Short, Choppy Canter

[Coblover63]

I have a traditional cob mare who is about 9. She is not a ploddy cob by any means and tries hard for me. When in the school and she is working in a correct she tracks up really nicely at walk and trot, but canter is a work in progress still. She is a chunky girl and is still unbalanced so finds it difficult to hold a frame, even when my RI is on her. I understand that this will take practise - and muscle development, but her canter strides are actually very short - she is nowhere near tracking up.... it's very ugly to look at, if I'm honest, and bouncy to ride. Obviously it will take time and patience for her to improve but I also realise that all horses have a different canter style - some have a big knee action, some are floaty, etc. I'm just wondering whether I can ever hope to encourage her to stretch out at canter.... whether I can every hope to enter a dressage test that isn't just walk and trot?

For the record, I don't have any videos of her cantering whilst out hacking, so I don't know if it's just working in the school that she finds difficult (as is quite common with heavy cobs). It doesn't feel hugely different in either situation, to be honest, although I know that's not always a good indicator.

Has anyone got any words of encouragement, please?

 

[emilylou]

I'd take her out hacking in some nice open fields with another horse and get her moving forwards. Then later you can work on shortening and lengthening the canter on a straight line and then bring her into the arena. Some horses find cantering in a small space very difficult

 

[rabatsa]

What is her canter like when loose in a field? If it is short then you will not get it ridden.

 

[ForeverBroke_]

What is her canter like if you take a light seat? With mine when he gets a bit tight over his back/through his topline (SI issues) I pop into jump seat in both trot and canter and it really helps him swing/let go a bit. When you get a nice moment you can slowly sit back down and start to integrate it into their way of going.

 

[Coblover63]

What is her canter like when loose in a field? If it is short then you will not get it ridden.

Thank you, I hadn't thought of this! Yeah, it's not good, so I think I'll drop the idea of dressage!

 

[milliepops]

um.. i do think you can improve a horse's natural paces with correct training. what you see in the field isn't the finished product. Don't give up, you will not turn her into a loose and prancy warmblood but provided there's nothing physical going on you can certainly teach her to move with more elasticity and softness.

if she's tight and unbalanced at the moment, that is going to limit what she can offer for now, but if you can work on that I think you will find her canter improves as you go along.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Does her canter feel short and choppy when you are hacking?

 

[Roxylola]

You can improve the pace with correct work, it's not a lost cause. She might never get to PSG but there's no reason she cant do some dressage for you