Pony Struggling To Pick Up Canter.

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acorn92x

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Just that really. She's a 5 year old Highland pony, been broken since February of this year and is now going very nicely in walk and trot yet is struggling to pick up canter in the school. She is better out hacking and will usually go when I ask (Though is much better on one rein than the other in all paces but that is improving dramatically too) but it can be tough in the school. I have regular weekly lessons and my instructor says that I am giving her the correct aid and am doing the right thing by relaxing my rein contact not restricting her head and neck. I'm a relaxed, experienced and fairly confident rider and always make an effort to relax prior to asking her and make sure her trot has a steady, consistent rhythmn before giving her the canter aid so she doesn't rush into it. When she canters, it is brilliant - very balanced, usually on the correct leg and she is happy to go forward. I'm quite firm with her and if she doesn't do at least a few strides when I ask, she gets a tap with the whip and is made to repeat the exercise until she does give me what I'm asking. I wouldn't say this is unfair, but does anyone disagree? She gets ridden 5-6 days a week, 2 or 3 schooling (1 of them is always a lesson) and the rest is hacking with the occasional session on the lunge too.

If anyone has any tips or experience with this kind of thing, please, please let me know as I'd love to hear how you got through it! She's a fantastic little mare so would love to get her cantering more consistently in the school! I'm trying not to get disheartened by it but it's proving a little tough atm!
 
What is she doing when not going into canter?

Is she ignoring your leg aid? If so then when you ask use your whip in your outside hand behind your leg - this will bring the outside hindleg forward starting the correct sequence.

Is she running in trot and not breaking in to canter? If so you are dropping the contact, probably by tipping forward as you ask, Put your reins in your outside hand - tuck a couple of fingers under the pommel and pull yourself into sitting trot, keeping your upper body tall

Are you choosing the right spot to get the canter? In the school some horses find going towards a wall slows them so ask as you come out of the short side - dont stress if you get the wrong leg.

Are you being consistent and clear with your aids? A little flexion of the inside rein, Inside leg on the girth, outside leg behind the girth - young horses often find canter easier if you ask with just the outside leg.

Once you get canter, verbally praise and encourage the canter to continue - you may find going into two point makes this easier. If you get the wrong leg don't pull up but encourage the canter to continue - getting the right lead can come later once the horse understands you want it to canter.
 
Sometimes she'll ignore the leg aid when it which case I often have to use the whip 2,3, sometimes 4 times before she'll break into it, often accompanied by a buck or two but this doesn't worry me too much as she will do it. Most commonly, as you said, she'll carry on running in trot and not actually cantering. I've tried the reins in one hand suggestion and it was partially successful as she did move forward into the canter. It might just be case of keep going with this until she gets the idea more and then move back to reins in both hands.

She always gets plenty of praise and encouragement everytime when she canters, even if I just get 2 strides or she is on the incorrect leg - the fact that she has done it is enough for me! Perseverance will be key here I think! ;)
 
acorn92x said:
Sometimes she'll ignore the leg aid when it which case I often have to use the whip 2,3, sometimes 4 times before she'll break into it, often accompanied by a buck or two but this doesn't worry me too much as she will do it. Most commonly, as you said, she'll carry on running in trot and not actually cantering. I've tried the reins in one hand suggestion and it was partially successful as she did move forward into the canter. It might just be case of keep going with this until she gets the idea more and then move back to reins in both hands.

She always gets plenty of praise and encouragement everytime when she canters, even if I just get 2 strides or she is on the incorrect leg - the fact that she has done it is enough for me! Perseverance will be key here I think! ;)
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Does no-one use the voice aid anymore??? Its the first aid any horse learns thanks to its time on the lunge. I always taught novice riders to use it when THEY were learning to canter as the chances were their leg aids were not coordinated and/or strong enough for the horse to understand. Animals don't just know how to do something, they have to learn with practice and constistency. My old girl used to be a bit um, whizzy, in the ring and you woudn't believe how many dressage tests we did with me saying "and walk" "and trot" very quietly and without moving my lips :) She might not have always listened to anything else but the voice aids were always obeyed.
 
I click with my tongue as well as when asking and say 'canter' the same as i would lunging.
i used to use a whip to back up what i was asking but i took to lunging/free schooling for a while to get him to understand my voice commands and now i don't ride with a crop :)

i use voice aids and leg aids to encourage
Tnavas said it is best to ask on a longer side.

Does she canter on the lunge?
 
I struggled with this problem too. If she canter ok on the lunge it may be that you are not quite giving the correct aids. If she is running on in trot I would try a little more rein contact, make sure you are sitting up, little bit of inside flexion and push your inside seat bone slightly forward. Also use the vocal aid you use when lunging. Mine would buck with schooling whip so changed to a short whip and a tap on the shoulder which did help. I think what also helped me was changing from schooling in a 20x40 arena to 60x30. You'll get there, just keep persevering.
 
My 5 yr old was exactly the same - I spent a few mnths on working on the walk and trot in the school, but lots of cantering out on hacks to help him strengthen.

After a few mnths of this, I then went back into the school. Initially I was lucky just to get a few strides, but a few mnths on, he would happily canter the whole school and can now even do 20 m circles. So basically I worked on the transition, and once he was giving that willingly, then worked on lengthening the time he could stay in canter. If he tried to drop out of canter, I would go in to jumping position and encourage him with my voice, which really helped.

As above, I also find just using the outside leg alone helped. He also finds walk to canter easier, so will do these a couple of times before using the more traditional 'trot to canter' transition.

The other thing that also encouraged mine to canter was jumping a small jump from trot, then asking for canter as he lands. If you are struggling to get the correct lead this can also help, especially if you do it in a corner.

Just give it time - mine is now 6yrs and his canter is unrecognisable!
 
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Thanks for all the replies everyone!

I do use my voice (Forgot to mention this in my original post!) and she is brilliant with it - from halt and into walk and trot. Canter, she is somewhat selective with!

She won't canter on the lunge, I can shout it at her, say it at different volumes, tones, include some clicks, say it in a sing-song voice - it just doesn't click. I've tried running with her (Very un-BHS!), flicking the lunge whip at her etc but it hasn't worked so far. She can be a bit tricky to lunge as previous owner never corrected a very bad habit of turning in on one rein but this is improving. The fact that she struggles with canter on the lunge is what makes me think it is possibly due to her still being relatively babyish and lacking balance or maybe the confidence to go forward into canter in an arena. I'm beginning to think that I need to make more of a concientious effort to lunge her on a more regular basis so she gets this and in the hope that it improves her canter under saddle however, I'm reluctant to lunge more than once or twice a week (For no more than 20-30mins a time) as it puts so much stress on their joints.

Should also mention that everything - back, saddle, teeth etc have all been checked and are totally fine.
 
I have an instructor, religiously having lessons at least once a week, sometimes twice when both my instructor and me have the time as she is very busy as well and I work full time in London. She has ridden my pony and also struggled to get her to canter initially too. It sounds awful but it made me feel better that it wasn't just me who was struggling! Instructor is a BHSI and very experienced too. Lesson this week is booked for Wednesday so will ask her to hop on then and see if she has anymore advice to offer. She has been tremendously helpful and I accredit a lot of our progress so far to her.

Yep, she'll canter on hacks - always more willingly on one rein than the other but this is improving and she will do it! Canter is wonderful once she gets it - balanced, comfortable, correct leg more often than not and she is happy to go forwards. I tend to hack out alone as I prefer the peace and quiet and a lot of people at my yard don't tend to hack (A couple have confidence issues) or have horses which are retired/can't be ridden due to lameness etc so while it might be a challenge to ride out with someone, I will ask around and see if anyone is willing to come out with me. Despite hacking alone, my girl is always willing to have a canter and like many, is much keener out than in the school!
 
Have you tried a pole? Often helps.
Just stick a single pole where you want to ask for canter (coming out of a corner onto the long side or somewhere on your lunge circle) and ask as you approach/go over it. It helps as they have to lift feet up a bit more to get over the pole and this can help them pick up canter.
I also find with youngsters that circling into canter helps - so 15-20m circle and as you are coming out of circle onto long side ask for canter. The circle helps give them the right bend and helps bring their hind legs underneath them which will help her strike off into canter. :)

Make sure you don't tip forward into canter and make sure you give the rein enough when she does go.

I would also recommend a lunge lesson with your instructor (or another instructor who offers lunge lessons) so that she can help with a vocal command and a lunge whip as you ask for canter on board. This will be three ways of asking and she should hopefully get it :)
 
How big is your school? A youner pony can often find it much more difficult to "find' canter in a small school (and a standard 40x20 is a very small space in reality). Practice your transitions outside and really get her off the leg outside.

When working in the school, ask for the transition, if you don't get it, rebalance your pony and try again. Once you get a transition, ask back down into trot before she loses balance.

Lateral work will help with the transition, as will asking from a shoulder fore position, or coming out of a 10m circle as the inside hind leg will be in the right place under the body for the correct strike off.
 
Kylara said:
Have you tried a pole? Often helps.
Just stick a single pole where you want to ask for canter (coming out of a corner onto the long side or somewhere on your lunge circle) and ask as you approach/go over it. It helps as they have to lift feet up a bit more to get over the pole and this can help them pick up canter.
I also find with youngsters that circling into canter helps - so 15-20m circle and as you are coming out of circle onto long side ask for canter. The circle helps give them the right bend and helps bring their hind legs underneath them which will help her strike off into canter. :)

Make sure you don't tip forward into canter and make sure you give the rein enough when she does go.

I would also recommend a lunge lesson with your instructor (or another instructor who offers lunge lessons) so that she can help with a vocal command and a lunge whip as you ask for canter on board. This will be three ways of asking and she should hopefully get it :)
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Thank you so much for this :) I'll ask my instructor whether she will give me a lunge lesson tomorrow, although, I can't see why she wouldn't as she's been so helpful. I'll try the pole in the corner technique too - hopefully that will work! I've popped her over a few small jumps before and she will almost always canter them but is also very good with poles on the floor too. You really feel her lift over them so hopefully this will help.

My school is a 60x20 so not small by any stretch of the imagination. In the corners, particularly after heavy rain however, the surface does get extremely deep and she does struggle with this.
 
I would say just carry on cantering on a hack and she'll continue to get stronger and then find it easier.

My 4 yo has only recently learnt to canter, he can canter in the school but finds it much harder so I'm going to carry on hacking until he gets more muscled and better balanced :)
 
Agree with ^^^this^^^! It worked for my last two, both of whom did a very convincing version of "I will never canter" in the school, out hacking up lovely long grassy rides, - whatever. I just decided to give the nagging a rest. It worked really well, . . . Eventually! And then neither would STOP cantering - field, roads, tracks - fast forward a couple of years, and it won't feel the same BIG disaster.
 
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I am reading this thread with interest as I have recently got an 11 year old pony who is completely unschooled and we struggle with canter in the school. The advice to canter on hacks is excellent advice and with my experience with previous green ponies I'd completely recommend it. However, it is not possible for me (nowhere suitable on hacks) so I'm watching for other suggestions with interest.
 
Many thanks to every one for your suggestions - I really appreciate all of them and will give them a blast!

Kylara - I tried the pole in a corner suggestion last night and...IT WORKED! :D I'll admit, it took 3 times before it worked but I'm happy with the fact that she did it, I didn't have to use the whip, she was balanced, forwards and managed to canter 3/4 of the school which is a big 60x20 before she broke back down to trot. I tried to repeat the exercise on the rein she struggles with and was less successful but at least she did it! Baby steps is what it's all about here so I was a very proud (And still am!) Mummy last night :) CobsCanDo, I'd recommend you give this a go if possible as it worked for me.

I'm taking pony to her first show on Sunday (Inhand and ridden showing as she's a pure bred Highland) and while I don't think we'll be cantering in our ridden show, I'll try and squeeze one out of her in the warm up as that's on grass. I know it's likely to affect our placing but I don't care as it's all for fun and experience :) please, please, please keep the suggestions coming - they have been so helpful!
 
Was about to reiterate what others have said but I see you had some success last night yay :D

Whatever you do, now you have something that gives you the help you need- don't overdo it. Use it as a trick up your sleeve!

I have used the pole technique before and it does help! Also, with a horse that struggles on one rein, I was always taught the trick to come off the opposite rein, ask for a stride of trot, and then ask for canter onto the other rein (in a figure of 8 shape). This helps with the bend of the horse and may help with those that give the wrong leg, or to get canter in the first place. Perhaps worth a try? A placing pole in the middle of your figure of 8 can also help i.e trot before pole, ask for canter over or after pole.

Good luck at your first show- enjoy!
 
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