How teach a young pony to canter with aid?

nikCscott

nikCscott

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Some help would be much appreciated...

I'm bringing my pony (5 but only just starting) on with the help of a teenage jockey and he is doing brilliantly happily trotting serpentines over poles etc and hacking out well.

I also lunge him about 5 times a week in which he responds to my voice commands brilliantly. He doesn't like to canter for long but when i say 'cannnnnterrrrr' he does so for 5/6 stride until i can see him about to fall out and i ask for 'teeeerott' and he's spot on everytime.

Asked becky to get a good quality trot and ask in the corner with me giving the 'cannnnnnnter' voice commend and we just got a MASSIVE trot, not fast, just HUGE :eek: so tried with a pole and then a small fence and the same - just a massive trot. Thought we'd try on Friday going for a hack and asking him to canter along side my WB to try and get it to sink in that way.

Any other ideas / experience would be much appreciated!

Thank you
 
Yes, he needs to be well balanced otherwise he will just go faster, I would keep going with the hack canter, he needs to be forward going, and will just slip in to the canter.
Try a bit more "real" jumping [a single horizontal with a ground pole] with the jump set so he knows he is going to have to turn one way or the other, apply the squeeze aid [outside leg, inside leg] when you feel him accelerating.
On the ground stand by the corner, lift the lunge whip, and say ccccanter!
I think you can try to keep him going with the occasional lunge, although not too much of it, he should be able to cope with a full circle. I have to lunge with a bridle [as my boy will evade] you may use a corner of the school or fence of a suitable area, maybe put one pole or two on the circle so he has to think a bit more.
Try "101 exercises for jumping", loads of ideas on there.
 
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