Running into canter

L

luckypeggy

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 November 2011
Messages
87
Visit site
Have been riding a horse who has has quite a long time off due to having foals and has not been ridden for a few years, although was decently schooled when backed. Have been gradually working since January and her walk and trot are really good, she feels balanced, good rhythm and natural outline. Went to canter the other day and she just runs into it, took about 15 strides for her to pick up canter, then she feels really strong like she wants to take off, not balanced at all.
Other than plenty of transitions, and trying to canter on a circle, any other ideas?
She can canter on the lunge fine, she just feels really baby like, although she is 7.
Thanks
 
Could you not canter her on the lunge first and have a good feel of how she shoild be feeling. Or start the canter on a smaller circle then less room to run. Will be interested in this thread since ill be going through this type of thing next week.
 
I would use transitions walk to trot, trot to walk to help set her up for canter. If her transition is crisp on the lunge is she misunderstanding your aids? I would expect some running steps to begin with though.
 
I use a pole on the ground or a small x pole to help them get their legs sorted out and a more crisp transition. Keep each canter short so you can also get a proper downward transition which will also help reduce the running tendency in the upward one by getting better balance in general.

Walk to canter also helps, even if they are not really ready or they do a fair amount of trot strides the hind leg will be more under them so less running in trot before striking off.

Use of a clear voice aid is useful, if they are good on the lunge they can transfer this to a ridden command.
 
I have dealt with a similar issue recently. My instructor said it was a balance issue. He was struggling to balance himself in canter so was running into it and just wanted to speed up to balance himself. This is what she had me do, and it helped hugely. First trot circles. If you can do some collected. and medium trot to get the horse listening and to remind it there are.gears within paces. If the horse rushes ride a figure of 8 Then return to circle and continue. Make sure you are clear with your canter aids and keep your hands low. If the horse runs bring it back and restablish the trot as before and try again. Never let the horse run in for more than a stride or two and ultimately not even that. If the horse feels like it is trying to take off in the canter bring him back to walk or halt if necessary. Once calm restablish the trot and ask again. Repeat as necessary.

This helped us hugely and he got the hang of it really quickly. Hugely better already :) Obviously not everything works on all horses, but worth a try?
 
Great advice thanks very much, will try with the pole tonight. Did try walk to canter, but just ended up with fast trot steps!
If she does run on for more than 5 steps should I stop, balance the trot and ask again?
Think more lunge work is also needed, she does learn quite quickly though- her trot was really rushed and unbalanced a month ago but is much better now.
 
Quite a common reaction if horse is not clear on signals from rider, if not fit enough for self carriage, or unbalanced at the time of "ask"
I would tend to work on general fitness, going off the leg, transitions up and down at the trot, walk and halt, and when all that has sharpened up over maybe three or four sessions, think about the canter.
The main thing is to first ensure horse is going straight at his trot pace, and will respond to your leg aid to hold him out as he will fall in in the corners [all horses do this], you may also need outside rein.
Start on his grid work with cross poles, trot in [poles about a metre apart], canter out, so the muscles are building up without either of you worrying about "the aids"
Once you have him trotting in to a cross pole, put a pole on the ground before and after the fence, about 6 paces away I think, so he has to think about balance before and after the fence, all you have to do is make sure you aim for the centre of the poles. This exercise is done at the canter, but is not meant to be exciting for the horse, all he has to think about is keeping a stride to avoid the poles.
My boy is a trotter cross and will not canter on the lunge [unless in take off mode], I often use long reins to try to even out his stiff side before a short ridden session.
I don't use outside leg, only inside leg on girth, as he dislikes the distraction of the outside leg, and started fly kicking when certain riders tried that.
101 Exercises for Jumping is an excellent book as it gives so many little exercises all designed to produce a forward going and balanced horse.
 
Last edited:
Given her history she's really a baby in terms of ridden work, & a lot of babys find it easier to run into canter at first. If she does it well on the lunge then that will help improve her overall balance anyway. I'm going to go against the grain though & say ridden wise, stick to straight lines, preferably out hacking or at least somewhere big enough to allow her time to run in & then canter straight. It's just a balance issue, so trying it in a circle will just make it harder for her. It's really just a case of practice.
 
littlelegs said:
Given her history she's really a baby in terms of ridden work, & a lot of babys find it easier to run into canter at first. If she does it well on the lunge then that will help improve her overall balance anyway. I'm going to go against the grain though & say ridden wise, stick to straight lines, preferably out hacking or at least somewhere big enough to allow her time to run in & then canter straight. It's just a balance issue, so trying it in a circle will just make it harder for her. It's really just a case of practice.
Click to expand...
The OP wants to school the horse in a confined space, but I agree with above, as she will probably do it nicely out on a hack, and will enjoy a relaxed canter on a grass track.
It depends on how easy she works on the lunge, if not happy to canter in a relaxed manner, this indicates discomfort in that pace.
I would always mix hacking and school work, but that may be because I prefer hacking, and one can ask for the canter at the exact moment the horse has impulsion and balance, To me these early canters are best enjoyed in the forest, with an obvious track to canter on, no need to worry about a little kick behind as the horse sorts its legs out. I would never want to "run" into a transition.
a horse that has been out of work for such a long time may need 4 to 6 months to build up balance and muscles, also mental conditioning.
 
Last edited:
My youngster is the same, so instead we have been practising our canter outdoors on a straight bridleway. much more balanced in a straight line than on a circle. Planning on a few more weeks out hacking then will try her in the school again.
 
Miss l toe - with a green horse i'm not overly fussed if when I first ask for canter I get a few strides of slightly too fast trot first, it doesn't become habit if its allowed while the horse learns for a short period of time, any more than a tiny buck does if they do that at first either. I'd come back to a balanced trot if it carried on & then ask again. But in a 20x40 arena there's only the longside with that space. If the op really feels she'd prefer an enclosed space then a field is better than a smaller school. Re the lunging, I thought the op said she canters ok on the lunge so just thought doing a bit more can only help.
 
Thanks for all your replies!
Went and tried tonight, had some raised trot poles, and asked for canter over these, then cantered straight to end of school before asking for trot. Was much better, and worked a lot on transitions before hand to get her off the leg.
Am happy to canter in field or we have woods near us, just slightly worried re brakes and control! Am sure she would be fine though!
 
If you want to try it out hacking is there a sensible horse to go with you? If you are with another even if you're worried about brakes she'll slow down when the other does. If not try it in a field. Even when I've had a school, I only use it when the ground requires it, schooling is so much easier & fun in a field. Glad it went better for you.
 
Yes there is someone we can go with, there is also a bridle way on an incline, so could try up there and she will be tired by the top!
Thanks for all the advice :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top