Tips for Canter

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ChestnutHunter

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I've recently bought a new horse and he's 17.1, much more horse than the horses I'm used to bringing on and schooling and although he is 7 he has very much got the basic schooling of a 4 year old. His walk and trot are really coming on and he is soft and round but in canter he often wrong legs etc and is so unbalanced, running through the contact, breaking to trot, that kind of thing. I'm looking for exercises to help him balance as although circles and transitions are great, they are leaving him slightly rushed and confused at the moment!
 
Big horses especially can find it really difficult to canter on a circle, or even in the school. What I do with my youngsters (albeit smaller) is teach canter on hacks. Once the aids are established on hacks and the horse is relaxed, forwards and balanced, I ask for canter in the school, but I ask as they are coming out of the short side and can stretch along the long side. I then bring them back to trot before the next corner, rebalance along the short side and ask again coming up to the long side. Eventually as they become more balanced the canter can continue a bit further and eventually ask, before the short side. I would only introduce circles when they are fully balanced along the short side.

Another thought is to lunge and then as the horse arrives at the long side ask for canter and run with the horse along the long side, asking for trot at the end. Circles can be hard.
 
My big 16:3 youngester we went in light seat, fingers round neck strap and justil let his feet sort them selves out
Felt like he was broncing but he was just trying to work.out how to move. After he had gotten.balance we slowly sat down. It's easier for them to learn when you are out of the saddle.
 
Thanks - certainly need to do more hacking, weather has been atrocious in the North but will make it my mission to get out this weekend and get up some hills!
 
Some great advice, but wanted to add that try not to slow the canter down, let him bowl along. It may feel like the wall of death to start with, but it will come in time, and lots of cantering up hills out hacking - he sounds fab :)
 
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