Canter question

[molly1973jade]

Hi all

Have been riding for just over a year and have recently mastered canter. I have a group lesson on a Saturday and this week as off work and love riding so much thought I would have a private lesson.

I have not cantered at all when on my own and this time when in canter I could not get the horse to stop. In my group lesson I find it easy as they just ride to the back of ride and the only thing I have to concentrate on is keeping the horse in canter and balance. Has anyone else had this when they have had a group lesson and then a lesson on their own. Am having another private lesson next week to practice this downward transition.

At least I am not scared when the horse doesnt stop though:o

[Gruntfuttock]

i always have private lessons as my RS doesn't do group lessons, so can't help you on the group element of your question. However, occasionally the horse i ride in my lessons gets a bit over-excited when we canter (he's a funny old chap!) and decides he isn't going to stop. The first time he did this, i felt a bit worried, but then i decided that if he was going to play silly sods, I could do it too, so I stopped trying to stop him, and concentrated on really sitting down into the canter and moving with it. After we'd done a couple of circuits of the school, i could feel him settling down a bit , and brought him back in to trot.

the thing is, if they are cantering in the school, there is nowhere they can really go, so if you just sit tight, and concentrate on being nice and deep in the saddle, eventually the horse will realise that it might as well stop.

Do you do half-halts in your lessons? I find that a half-halt or two is the best way to bring him back listening to me, if it feels like he might not want to stop, and then he is more amenable to transitioning when asked. So sit down deep into the saddle, close legs, close fingers, lean back ever so slightly. That should hopefully remind him that there is someone on his back that he ought to be lsitening to.

Best of luck, and enjoy your private lessons. i find I get much more out of a half hour private than I ever do out of an hour's group.

[kiwigirl]

Yes I am much more of a fan of the privates than group (actually going to start a thread on this!)
My group experience of cantering is one after the other blatting down the middle or side of the arena - horses very excited and sometimes feel like they want to race each other! So intially (and stupidly) I would hold on for dear life and took it for granted they would stop! Luckily they did although there were moments of canter to almost halt that could of resulted in me flying out of the saddle!
In my private lesson I have had the good luck to have a lunge lesson at canter - this was life changing! From this I realised I could sit to the canter without holding reins or even stirrups. This then gave me more confidence when doing transitions from canter to trot. Initially it was always a bit messy with me pulling of the reins and hoping for the best. But now I can almost get them back to trot right when I want to.
I have also learnt half-halts which have been really useful to slow the excited canter or prevent them breaking into.
All I can say is like you I had no sense of me actually slowing the horse, but know I feel I am in control - so you will get there.
I am still I little scared of canter on hacks in case I can't bring them back to trot so need to get out and do more of these to build my confidence. One of my canter hacks was very much stop when the horse in front does. My most recent I was the only one on a horse on a beach and had lots of time to experiment canter/trot/canter - great to feel that control.
Oh and just one last thing- suggeswt maybe canter/trot transitions - I did this, this week and was great for really knowing if you can do that downward transition.

[Joyscarer]

I would get a couple of private lessons. You ride for less time but get more attention on you so it is very worthwhile. :)

[molly1973jade]

Thanks everyone. Am going to have some more private lessons as feel learn more

[Joyscarer]

Thanks everyone. Am going to have some more private lessons as feel learn more

Hey good luck with it and keep us posted won't you ;) :D