I thought it was to do with the fact I'd won a new saddle and my legs were pressing on him at a different angle and he was mistaking my legs for a canter aid. .

It turned out that it was because his saddle was hurting and actually cultimating in me receiving a very nasty fall on my back when he bucked me off. After getting the saddle adjusted he kept cantering when I wanted him to trot again and my friend who is an equine veterinary physio said that the reason why he wanted to canter was because he was uncomfortable in trot and he found it easier and more comfortable to canter. The saddle was hurting him and he also kept trying to buck so I have given up on sorting it out and it is currently up for sale to a new home where it will fit someone elses horse.

So it could well be that the reason your horse wants to canter is
a) because he finds it easier to canter due to schooling issues OR
b) because he finds it easier to canter because it hurts somewhere.
 
Not the answer you want to hear... but sounds like a classic hopping type lameness to me - does he feel like he doesn't want to take you forwards in trot and steps into a slow canter every time you push him forwards?

If it is that, rather than getting strong and tanking off.. my first port of call would be a physio, then if still not improved - get a decent specialist lameness vet involved.

Usually reluctance to trot and a tendency to canter instead is a pain related thing.
 
Hackie said:
Not sure if this is the best technique, but its worked for me; if they break, I let them canter a couple of strides and then quietly bring them back to trot (followed by a softening of the rein, a pat on the back and a 'good boy'). My old horse used to do it, and eventually he just got bored of that trick, as I effectively ignored it, and just rewarded the good behaviour.

It would probably only work if they'll come back into trot relatively easily, I guess, and I prefer it to fighting with them to prevent them from cantering as it keeps them forward, and you get maintain paces.
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Thank you for your advice - I'll certainly give it a try! He does always come back to trot but then after a few strides he's trying it again. At the moment I'm pulling him back before he's properly broken into canter. I've just been fighting with him so maybe letting him go and then stopping him a little later will help. He's quite sensitive so gets wound up when we fight with each other which doesn't help either of us!!
 
Funnily enough I changed his saddle about three weeks ago! I had the physio out just before Christmas so I don't think that is the issue as she said all was fine. I may see if I can get his old saddle back (as i was borrowing it from my saddler) and see if that helps. It seems like a big coincidence that it's happened at the same time! Thank you for your help!
 
I really don't think he's lame but I'll certainly get him looked over. I had the physio out in December and she said all was fine. We have just bought a new saddle about 3 weeks ago however, so as per the post above it could maybe be something to do with that. I hadn't really thought of that as an issue but it's probably the main factor that has changed since he started behaving this way.

Thing is, he will do it completely fine on most occasions and then other days it's just towards the end of the session, always after he's been in an active canter (which he has always much preferred). Usually he's gone through a full dressage test perfectly several times at the start of the session and it just seems he wants to go once he's a bit warmed up and excitable!
 
JessM23 said:
Thank you for your advice - I'll certainly give it a try! He does always come back to trot but then after a few strides he's trying it again.
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Sometimes at the begining, the behaviour can be very persistent, and it requires a lot of patience to just ignore it quietly, but I find it gets better results in the long run. It really needs to be a 'long game', and I avoid fighting at all costs as, quite frankly, I simply don't enjoy riding through an argument. Most horses, if you keep riding them quietly and correctly, will come good.

WRT to the potenital pain issue, of course it can always be pain, however given there is a regular pattern as to when it occurs (near corners, after the warm up) and it seems like a new behaviour with no mention of any recent changes, to me it comes across as a training issue. ETA - just saw the post about a new saddle, which changes my answer a bit. OP, have that looked at :)

Perhaps naively, I always go from the base that tack fits and a horse's back, teeth and feet are in good nick but that is on the basis that most people I know keep their horses well maintained in this respect, so more often that not, issues like this generally are training issues. Sometimes they are just a bit naughty!
 
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Thanks Hackie! My initial thoughts were training too as his teeth and back etc are all up to date. The saddle is a funny one - I've just spent a fortune on it and had it all properly fitted so it never crossed my mind to even consider this - plus, as referred to before, his behavior is generally in a certain pattern and the fact he doesn't do it every time makes me think it can't be a constant pain or it would be every time I get on his back! The last time he did it I hadn't ridden him for two days so I just put it down to being a bit fresh and keen - I thought this may be the pattern however I rode him last night (he had been left for a day - I generally ride 5 or 6 days a week) and he did it again. That said, if it is the saddle, my logic would be that he would start misbehaving when I'm riding him every day as the pain would be getting worse each time he's ridden - days off would surely make it better!? I've got someone coming out to check his saddle but I'll definitely try your suggestions as I don't enjoy riding through an argument either! Horses - who'd have them, ha ha!
 
I know a horse that from being very young would just be blasted around the fields- he would jump anything and was quite brave, but in the school hes a nightmare. He didnt understand a contact, didnt know how to stretch and was very spooky and not bendy.
He's 17.2 and in a 20x40 arena theres not a lot of room! at first he would just blast round like a motorbike when asked to do anything.
He had to have quite a lot of physio on his shoulders and hindquarters particularly, and after lots of patient schooling he became easier, although when faced with anything 'difficult' would still canter off, although now it was a much more polite 'I thought that was hard and this was easier, so I thought I'd do this' type canter, which was really quite balanced.
Walking and Cantering are always going to be his best pace, but what helps is trot is lots of transitions within the pace- asking the trot to come as slow as it could, then allowing forwards, asking for bend and counter bend, leg yielding in and out of the circle with transitions when you hit the smallest circle/biggest circle, shoulder fore (i expect baby travers would help as well although this horse went quarters in as evasion to working) all helped him to push up through his back end and lift his shoulders.
As he was quite a stressy spooky type, as a warmup we did patterns in walk and trot- like after an initial walk/trot round, we would go onto a 10m circle in each corner then onto a shallow loop (how deep depending on how much bend he was willing to offer) which again made him think and slow down.
His bit was also changed- he was in a myler snaffle, now in an eggbut snaffle.
We started riding him with a schooling whip as although her was quite spooky- he used to charge around with his front end only.
 
Are you sure you're not accidentally asking for canter? I know with mine he anticipates, and you wouldn't believe how sensitive they are (figured out I was taking a deep breath before asking for canter, so he started cantering every time I took a deep breath....)

When you do ask for canter, are the aides very clear and not just 'more leg'?
 
DiNozzo said:
I know a horse that from being very young would just be blasted around the fields- he would jump anything and was quite brave, but in the school hes a nightmare. He didnt understand a contact, didnt know how to stretch and was very spooky and not bendy.
He's 17.2 and in a 20x40 arena theres not a lot of room! at first he would just blast round like a motorbike when asked to do anything.
He had to have quite a lot of physio on his shoulders and hindquarters particularly, and after lots of patient schooling he became easier, although when faced with anything 'difficult' would still canter off, although now it was a much more polite 'I thought that was hard and this was easier, so I thought I'd do this' type canter, which was really quite balanced.
Walking and Cantering are always going to be his best pace, but what helps is trot is lots of transitions within the pace- asking the trot to come as slow as it could, then allowing forwards, asking for bend and counter bend, leg yielding in and out of the circle with transitions when you hit the smallest circle/biggest circle, shoulder fore (i expect baby travers would help as well although this horse went quarters in as evasion to working) all helped him to push up through his back end and lift his shoulders.
As he was quite a stressy spooky type, as a warmup we did patterns in walk and trot- like after an initial walk/trot round, we would go onto a 10m circle in each corner then onto a shallow loop (how deep depending on how much bend he was willing to offer) which again made him think and slow down.
His bit was also changed- he was in a myler snaffle, now in an eggbut snaffle.
We started riding him with a schooling whip as although her was quite spooky- he used to charge around with his front end only.
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Thank you. He isn't cantering off - he will stop straight away if asked and he usually has a really steady canter. I think giving the circles, counter bend etc will probably do him good! I think going back to basics with him will probably be beneficial to check we're on the same page!
 
Pigeon said:
Are you sure you're not accidentally asking for canter? I know with mine he anticipates, and you wouldn't believe how sensitive they are (figured out I was taking a deep breath before asking for canter, so he started cantering every time I took a deep breath....)

When you do ask for canter, are the aides very clear and not just 'more leg'?
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Yes, this is certainly a possibility - the problem now is finding what cue he is taking as a prompt for canter, ha ha! I've noticed that when he's going like this my reins feel really out of sync so it could possibly be something I'm doing with them. Additionally, it may be beneficial to try not to kick him on and gently ask for canter incase he is associating more leg with canter, which could definitely be a possibility too! I'm getting his saddle checked today and have a trainer coming to take a look to see if he can see anything obvious. I'm going to make a conscious effort to work out exactly what I am doing before I ask for canter!
 
meesha said:
Try the arena without the jumps in, he might be making assumptions that he is jumping.
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Yes, we have been doing a bit of jumping in the school recently so it could actually be something as simple as him noticing the jumps in a certain place and thinking we're going to do them! I now just need to find a day without rain where we can get outside and play!
 
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