Teaching Balanced Canter

[UnaB]

Hi There,

My progress with my 4yr old mare is going really well, but we have one little issue I need help with!! A bit of background for those who dont know me or my horse.... She is a 16hand friesian, just turned 4. I have never backed a horse myself before (did a lot of schooling for showjumping/eventing when I was younger!) and bought her as much as a project for myself as anything else. I started backing her in December and have done everything really slowly, im in no rush at all so however long everything takes for her to be comfortable with is fine by me, im not wanting to push her.

Anyway, so far we hack out most days and she is perfect, 100% in all of the traffic and has the most wonderful manners, I cant fault her. I've only worked in walk and trot so far and both are very good, although i struggle not to be thrown off when she goes into trot as its such a BIG trot lol We recently (the last week) have started practicing cantering on hacks. She goes into canter nicely when asked and will do a beautiful balanced canter in a straight line. One problem we have encountered is that she really struggles to canter in a circle, no matter how big. She falls in through her shoulder and breaks into trot and then struggles to get back into canter on the circle. Friesians are known for having trouble in canter, but i am really hoping to have a go at jumping with her so getting a nice, controlled, balanced canter is very important.

If anyone has any tips or exercises we can use to improve her canter that would be great. Before I start jumping her I plan to have some lessons with her, but if this is something I can do on my own for the moment that would be much better!!!

Thanks.

 

[galaxy]

can she canter on the lunge?

Only other tip is to not ask her to canter for too long. Ask for a quarter of a circle first, then back to trot when you ask, then build it up to half, etc etc.

 

[MrsMozartletoe]

She will find it hard to circle or go round bends in canter, she's still a baby and learning to balance herself with your weight on .

Lots of long straight canters on hacks will build up her muscles and her balance - don't ask for anything in the school yet. When you do, get the canter as you come out of the short end (this will help with getting the correct lead), then drop back to trot before the next bend.

As she is young, you want her to go freely and willingly into the canter - she's not at the stage where she can collect and balance and do all those things you're asking of her.

 

[UnaB]

Thanks for the replies!

I have not asked her to canter on the lunge as I have been advised it is not a good idea to lunge a youngster as the circle is so small it would put too much pressure on her joints. She can do a lovely balanced canter in the school whilst free schooling though.

The indoor school at my yard is very small and doesnt have the best surface for a clumsy youngster (my very sure footed 14.2 connie struggles on it sometimes!!) so I have not done any work in there beyond just getting her used to having a rider on board and learning walk - trot transitions. I have been doing all of the schooling on hacks as she is very relaxed on a hack and we can just do it as and when we find a suitable area, rather than spending half an hour solidly schooling!

MrsMozart - That reply was really helpful, thank you!! We have no trouble with striking off on the right lead (she will go on whichever I ask her, which i am very pleased with!!) and she is more than happy to go up and down her transitions with no argument at all. I guess maybe i am getting a bit ambitious and should just be happy with where we are!! I just keep reading about trainers who have 3 yr olds for 6 weeks and send them back already working walk/trot/canter balanced and correct and was worried that it was something I should have been teaching her sooner rather than later!!

Una loves a nice, sedate canter along the bridlepaths so I will just let her do that and build up her strength

 

[MrsMozartletoe]

Sounds like you are both already doing very well . Ignore what others are doing, do what's right for your lass and build a nice, firm foundation . It will pay you back tenfold in the long term . Keep enjoying your hacks .

Forgot to add: if you want to lunge, though your school surface doesn't sound brill for it, do it elliptically rather than a pure circle - I walk up and down the centre line of the school, which takes some of the strain off the inside legs .