lunging - aids for canter

Orchardbeck

Orchardbeck

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So i've been lunging my pony for the last few months as preggers (still!) which she has been really enjoying, particularly as she has never really had any consistent schooling in her lifetime poor thing, just hacking.

On the lunge today she worked well (I even tried her in side reins which have made her put her head up in the past, but she accepted a contact today) and we had some really responsive walk/trot, halt/trot, halt/walk (and vice versa) transitions which sounds small but is quite a big step for her.

My question is how to introduce canter aids on the lunge - even ridden she always sped up in trot and 'fell' in to canter. I had a go today using a pole to encourage her - we got a few strides but it seemed rushed, then she slipped, poor thing so we stopped - thankfully no damage done.

Will it just come as she becomes more supple - am I asking for too much too soon, or is there a better way to ask her?
 
I have always made the circle slightly smaller for the canter trans, and as you ask allow the horse to move forward & out onto a bigger circle - but obviously takes practice. As for the aid, obviously you want an active trot, then flick the whip towards the hind end to activate and encourage strike off fro behind. I use the German gallop, pronounced "Gall-Op" in a real upbeat tone, with a few clicks before. Canter is a bland word and doesn't motivate enough!
 
Cantering on the lunge is not easy, especially if the horse is stiff, they often lose their feet when constantly turning and then lose confidence to even canter at all, I am not a fan of cantering too much on the lunge unless they are fairly confident as it can make things worse.
If you have a good surface it will help, if grass be careful not to ask too much and beware of slipping when it it damp. Ask for a transition over the pole if that helps then after just a couple of strides bring back to trot and praise her before asking again, do lots of short canters until she is really confident through the transitions and gradually she should be happy to remain in canter for longer.
 
Bizarre you should also ask this. I'm not a good lunger and don't normally do it, but I have a bad back at the mo, so had a go with pony head, earlier. He was great in trot, but like yours, struggles with canter. What I was wondering is how to encourage strike off onto the correct leg. We got a reasonable canter on the right rein, but he was on the wrong leg! Left rein was useless, but that's the weaker one, anyway!

So, experts, is there a way to strike on the correct leg on the lunge, or is it just a case of good timing?
 
Oscar - thanks for that, I guess we were on the right lines, it just seemed as though she was rushing in to it. Totally
agree 'canter' is a rubbish command so will try the 'gall -op' association' instead.

Be positive- thanks too. We were just on grass which I have been worried about it being too hard and dry recently but we had a little rain over the last few days so it seemed an OK surface - dry but with a bit of purchase - obviously not quite right for this type of work, or at least training her to keep her balance, bless her. I used the pole to ask her like you said, but I think I was expecting too much for her to maintain the canter stride for much longer - I guess that will come with practice.

I'm so pleased with how she's coming on with this work - I only hope I can make it translate to her ridden work when I can get back on... Not long now as am 30 weeks this week!
 
AS far as striking off on the wrong leg goes, I would just carry on. It is much harder work for them to canter wrong, so they will learn in their own interests to do it right - so long as you don't reinforce a wrong lead by returning to trot (same applies when you are riding as well.) For a canter aid on the lunge I get an active trot and then take a big step towards the quarters with the whip at the ready and kind of move my feet in a canter motion. Works well for me, I can soon replace that with the word "canterrrrrrrrr" and get a pretty prompt strike off
 
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