How to teach canter

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Todmiester

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Had my new baby pony a month now and walk and trot is coming along very nicely under saddle. Lunging she does all paces on voice command and picks up things quick. Its now time to canter under saddle. Its been over 10 years since I taught canter so want to know how folks these days ask their youngsters to canter.:)
 
If she hacks , I canter mine or the first time up a grassy track, preferably slightly uphill, behind another horse. I appreciate there are many routes to Rome and someone might come along with a more arena friendly version :)
 
On the lunge over a pole using a voice aid. Then over a pole ridden using a voice aid as well as seat and legs. Eventually no pole and more refined aids :-)

Cantering out hacking is much easier for young horses - straight lines!
 
I leave it really quite late in the breaking process and wait until they offer it. Often I have them popping small fences from trot then let them land in canter, canter a few strides and back to trot. Gradually I extend the length of the canter and eventually ask for it without the fence.
 
Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't use a school until canter is established. I leave it till late summer when the potatoes are out or if no potatoe fields i use the stubble. Teach quarters in/travers whatever you like to describe moving quarters to the inside track (i teach this on long reins first so they understand aids when ridden) and ask for canter on the straight, potatoe furrows force them to then stay straight. 2 point seat until they find their own balance and by useing a nice large field you don't run out of room. When balanced back to trot, quarters in the opposite way and ask for other lead etc etc. personally do this all through winter and don't go back to the school till the following spring. Once they manage this big circles on stuble fields - far bigger than you could do in a school. Did this with both my boys when they were 3 and both came out winning 4 year old classes having spent all winter hacking and only a few weeks in the school.
 
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