Launching in to canter

[Crackerz]

Just after some tips for exercises to help calm one of my boys on his canter transition.

He's a big 5yold 15hh big moving Sec D, on asking to canter, he has a tendency to tense, and often launch in to a massive canter.

I understand that a good canter comes from a good balanced trot etc. I never ask for canter until he is fully warmed up and relaxed. i stay calm, i sit still and at the moment i am 'riding it out' quietly until he settles (half a lap?).

We have our first RC clinic of the year next week, but i would like other opinions too.

He is one of lifes worriers, he was the hardest one i've ever broken in (out of around 30 over the years) He was a big rearer but luckily this has passed now.

Obviously all the normal things have been checked

any excercise idea welcome!!


The below pic is him at his one and only ridden show last autumn, showing his green-ness (& the tense canter where i should have had a better contact! ironically, that day, he didn't launch in to canter and was very good, just a bit onward bound)





and just to show his width and cuteness

 

[FlyingCircus]

What's he like when you do loads of trot to canter and canter to trot etc transitions?
The more you do, the more most horses relax into the upwards and downwards transitions.

 

[milliepops]

what's his canter like when you get into it? Asking because my section D is almost *too* active behind since finding her balance when IN canter, but she has to launch skyward to get into it as a consequence. It's like she gets anxious about how to coordinate her legs.

I have found that just quiet repetition has really helped the transitions and the canter itself. Plus not overdoing anything myself. I barely give an aid with my leg,but invite the canter with my seat. Don't fuss about the launching, just canter a while, then trot or walk and repeat. I might go halfway round the school before doing another these days, since the basic pace has improved and it's just the strike off that is bonkers.

And I have worked on making the canter itself more adjustable - on into medium canter, back into collected, & all kinds in between. Bits of leg yield and shoulder fore. This seems to have given her confidence in herself when actually cantering. We do still get a bit airbourne now and then, but it's definitely heading the right way.

 

[Crackerz]

what's his canter like when you get into it? Asking because my section D is almost *too* active behind since finding her balance when IN canter, but she has to launch skyward to get into it as a consequence. It's like she gets anxious about how to coordinate her legs.

This is exactly how he feels - like he doesn't know what his legs should be doing!

I do find with him, too much repetition and he starts getting wound up and thinks he has done something wrong - no matter how quiet i stay with him. I do tend to do as little as possible to try not to confuse or upset him.

Quite often when he finds it all too much, i just bring him back a walk and start all over again getting him relaxed.

I know once it clicks with him, he will never get it 'wrong' again though, so i guess i need even more patience!

 

[milliepops]

I know once it clicks with him, he will never get it 'wrong' again though, so i guess i need even more patience!

possibly Mine was like this, got all upset about things but I do find with her that it's worth persevering until she stops being dramatic about things. If I back off from an issue, with her, we will never conquer it. In the beginning I had to be very very tactful but now I can be a bit more demanding without her erupting Good luck, just keep playing with different things and it will all come together.

 

[Lintel]

No advice sorry as I have the total opposite problem!
But wow what a beauty! I love a Welsh D and he is stunning!

 

[cobgoblin]

He is absolutely gorgeous.

 

[skewbaldmillie]

Mine used to launch as well until my instructor forced me to ask for canter on the first of a row of canter poles. After a few near death experiences with my mare nearly falling over she realised that she was much better off gently going into canter rather than exploding out from under my legs.

 

[Princess16]

Sorry to hijack thread but I'm currently learning canter albeit not successfully lol so how do you do this with the seat and no leg?

Lovely horse btw OP

 

[Crackerz]

Thanks everyone, he is a hunk isn't he! He's going to be massive when he's mature!

will just try repetition, keeping quiet as i am, and maybe a pole or two.

 

[Sprat]

I did have this problem with my Welsh X, I found that asking for a little collection and inside flexion just before the transition helped with the launching, though that may not work for everyone!

Not really any further advice from me, but just wanted to say WOW, he is a beaut!

 

[Crackerz]

Thank you!

I have 4 weeks to nail it, he has his first NPS Picton qualifier at the end of April haha

 

[pansymouse]

My Section D x likes a vertical take off transition into canter (or preferably gallop) but she can be more civilised when required; I just have to let her know what's acceptable.