My horse can't (Or won't) canter

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jeromevaleska

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Biscuit is a small grade horse that was recently rescued, nothing out of the ordinary about being a draft breed or any kind of horse that can't typically hold a canter. However, it seems like he is unaware of his own gait? He is either picking up a full hand gallop or trotting, and I cannot get him to get to an in-between speed.

Doing smaller circles does not slow down the hand gallop to a typical canter, and no matter how much leg and verbal cues I use, it seems like it only causes him to drop back into a death trot.

Is this a matter of re-training? Or is he physically unfit somehow?
 
Could be any one of a number of reasons. You mentioned he was rescued, is/was he in a poor condition?

Broadly speaking, I would start with vet and body worker to rule out any physical issues. Then once any physical problems are resolved, work on building strength and lightness, starting in the walk and trot. Weak horses will not be able to hold a balanced canter in the school at first, this takes a lot of work to build the correct muscle.
 
If he was recently rescued, I should imagine he will be weak, unfit and probably wasn’t schooled properly before anyway and may not have been ridden much at all.
He probably just doesn’t understand and his body isn’t ready yet for doing much schooling.
I’d start again as if he were an unbacked baby, with groundwork (in-hand training and long reining, I don’t do much lunging but that’s personal choice) and progress onto the ridden stuff from there.
 
Does he canter without a rider, when he is playing in the field? Have you asked for canter on a hack? I would find a nice uphill track where he can be let go, without having g to pull up too quickly and practise cantering there.
 
Probably got some trotter blood

Working in trot in a school to keep the forward but find the balance, when he can trot with a good steady rhythm, try up a slope in a big field 20 meters from the fence and let him fall into canter

I have a rescue trotter, was shocked at the sheer speed of his trot when first broken, it was a long time before he understood canter, and only after a long time of 3 x week gentle schooling, time and effort, stepping back, not demanding too much, he is now starting to offer good lengthened strides can rein back starting shoulder in to half pass

It all about retaining the super forwardness which is a gift, whilst building up the strength and understanding of what is required

Mine always cantered in the field happily, and since learning turn on the quarters has been seen doing lovely canter pirouettes in the field
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Does he canter without a rider, when he is playing in the field? Have you asked for canter on a hack? I would find a nice uphill track where he can be let go, without having g to pull up too quickly and practise cantering there.
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So he's my horse, only because I have him on full lease. But the conditions and stipulations require that I don't take him off the property without getting the "OK" from who I'm leasing him from (A little bit irritating, I know). But that severely limits the environments I can teach him/work with him in.

Also haha, dude to his past habits of bucking people off that I recently got him over, it may be a little bit early to take him out in a space that's not enclosed. I'm going to start having a look at his reactiveness + what he spooks at before taking him out as well.
 
Skib said:
I thought horses were taught to canter with a rider by first cantering short, straight stretches of track out hacking. Gradually increasing the length of canter. But not cantered in the school till a year or two later.
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That's actually great information to know. I'm only 19 so my knowledge on training is pretty limited, but I'm working on an apprenticeship currently and haven't heard that strategy yet. :)
 
Mrs. Jingle said:
You say he is a rescue? Do you know if he has been used as a driving horse in his last home before rescue? Is he a trotter that may have been used for sulky racing at all. Is he a standard bred?
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I don't believe he has been a driving horse, he was uncomfortable/unfamiliar with the noseband when it was introduced, and I believe he may have come from a western-riding source.
 
jeromevaleska said:
I don't believe he has been a driving horse, he was uncomfortable/unfamiliar with the noseband when it was introduced, and I believe he may have come from a western-riding source.
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Ah Ok, I was just wondering if perhaps he had only been trained to trot very quickly in harness, rather than ridden in all paces. He isn't an American gaited horse is he? I've had one of those, well two actually and took sometime to teach them both canter aids when ridden. Otherwise I am not much help sorry. ☺️
 
Nocturnal said:
Could be any one of a number of reasons. You mentioned he was rescued, is/was he in a poor condition?

Broadly speaking, I would start with vet and body worker to rule out any physical issues. Then once any physical problems are resolved, work on building strength and lightness, starting in the walk and trot. Weak horses will not be able to hold a balanced canter in the school at first, this takes a lot of work to build the correct muscle.
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We've had a vet visit bi-weekly since we rescued him to do an overall check (and because he had a lump on his neck we were concerned about) but it seems like he's sound and comfortable, just under-muscle. But yeah that was my thought as well!

We're doing an hour of work 4 days a week to build up strength (mostly trot, some walk, transitions, and maybe 4-5 minutes of actually cantering spread out over that hour).

He seems pretty tired picking up the canter later on so I do think he may just be out of shape
 
Mrs. Jingle said:
Ah Ok, I was just wondering if perhaps he had only been trained to trot very quickly in harness, rather than ridden in all paces. He isn't an American gaited horse is he? I've had one of those, well two actually and took sometime to teach them both canter aids when ridden. Otherwise I am not much help sorry. ☺️
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It's possible he was mixed with a gaited horse, maybe I'll look into getting him a DNA test someday -- But yeah I guess we'll see!
 
Sorry if ive mised this suggestion, but would have physio out and saddle check. Hope you get all sorted.
 
An hour 4 days a week sounds like quite a lot of work for an under muscled horse, especially if that involves "mostly trot" and 4 or 5 minutes of canter. I'd scale it back, build up the strength and muscle and then start looking again at the canter once he's fitter and stronger.
 
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