Problem with canter

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jinxy

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My horse bucks and really objects whenever i ask him to go into canter in the school.

He is having regular physio, has his teeth done regularly and his saddle checked.

He has never been used to using himself properly before I got him so we have been concentrating on getting his back end underneath him and working and getting the correct muscles working. The physio has said that within 3 months he has seen a massive improvement in his back, which I am really pleased about. He is working for around 45 minutes 4-5 days a week with hacking on a weekend.

Could he be objecting because he is sore, or he finds it harder because he is using different muscles? I tend to back off him when he objects and bucks which I know I shouldn't do but he never used to do this before we started making him work properly and now I'm getting a bit worried about why he is doing it.

Has anyone had similar problems? All advice welcome
 
When you canter, are you sitting on his back or standing up in your stirrups? I've found horses that need to build up muscle to enable them to canter often find it easier if you take the weight off their back, also if you canter around the edge of the school and not on a 20m circle. I suspect the bucking is almost definitely caused by him finding it difficult to use himself - maybe backing off schooling and doing lots of hill work for a couple of weeks might help? It worked with one of mine anyway!
 
We have had a few problems cantering out hacking with company and havent plucked up the courage to do it on my own yet. (I'm a bit of a wimp hacking out on my own)

I am going to lunge him tonight and see what he is like, I have a feeling that it is me that he is objecting to.
 
Thanks panda, yea I do canter him round the edge and then bring him on to a 20 metre circle, and then move him around the school.

I tend to sit on his back, when he objects his head comes up he shuffles bucks and then comes up at the front and then bucks again but with his head up, not like a bronc. I think part of it is that I am not quick enough to push him on before he bucks, bit of a chicken
 
Have you considered a second opinion on his back? If this was happening with my horse, I'd have a chiro look at him as well as physio. My reasons for this are based on my experiences with both chiro and physio for my own back - I've been hardly able to walk, but the physio doesn't do much to help. I went to a chiro and he did a few moves on my back - I virtually floated out of the place
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They both work very differently and one may pick up something the other doesn't, so it might be worth a go.

Aside from that, I'd keep the canter sessions short, come off his back, maybe let him work long and low. Also see what he does on the lunge
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Good luck!
 
With my horse lots of hacking in company got him going forward and realising that cantering was fun. Also jumping little cross poles and going into canter straight after helped as he loves jumping. how old is he?
 
Thanks jumpthemoon.

He is 13 this year spider, he also loves jumping. He has bolted with me a couple of times out hacking which is why i get nervous and don't really canter out hacking, we are building up to it.

Been doing lots of flatwork to get him listening to me and the last time we jumped he was alot more controlled. He always objects on the left rein which he is very stiff on, so we are doing exercises to try and supple him up, if he goes onto the wrong lead he is okay, but this is obviously the wrong lead. It is when he goes on the correct lead that he objects
 
If I understand you correctly your horse only bucks on one canter lead? If this is the case then I would say there is a 99.9% chance that its pain related. I would urge you to get a 2nd opinion. Don't forget that pain doesnt have to just be in his back, it could be stifle, hocks etc.
 
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