Canter Lessons

[kiwigirl]

Just curious of whats ahead of me. Once the lessons start focusing on canter what to you generally do. Is it like the trotting stuff eg - no stirrup, circle work etc or do most people learn just cantering around and around the arena?

[RustyMary]

I guess it depends on the RS. We've been doing months of work in walk and trot, learning to steer properly until it's automatic, with the theory that now we've started cantering the basics should all be there, just a bit faster! I've been cantering for a few weeks and am finding it really difiicult to get into it, so we are working on transitions from sitting trot to canter and from walk to canter (which I find a lot easier for some reason). I'll keep you posted what happens next! :D

[horseygirl123]

Just curious of whats ahead of me. Once the lessons start focusing on canter what to you generally do. Is it like the trotting stuff eg - no stirrup, circle work etc or do most people learn just cantering around and around the arena?

When i first started canterring in the school, for the first few weeks we just did lots of transition work, walk to canter, trot to canter, canter to trot etc.
Then as I progressed, we did 20m circles etc, same as you are doing in trot really.
No stirrup work in canter is fantastic, seemed scary at first but it really does help deepen your seat, and as you have no stirrups to rely on you really do get the feel of 'hugging your horse'

Sound like you are doing really well :)

[loopyh]

Hi When I started canter work we tried to do lots of transitions from trot to canter but it took me ages to be able to get the horse (same one every week) into canter. I still struggle to keep canter going once I've got it. I've only done walk to canter a couple of times but find it alot easier - I find it difficult to as for canter when trying to sit to the trot. Good luck with it you will love it when you do get there.

[luvinit]

i to am just starting to canter, so far all we've been focusing on is trying to get the horse to canter out of the circle on the right leg i personally find it difficult to get the timing right... sit down to the trot, bring the outside leg back coming into to the corner, balance, squeeze as you come out..

looking forward to getting it down pat as love the feeling of cantering

The other day the RI had me canter on a lunge, does anyone else find it as awful as i did... the whole nauseous feeling of going round and round quickly in a small circle trying to battle that as well as trying to balance and correct your position etc oh the frustrations :p

[horse_crazy]

yeah it's a bit weared cantering on a lunge, but very good for you. I find when cantering on a lunge, I slip over to the out side of the saddle because of the force pushing you that way .

[puppyjohn]

Hmm - Well, when I first cantered it was on a lunge, and seemed fine, but then i guess I didnt really have much to compare to. x

[Nazdaq]

Yeah, I think at my RS it goes: consistantly getting canter when I ask for it, maintaining the canter all the way around the arena, steering in canter (keeping pony on the track) then we start with 20m circles at canter. Thats as far as I have watched other people progress with canter, and I haven't gotten there yet, so I don't know what's after that! Hope that helps. :D

[Kng5]

Well, nobody really ever taught me to canter, but I just wanted to try it. ANd so I tried on my sister's Arabian. It was kind of scary at first, because the gait is different...I thought I was going to fall off. But then she told me to stand him in the stirrups, and it was much easier. I don't know if that's right, but it worked for me.