my bad canter work!

[bracken99]

hi i recently have started to try cantering circles but my pony is lazy. i find it hard to keep him going and he frequently breaks into trot.
he is great in trot and stuff just our canter needs work
thanks

 

[Zimzim]

Hi is your pony a youngster, or unfit or anything like that?

What I have found helpful with either lazy or young horses or those that wont work off your leg is taking them into a field to encourage them to work forwards, as they sometimes like the open space rather than being confined to a school and they can really open up. So how about trying your pony in a field to get your pony going forwards? This may help with getting him going forwards before you start to use circles and create the impulsion you need?

If hes a youngster he just may be unsure of what your asking and it might take a little bit of time for him to know what to do and to keep going.

Also you could always back up your leg aids with a whip to encourage him to keep on going until you say he can go back to trot. Just a couple of ideas.

 

[bracken99]

thanks ill try that. he isnt a young just lazy

 

[Silmarillion]

Some good advice there. I'd also like to add, try just doing quarter of a circle first, and building it up. Make sure the transition up is always forwards, give him a few strides of forwards canter, then go *forwards* into trot. Might help..?!

 

[Jade&Syrah]

To get a lazy horse thinking forwards I always use transitions. Before cantering circles maybe ask for canter in a corner then canter down the long side but just after you get to B or E ask for trot, then as for canter again in the next corner. Then once he is going forwards, do it on a circle, then eventually canter a full circle