some advice with regards to cantering

marley and danni

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Hi past 8weeks iv been bringing my tb bk into work hes very green but wrking well in walk and trot nt in a constant outline but were getting there he can shorten and lengthen....trouble is the camter i cnt shorten it to much... hes got a massive long strided canter and struggles to cme dwn on the bit....iv tried shortening it by sitting up tall and leg leg le but this only wrks to am extent and then he breaks into a trot....i do have some spurs lieing arou.d do u think its worth whipping them on on to back up my leg when im asking for shortend canter?
 
If he's very green & not working consistently in canter yet I wouldn't bother working on lengthening or shortening the stride just yet. Sounds like you just need to work on getting a good established canter at the moment.
 
Why force him if he can't yet do it? Canter muscles are very different from trot and walk. Build up some canter muscles on the lunge first so he can learn to balance, build up his abs and his back muscles.
 
Thanks for the reply hes got a gd established canter alreay very powerful and forward but he will mt cme.off his forehand unless a jumps infront.of him... he was like this before he was out of work. he also lunges nicley x
 
Sorry but 'struggles to come down', green, & on the forehand aren't things that really imply his canter is established yet. Do you have an instructor who could help you? Spurs are for refining aids, rather than creating impulsion.
 
how about doing some canter poles to help him learn to balance his canter better? Also lots of short sharp bursts of canter are great, preferably on a circle. Also if he can cope with it walk to canter can help them to get the hang of a more balanced canter.
 
Im.proberly nt making it cme across very well. hes established in all.gates he walk to canter walk and so on does canter poles well and engages his hind in walk and trot but struggles in canter. I say hes green because iv only been really schooling him the last 4months properly. i know itbdoesnt happen over night and i do have an intructor i dont lack impulsion when.i dnt have rein contact....when itake more rein and half hold to bring him.down he doesnt.respond.to my leg much and seems to either nt understand or struggling.to do it....he is very willing out on a hack hes on the bit all the time wlk trot amd canter . he can leg yeild half pass turn.on forehand im just struggling to get the canter right now.

iv had this horse over a year slowly schooling him so he knows what aids r and refining them and now i want.to compete him seriously so would like him to work propery.in canter. hes also worked 3 times a week in a pessoa for 20minz


thanks
 
Sounds like he's just a bit unbalanced and maybe doesn't have the muscle yet to be able to come back to you. Also, he's a TB, which are bred to lengthen, not shorten. Could you please have some mercy on us oldies and not use text-speak? It is very difficult to get the gist of what you're trying to say, and harder for you to express yourself, I should imagine.
 
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