Interested on peoples views here please!! Dressage.

[Caritas]

Interested to see what your replys are here please. Had a few problems with my horses canter work and the main thing that we have been working on is submission and keeping him round and on the bit. The canter has really come on, no end and i am really pleased but the problem is that my horse trieds to bear down onto the rein and get slightly fixed there. I have tried half halting upwards and keeping a light contact but it is easier said than done, he just wants to dive back down onto the forehand somewhat. I have also tried flexing him and then straightening him up so that he cannot fix onto the contact, this works for a few strides and then he begins to get heavy again. he is not heavy in the sense off arms aching but he needs to carry himself more. He can do this long and low but now he needs to come up more in his frame I am finding it difficult. Any hints greatfully received, many thanlks

 

[Halfstep]

As you say he is falling onto the forehand, which is a very common problem that stems from the horse not using his back end properly and not carrying their weight in an uphill balance. You don't say how old he is, but I think you need to do lots of transitions both in the canter and from trot/walk to canter and back again, to help him carry himself correctly. Don't get into a pulling match with him - remember, you can't put him on the bit using your hands. If he is pulling, he needs to be reminded to carry himself and not expect you to carry him.

So, on a 20m circle in trot, spiral in, then leg yield out (so his inside hind leg is very engaged), then ask for canter. Ride five or six strides keeping that inside hind engaged and with a light contact on your inside rein. Then ride a nice transition to trot and immediately spiral in. Then repeat exercise but ride fewer canter strides. I would also ask him to come a bit deeper/rounder just before the transition (if you can).

If the horse is able to do it, riding some counter canter should help. I find that often when horses dive on the forehand in canter the primary problem is that they are crooked and the counter canter really does help to straighten them.

Don't focus on the contact. It is a symptom, not the actual problem.