How to Improve Canter

[Shipley]

My horse has really nice paces (nearly always gets a 7 for paces on BD tests

) however he does not step through as much in his left canter right canter is fine. I
dont want to use any gadgets as such I sometimes lung in a pessoa and he seems to step through more in between the bucks. Does anyone know of any exercises I can do to help. I am currently trying walk to canter and its a bit better but wondered if anyone else has some ideas?

Thanks for you help in advance

 

[Chestnut_filly14]

Lots of circles and exercises to get him listening, and walk to canter would be a good one! Transitions within the pace? Polework?
Sorry Im rubbish at this, but will be keeping an eye on this post so I can nick ideas!

Em
x

 

[kerilli]

my trainer gets me to do canter going large, somewhere down the long side transition to trot, immediate 10m circle in trot (or 12 or 15m the first time or so if necessary), canter on meeting track again, repeat this exercise. really works.
also walk - canter - trot - walk - canter - trot - walk etc etc on a 20m circle.

 

[Shipley]

Thanks Kerilli I did something similar to the first one in trot when I first got him to low him down but in walk and trot (had forgotten it too) will try both as I believe a bit of a change helps too!

 

[happy_talk]

what about canter -walk - halt - rein back - canter?? just another idea to play with to engage back end.

 

[Horsemad12]

Kerilli - that sounds good.

We have also done small canter circles and then move away in a forward canter, so canter to the corner marker, tight circle and back down the school on the 3/4 line, tight circle back to the track, each time you come out of the circle move the canter forward.

At this stage the circles are not great, but it generates lots of energy, then when you go back to a working canter on a circle you have a lot better canter.

We focus on the left rein to enage the left hind.

 

[Shipley]

Thanks I will try these too