Slowing the canter down!

R

RachelMcTimoney

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www.mctimoney4animals.com
Wondered if anyone has any tips in collecting the canter with a young horse...well slowing it down somewhat!

In the last month she has noticeably improved loads and when she is behaving can canter 20m circles comfortably on both reins and keep the same lovely steady rhythm down the long sides.

However some days, like today, she just hoons along and i cannot get her any sense out of her and it is so frustrating, i try to use my body to slow her down and if i use more rein, and release again she goes quicker usually! does anyone have any tips/exercises to collect her and get her up in front?

her upwards transitions are excellent trot-canter as are her direct transitions walk-canter

afraid haven't got any cantering pics but attaching a couple others....
she is 6 but only been ridden 1 year nearly and has done two prelims, last one 64% and came 3rd in massive class!

thanks!
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The thing is you want to collect the canter but keep its elevation. It's hard for an older horse, let alone a young one!

It's difficult to answer without knowing the horse but if you want a more even rythm without taking the risk of suppressing the elevation in the canter, i'd work on ground poles at the canter.
The other thing, if you want your horse to do well, is to work on transitions within the gate ( working trot-collected trot-working trot ) making sure your horse is absolutely straight and on both reins.
When you get to that, in a relaxed way, it;ll be easier at the canter.

Hope this helps! Good luck.
 
i'd try to get her in a slight shoulder-fore position, and do lots of half-halts and transitions, and transitions within the canter... send her on for a few strides to let her let off a bit of steam, but then bring her back, so she gets the idea that YOU are in charge of the accelerator, not her. lifting and bringing back the upper body can help, too. spiralling in and out on a circle is a good one, slight leg yield across to the track in canter, all things to increase her engagement which will help her balance etc.
 
I have the same problem with my 5 year old, with the added problem that when she gets particularly unbalanced or finds things difficult she changes legs behind! I have found that lunging on a circle with two reins helps her - having two reins means stops her leaning on the inside rein so much for balance and she has to learn to carry herself in canter on a relatively small circle without the added weight and complication of a rider (especially one like me who doesn't always manage to sit straight!) I do very short bursts as she can't hold it for long, just a circle at a time then back to trot, but she is getting better. I also found hillwork helped her a lot, trotting and cantering - uphill will strengthen her quarters so she can take more weight behind, downhill will teach her to find her own balance without relying on your hand. This is assuming you have a) hills (I don't any more
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and b) a decent surface that isn't a road!
 
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