Very strong after canter

M

Muffin61

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www.surrey-sounds.co.uk
I’m a novice rider and have just started to canter my mare who is an Irish draft X TB. She is generally well behaved and is lovely to trot; however once I canter her she becomes very strong and can break into canter without being given the aid. I am currently using a rubber hanging cheek snaffle. I was just wondering if this was a common problem. In trot I often get her to circle a few times until she calms down again. Any advice would be appreciated as I’m very much a new man to horse riding.
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Do you have lessons on her? Your instructor would be able to advise you on whether your riding is affecting the horse running into canter or a change of bit.

Must say, I like the sound of your horse. Any pictures to share? I'm beginning to dream of owning an ID or ID cross in the future.
 
Yes I have been taking lesons on her and I have already corrected a habbit of gripping with my knees, I just think she gets full of energy. I have tried a harsher bit which helped and ride her with a harbridge to stop her lifting up her head too much. I just think she loves to canter.....
 
It sounds to me like she's either anticipating what you're going to ask her (ie - you've cantered, therefore you'll want her to canter again and she's trying to anticipate you asking her) or she's getting a bit giddy and enjoying cantering - so once she's brought back to trot she's thinking yay let's canter again!

Sounds like you're doing well and if you're having lessons you can ask your instructor if you can work on this problem - but what Id concentrate on is lots of transitions - to and from paces and within the paces - getting her more on your aids and listening to you - also - when cantering I'd be tempted to work on the transition to canter from walk or trot, working on engaging the hind leg and asking for a good transition - cantering a few strides before bringing her back to trot - then work on trot walk trot transitions - then cantering again - I wouldnt just canter her around and around as she's just going to get herself giddy - work on getting her listening to you.
Hope this helps
Kate x
 
We need a bit more information before we can suggest more solutions, although H's mum has some great advice.
How old is your mare....what has she done before....and how much cantering (on other horses) have you done?
S
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When you cantered were you out in a field or in an enclosed area.

If open fields then its often excitement. Or maybe you may still be gripping with your legs which will push her forward.

When we first start cantering we do out of self preservation try and grip with something.

As Shilasdair says we need more information.
 
Flowerlady,

as I'm a novice I mainly ride in an enclosed school and only walk her on a track that runs around the stables (1/3 mile trotting track) I would love to feel confident enough to canter when out on a hack (eventually) but not if she is going to be too strong to get back into trot and walk safely. I know I have lots to learn but slowly and safely is my aim.
 
Ok, I reckon you need to relax a little about canter...as if you are tense, you tend to tip forward (which will unbalance your mare a little), grip with your legs (which tells her to go faster), and shorten up your reins whilst stiffening your arms and shoulders (which can make her pull, to get some give for her neck).
I suggest you stop thinking about canter as faster (it isn't much faster than a decent trot) and start thinking of it as a change in leg sequence.
Exercises in the school to help this - walk on a 20m circle, then take rising trot, do a few downwards transitions to walk, making sure you do a few beats of sitting trot as you do. Then go from walk to halt, then halt direct to sitting trot a few times. This is all to make sure your horse is listening to you.
Then trot on the 20m circle, and ask for canter - but only do two canter strides before going forward to trot again...as you do so, sing Nellie the Elephant (seriously
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) to stop you breath-holding. As you ask for canter, try to do nothing very much, just think it...and take your inside hand forward as she canters, and stroke her neck. Two strides then trot, and repeat. Try this as an exercise for a couple of weeks added into your schooling. Don't go large in canter.
When you are at the point where you can canter-trot-canter-trot, and she feels bored, and you feel calm, then try to do half a circle in canter....then a whole circle.
When out hacking, try to do two strides of canter up hill..if you have any hills...England seems quite short of them
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All the time, sit tall and straight, sing Nellie, and try to be soft with your hands (it takes two to pull
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)
Hope this helps you.
S
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Sorry completely off topic (re: 2nd pic), but why do you need to 'check' your droppings, before removing them!!!!
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I took that to mean "check for droppings" and remove them if your horse had been for a potty break during schooling.
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Just had a thought...


Does she do this when others ride her, or is it something she saves just for you? Might be interesting to see your instructor on board to see how your horse reacts under her riding.
 
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She is a lovely mare, very gentle, never bucks or rears up, can spook now and again but won't swing round or run off. I love her to bits and she's all mine....
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Don't worry, you're too far away from me for any risk of me poaching her from you.
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