How to get my horse to canter?

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fidgeuk

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Hello everyone,

I realise a forum can't replace lessons with a qualified instructor but i'm after some advice or opinions on my problem with cantering my horse.

My horse, Jack was bred by my Mum. He's 5yrs old now & is a Welsh Section D X TBxID approx 16.2HH and built like a hunter. I'd like to eventually show him in working hunter classes.

Our stumbling block is canter, whenever i ask him to canter in the school he bucks. He's fine out hacking unless its with company then he'll buck in canter everytime & occassionally in trot! I am not sure what i need to do in order to push him through the buck & forwards into canter. I think i'm so surprised at still being sat on his back following one of his corkscrew bucks (he gets one leg up higher than the other & twists... horrible) that i let the moment/momentum go and we end up at a standstill.

It now seems to have become ingrained in his head that when i ask for canter he thinks i mean buck! I do have regular lessons but the weather & other reasons have meant they have been abit sporadic. My instructor has got on Jack & managed to sucessfully get him to canter round the school on both reins and do a rather nice 20m circle at each end of the school as well!

I know its probably me, but self preservation has kicked in since i've got older and i've had about a 5yr gap since my old horse Ace was retired and then jack finally being old enough to bring on, so i'm worried that if i give him a whack with the crop, he'll put in an even bigger buck & i'll end up on the floor.

His teeth have been checked regularly, his wolf teeth have been removed, his saddle has been checked over twice and my vet has examined him thoroughly for any problems and nothing has been found.

I haven't pushed the canter issue with him & so school work has just been focusing on walk & trot - i have had the odd canter on him when out hacking but only when we can start uphill... i sound such a wuss hahaha

I'm thinking that maybe i should send him away for some professional schooling which will hopefully correct this problem but i'm not sure.....

What do you think??

thanks
 
Others may disagree with me - but i think you need to have him working in a really good quality working trot(not rushing). Give him really clear canter aids and say canter when you asking him. He may be bucking as he is out of balance so having a really good quality trot should help with the transition and once in the canter ride him forwards.

I am guessing you are getting a small trot before you ask for canter keeping him steady anticipating a buck - but he will more likely be out of balance.
 
I am by no means an expert but I have ridden a few young horses that were on the heavy side of medium build and several of them did this. I think it's part of learning to canter- they find it easier to launch themselves into canter with a buck because they haven't yet learned to balance themselves.

I would guess that working on rhythm and balance in walk and trot would help a lot and trying to establish a bit of lateral work. Also once his fitness improves he should find the transition easier.

If it is a confidence thing with you, it might be worth putting up a small cross pole and trotting into it. He will probably land in canter and you should be able to keep your leg on to maintain it. That way hopefully you can build up to a point where you are confident enough and he is fit/balanced enough to just ask for the transition and get it.

Sorry if this is all stuff you are doing already, but I hope it helps.
 
Thanks for the replies. You are both right he is still finding his feet and is not properly balanced & i do have some confidence issues.

Sometimes he feels so beautiful to ride, its almost effortless and feels smooth and i get the feeling we could do anything. But mostly he feels heavy in front, motorbikes round corners and it all seems hurried and ungainly.

We have been practising half halts as a way to stop his rushing and to try to get him to pay attention to me but due to my lack of confidence i don't like to do stuff i'm not sure about without my instructor there in case i ruin my boy.

The crosspole is a good idea and i will give this ago when the school has dried out - it looks like a swimming pool at the moment! I thought of putting a pole in one of the corners of the school as a way of encouraging him to canter, which kind of sounds similar to the crosspole idea

thanks very much for you input - i'll try to work on our rhythm and improve our trot before asking for canter and see if that makes a difference x
 
I've got a home produced HW hunter & never has this horse bucked, so I dont agree that this weight of horse needs to buck to propel themselves to the next gait.

I would have a look whilst lunging. How does your horse go into canter? From behind / from going too fast / from a leap & a buck?

I agree with getting a really good trot first. I stayed in trot in the school for the best part of 6months & would only canter in straight lines out hacking.

Perhaps giving your horse & yourself a break (either by different rides or no ridden) for a month & see if there's any change.
 
Hi Dollydolls,

Thanks for the response. He does regularly have small breaks in his training as i don't like to push him too hard. He was schooled/broken as a 4yr old Autumn 2009 & turned away for the winter. He's been slowly brought on since March 2010.

We've got past the napping & leading issues - he's getting better & better with regard to stable manners (apart from feed times!!) He'll hack alone, in company, he'll lead a hack or go behind. He still needs work on standing still when i mount & still attempts to bite the horse in front when out hacking if i'm not paying attention. Overall i'm really pleased with how he's progressing.

We didn't lunge him very much during his schooling because we mainly focused on long reining him. When i have tried to lunge him he tanks off at a rate of knots bucking and farting his way round, he will eventually listen to my voice and slow down to trot, walk and stand but is worried by the lunge line & schooling whip. TBH i don't take the schooling whip with me because hes so spooked by it. If i have it in my hand then he won't listen & flies round and round as fast as he can. He used to leap into trot when asked but over the past 5/6 months hes smoothed out & that doesn't happen anymore.

Better stop now... feels like i'm rambling on....
 
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