Terrified to canter ; (

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Carolina24

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OK so those who have read my previous posts know I only started riding in April and have my horse and have been taking lessons on him once a week. Well I only got my horse in August and we get on fine, I can walk, trot have good posture and can cope with little spooks he has if we're out but when it comes to canter I am absolutely terrified. I feel physically sick just writing this as everytime I try to canter I either get just a fast trot or a gallop which both end up with limited steering and me feeling frightened and upset.

My instructor is adament I need to keep trying but it scares me so much and I have a lesson on Thursday and can't sleep for fear of when he asks me to canter. I have a young girl who is riding after school once a week for me now it's dark nights and she is really good at riding and has no issues with getting my boy to canter which actually is making me jealous which is stupid I'm a grown woman for crying out loud but I hate not been able to Canter and feel I'm failing! any advice ?
 
Sounds like you are just giving the wrong aids :)
If you are nervous, the chances are you will be leaning forward, not asking as "positively" as you would do for e.g trot, and you are probibily holding him back a bit with your reins, and possibibily gripping with your legs. Hence the either running trot or gallop.

(We all do it, I have done it and still do, after 16 years of riding!!)

Try trotting poles. Trot over the first few then ask for canter over the last one. Hopefully this will help his transition, and if it becomes a smoother transition, you will become more relaxed therefore sitting in a better position and asking more positively :)

ETA: Have you cantered this horse before? If not, ask the girl who rides for you, how she asks for canter. What her exact aid is and get her to demonstrate it. It could be his aid is different to what you are used to :)
 
Live in the moment - fear is always about the future. Sing to yourself the theme from carousel (dah da da DAH, dada dah dah dah DAh....) and imagine yourself on a fairground carousel horse. Go onto a 20 metre circle in trot, keep your elbows against your sides. Imagine that your legs are the grab from one of those fairground machines where you have to catch a toy and carry it to the hopper (but the grab always drops the toy!). Lift up with your "grab", make a windscreen wiper motionm with your outside leg and as you go into canter keep singing! You can't collapse forwards because the carousel pole is there in front of you, keeping you still and safe and going up... up... up. Just do a couple of bars from Carousel, then just close your outside hand in a fist and you'll be back in trot. And triumphant!

Good luck. Been there myself - and currently won't even trot my baby horse! (although when he does go into trot, I don't mind - just worried about pushing him beyond his ability to balance my weight!)

There's a woman called Jane Savoie who has produced a programme called Freedom from Fear which you could google, but try singing first. You may feel daft, but singing makes you breath and stops you from freesing into a terrified ball.
 
Why not have a few lessons on the lunge, that way you can get comfortable with the feel of canter without having to worry about steering.

I've been riding for 30 years and still like a lunge lesson occassionally to iron out bad habits, works wonders for your seat postion.
 
You are making canter a really big deal and it is gnawing away at you, your instructor should be building your confidence and going at your pace not giving you sleepless nights.

I would start doing some pole work with you gradually raising one in the hope that your horse would just pop over into canter without you asking or having time to worry, I have several techniques I use with children in similar situations, one being the small jump , another just getting a fast trot until the horse breaks, the idea being you are aiming for as fast a trot as you can , then oh look your cantering. I know you are an adult but the issues are the same, you worry, get tense and the horse will not go into a steady canter.

Otherwise I would lunge you to get you going, your instructor may not have enough experience or patience for you, consider a change, even just for one lesson you may find that helps.

Above all dont worry you will get there at your own pace there is no reason to rush.
 
You are not alone hun! I've got a new mare on loan and had her for a whole week coz I was terrified to canter on her - she's far more forward going than anything I've ever ridden before and I was afraid to let her go in case she wouldn't come back to hand!!

SO I went on a training ride with my instructor yesterday; and we cantered!!! I think that once you learn to relax you'll actually enjoy canter FAR more than trot which is a blimmin uncomfortable gait at the best of times.

Ask your instructor for a really safe, straightforward schoolmaster type horse. Different horses have different sorts of canter, what you need is a nice, pleasant rocking canter which will give you a sense of security.

Ditto what others have said re. lunge lesson in the school: BUT IME there's nothing like going out for a hack and having a nice canter. But initially, I wouldn't go in a group which hoons along like crazy; ask your instructor to take you out solo and find a nice uphill place going away from home where you can safely canter and where he/she can keep an eye on you to make sure you're OK.

Go for it!!!
 
I think you should try to look for an instructor who specialises in dealing with nervous riders or riders that have had a confidence knock.

A lot of instructors do not really understand the very specifics needs of someone who is nervous or genuinely afraid of something to do with horses - but also desperate to achieve that goal. This is not to criticise your instructor, I'm sure he/she is very good indeed but working with riders who have a 'block' or 'fear' is a very specific area.

Canter is really not that important, if you do not want to do it just yet, then don't. Riding is supposed to be about ENJOYING achieving goals not pushing yourself to do something that you don't feel ready to do. You are not failing if you do not canter, there are a million and one things that you can work on in the walk and trot until you feel more at home and confident and ready to start cantering. The desire to canter should come from YOU (and it will in time if you take things slow and lay off yourself a bit!) not from trying to obey your instructor or ride like some other girl at the yard.

Please enjoy yourself on your new horse and don't let yourself get trapped in the cycle of trying to achieve more than you feel ready for and then beating yourself up when you dont. [hugs]
 
Ditto all the above!
I had the tummy dipping feeling on my old horse and a bit on my next horse...I was thinking all sorts ofthings. Have you actually watched the girl or your instructor canter? It helped me to actually see someone else doing it.
Also went out on a hack with my instructor to combat the canter block and bucking issues as well! She pointed out the things I was doing wrong and was right there shouting at me - dont hold her...let her get in to canter for a start without tensing your hands...she cant actually canter and she will have a different canter to your old horse...get on with it!!!
Don't worry about it...dont make it an issue - think positive things...dont over-pushyourself there is no rush to achieve this, once you have it it will be marvellous and you wont look back!
I got jealous when others did it which did spur me on to do it myself as well!!
Good luck!
 
Gluttonforpunishment said:
Why not have a few lessons on the lunge, that way you can get comfortable with the feel of canter without having to worry about steering.

I've been riding for 30 years and still like a lunge lesson occassionally to iron out bad habits, works wonders for your seat postion.
Click to expand...

agree with this. A lunge lesson - perfect idea - it is like driving in a dual contol car - almost :)
Also you may be tipping forward as suggested without realising it. Try and get someone to video you if even on a phone so you can replay it. Good luck, stay positive.
 
If I were you I'd change instructors or have an honest chat with the one you've got. I was frightened to canter for months. We concentrated on sitting trot and once I'd mastered that and felt secure with and without stirrups the step to canter was easy because I was able to give the correct aids without losing balance or leaning forward.
 
Oh i had to answer this because you could be me!!!
I love to trot - especially when he goes fast so just no sense to me actually fearing the canter which i did and do!
Ive done it twice now - most successfully was with a very trusted fellow livery. On a huge flat playing field ( i know naughty but needs must)
She was in front on her trusted steed - me and my cob behind - we went - 4 steps rsing trot - forur steps sitting then canter!!!!
I was so worried about the feel of it - worried i woudl fall, wouldnt be able to sit it - but my friend had her head back ot us all the time watching us, reminding me to sit straight - move with his back - ok i was very naughty and didnt "ask" for canter - my cob followed hers - but it was a start - i did it!
I felt safe, felt the rhythm and didnt fall off!
Its all about stages - im 45 so was so bloody worried - now we will work on me asking him for it - but in that straight field, with a freind i totally trusted who watched us the whole time - with her cob who i also trusted - it just worked!
Its horrible to do it for first time- another thing that helped me - i watched vidieos of riders cantering - its really not much quicker than a fast trot - just a differetn rhythm
OOO good luck - we will get there - and when you do do it - wow the feeling!!!
I was buzzing for days!!!
 
Lots of good advice already...agree with what has been said about a lesson on the lunge, so that you maybe don't have to worry about the control/steering etc so much and can just focus on sitting to the rhythm to start off with.

I had my boy a good few months before starting to do much canter work - you're not alone, and you will get there in the end! It doesn't matter how long that takes as long as you're enjoying your boy in the mean time :)
 
I would second the person who suggested finding out the exact canter aids for your horse - my horse has slightly different canter aids to some, and if you put your outside leg back on him he has no idea that it means canter. Also you could try voice aids - that can help with a lot of horses.

If you are worried about cantering your own horse, you could try a couple of riding school lessons on a very safe horse just to concentrate on canter.
 
Why do you have to canter?
As an experienced instructor, I would get you 'cantering' on a trampoline, and going through the movements of canter on an exercise ball.
Then I'd get you to a riding school and sit on an absolute school master canter machine - and they do exist.
But only when you felt that the time was right.
Lots of people feel scared and are scared of the canter, so why do it? You don't need to, so wait - one day you will be ready.
Does your instructor have something to prove?
 
Agree with the others that it should definitely be about you enjoying the work with your horse and there isn't a time limit on when you should be able to canter. It's completely up to you and when you feel comfortable!
I promise when you do finally get there you will wonder what all the fuss is about! I think canter is easier and more comfortable to sit than sitting trot! I think you will be pleasantly surprised! And again... There's no rush at all! Good luck! X
 
Started riding in april...... what's the rush to canter about on a horse you have only had since august, you can't force it, slowly slowly to catch a monkey I think the saying goes.
 
thanks everyone for your comments on this glad to hear I'm not alone with this and that everyone or a lot of people have similar fears or hang ups. I called my instructor last night and told him how I felt I explained that it's making me nervous and worried and that I would like to just practice sitting trot and no stirrups for a while to get my balance and get back into enjoying the school work.
I did watch my instructor and this other girl ride but can't really see what there doing there's no kick as such or sudden leg movement so they must be just squeezing harder which obviously I can't see. ... I have my lesson on Thursday so I'll let you all know how I get on! or off as the case may be! xx
 
I agree with what others have said lunge lessons are great :) also don't rush it will come in time but to be honest you sound like you are confused about the canter aids to give your horse, if this is the case I would agree with others and find another instructor who will build your confidence up, if you are confused about how to ask that's only going to build up tension when you are asked to canter
 
Then dont, well not yet any way. It will come in time but for now I would work on sitting trot and trotting in two point position, then when you do canter you will have a better seat and will be able to keep your self out the saddle if you want as two point is harder in trot than canter so if you can do it in trot you can do it in canter and dont have to worry about the diffrent movment.

A friends daughter was terrified of cantering so we were working on her two point position and I showed her how to bridge her reins so she could use the pony to help her balance without pulling his mouth. Then I had been riding the pony so had made sure the canter 'buttons' were easy and had her two point in trot with her reins bridged then told her to swing her leg back. The pony popped in to a lovely little canter and she has never looked back. Being two point ment she didnt have to worry about the movment of the canter as that will come and now has for her. Not conventional but she had been riding for years and had a real mental block and was so happy to be cantering I still get messages from her telling me that she has cantered out on a hack.

Just a few suggestions they may not work but it gives you some things to think about, you havnt been riding long so I wouldnt be worring just yet but maybe ask your instructor to slow it all down a bit and get the foundations stronger.
 
I know how you feel, I lost my confidence big time a few months after getting George (who is my first horse), he was scared by some dogs on a hack and I came off and he ran off into the road - we were both fine, except I was scared to hack full stop and cantering in the school was a huge deal and just the thought of it sometimes reduced me to tears :(

My instructor was amazingly patient, and little by little we started to canter on our lessons, and sometimes if I couldn't manage, she would canter George and I found it really helped to watch him going along steadily :) for a long time I felt guilty but realised it didn't matter if we just walked, and so long as George got enough exercise he really didn't care.

With the hacking I just started off walking routes in hand with him, then my OH would ride his bike alongside whilst I rode in walk.

Now forward wind 3 1/2 years, I just love to canter :D this year we did our first one day event, and for the first time I galloped across stubble fields. Oh I still get nervous, but the thrill of doing it is the best :)

I think what I'm trying to say is give it time, don't feel you have to do anything, and find an instructor who is sympathetic to your confidence issues.

Good luck :)
 
Agree with lunge lessons.
If there is anywhere near you that has a "mechanical" horse then you could try that to get the feeling and learn to relax and sit in the saddle.

As some of the posts here have said, to get into canter you need to slow down, otherwise you just hare off at a very fast trot.
I found it helpful to begin with walk to canter transitions. This will teach you about placement of your weight into the correct seatbone, instead of trying to manage the pace of the trot.

As others have said, don't push it. You will know when its the right time. Otherwise you will just produce more tension in your body which will confuse your horse.

Lastly, try taking some rescue remedy before your lesson. It will calm you down without dulling your senses like alcohol (but then I remember that I always ski better in the afternoon after a little drink at lunchtime, hey hey) :-)
 
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