Riding driving ponies

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Abbeygale

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Over the last few months I have started riding my dad's driving pony to keep her out of mischief - and it gave me something to ride while I was bringing my mare back into work. I generally just go hacking, but have done a little schooling with her. Now to start with she was really reluctant to do any bending whatsoever -but is now getting the idea and her walk and trot are looking pretty good these days.

However, her canter is awful
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If we are out hacking and go to canter she is quite happy to canter - although she will sometimes lose it if you go into left canter. However, she just can't manage to canter round the school. I've been doing little bits here and there - do just doing down the long side and then just pushing her round the short side a little to try and improve things - but I just can't maintain her canter.

She has a fantastic jump - and I would love to go and jump her over the winter - but there is no way I can get round a course of jumps with the way that she is cantering at the moment.

Any ideas / tips?
Thanks !
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My chunky native haffy had problems cantering. Ive done loads of lunging with him to build up his muscles and lunged him over jumps. Hes keen to clear them and doing height he had to learn to canter otherwise he couldnt make it. He soon realised thats what I was asking for. Keep practising by cantering out on hacks, its generally the corners they struggle with having been driven. Have you tried setting up a jump in a corner and trying to ask for canter at a jump. Most driving ponies have never been asked for canter before so its something they have to build up muscle tone for. Lunging without a rider means they have less weight and less to think about. Have you tried following another horse round the school? That helps sometimes, if she has a lack of confidence she might be better following another horse round the school a few times. Hope this helps
 
My section D, who hasnt been driven in about 10 years, still fins it hard to canter, we just work on it best we can, lotsa prais,e and i soetimes rise to the canter so she doesnt have so much weight, and basically do what your doing
shes getting there
 
I school a driving trails pony twice a week and she is fab in walk and trot but struggles in canter, although seems to manage left lead fine right lead is very tough. I have found by working on the bending and flexion and lots of lateral work in trot I can now start to get a better balanced canter.

Hope that helps.
 
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