I think I have confused my poor horse?

[vicky31]

Hi, not been on for a while, just moved house, Nightmare!!
I have taken things really slow with my big boy. Started to introduce canter about 3 months ago, he is 6, have been working towards striking on the correct leg and getting him together and trying to keep it together. His canter is coming on well, nice and relaxed now and even really working from behind and nice and light in front. compared to lunge on to the forehand and canter on a ridiculous angle, got over this by doing walk to canter transistions. So you ask whats the problem?
He is very light to the leg, moving over one way much easier than the other. when I ask for canter on the right rein from trot, I sit slightly back, apply inside leg and flick the outside back, he goes into canter nice and collected fabulous. However I do the exact same thing on the left rein and as i apply the inside leg he tries to leg yield, throwing his balance off and there fore when asking for canter goes on the right lead and not the left.
This is not the only problem, we now ONLY do a very slow collected trot, again a soon as I apply the slightest amount of leg to lengthen his stride he goes in to canter, on the right lead of course. AAAAHHHHH, Feel like an idiot, taught my baby horse a big wrong lesson, how do I undo it?This has only been happening the last week or so.
Do you think a complete break from the school would help or do I forget canter for a while and just keep trying to keep him in trot to confuse him futher, I pull him up at the moment and he is getting very frustrated as he thinks he is doing what I have asked. Before canter his trot was fab, could really get him moving well, good powerful, uplifting strides without rushing if that makes sense. Help Please, Thanks in advance Vicky:o

[welshymad]

Hi maybe if you try taking him out on a hack with others and let him open up a bit, lots of young horses get stuffy in the school or try some pole work, variation in his work might be what he needs. hope this helps :)

[Fanshawe]

Might also be worth using the inside rein just before you ask with the legs- then he gets an extra signal to tell him which lead and that you want canter. Just do a double light half halt on inside rein only then apply leg. Also try to use less leg on the left rein canter- a strong inside leg pressure tends to mean move over and that might be what he thinks you are asking for. A short but firm rather than long firm pressure may do it. If he still does the move over/unbalancing thing then don't re-ask for canter again until you have him steady, balanced and with a slight inside bend.
As for trot try giving a half halt on both reins just before you ask him to increase his stride. To extend use inside leg when outside fore is going forward then outside leg when inside fore is going forward. As my instructor used to yell at me IN, OUT, IN, OUT! Do this for say 8 strides then stop with the extended trot leg aids (but use normal trot aids!)but don't apply rein and you may find that he comes back to a proper trot. Also as soon as you ask for trot and he does his first stride then give another small squeeze with the inside leg. Horses tend to go in to collected trot from walk unless you do this or you have a very forward going one! Several times of doing that transition with the extra ask as soon as you change gait should help him learn the difference.
By the way congrats on having taught him a lovely trot in the first place and caring so much. :)

[Marmite]

For the canter problem, I would say you need a little bit more outside leg to stop him stepping through from your inside one. This should spell it out a little bit more for him, still lift with your inside leg to get his ribcage to lift around and bend, feel on your inside rein, but make sure your outside leg is on fairly strongly to block the sideways movement. All horses have a worse rein, dont sweat it :)

As for the trot problem, have to tried long and low work with him, maybe if you let him just stretch the trot out a bit he might learn that there are different ways to stride the trot? TBH, Fanshawes advice about the extended trot leg aids and differentiating clearly for him from leg aids for canter and ones for trot is pretty much wati was thinking.

Good luck with it :)

[conkers]

hi Vicky31.
Sounds like you are doing really well but its amazing how you get one pace going well only to find another one goes awry!

I have two suggestions to try and help your horse to canter on the correct leg - they both worked for Connie.

Option 1 - pick up canter after leg yield. So if your horse is struggling with his left canter, leg yield from A to between B & M (hope I have my markers correct). This will get him thinking 'left'. When you then ask him to pick up left canter between M & C he is already balanced and thinking this way and (hopefully) he will pick up left canter.

Option 2 - Along a similar theme, do left Shoulder in from F to M and request canter between M & C. Again, the horse will already be balanced to the left and should find it easier to pick up a left canter lead.

Another advantage of using either of the above approaches is that the use of lateral work should help to collect your horse and make the canter transition easier.

Obviously, you can use this approach for the right rein as well, just reverse the instructions.

Afraid that I don't have any really suggestions as to how to prevent yor requests for lengthening being misinterpreted for a canter aid other than to ensure that you are applying your aids equally. You should also find that, if you manage to get him listening correctly to the canter aids he should be less likely to offer you canter when you don't want him to.

[vicky31]

Thanks for the replies. I understand the replies you have sent and will try them all. not on the same day. He is very responsive but as I am sure you all know, When you have a horse that only you have ridden, they take what you teach them as gospel and it is so frustrating sometimes.
Girl on the farm said " just keep hold of him and show him who is boss" Rah!!:mad: I dont want to be his boss, from the start he has always been so willing to please, he enjoyes the pats and good boys being yelled at him.
He is also 17'2 and shire x TB, so only one boss will come out of that fight,LOL:eek:. He also panics when pushed and goes in to a sweaty shaking mess god love him, so we have to be calm, calm, calm.:)
The amount of cigarettes that have been smoked during this 3 yr process is not funny lol.:rolleyes:
Will let you know the outcomes,Thanks very much again Vicky.:)

[vicky31]

Hi, little update for the lovely people with advice.
Stopped the canter training for a few days, working on trot to walk and walk to trot with lots of leg yield and shoulder in and quaters in, just getting him flexable and soft and working nice.
The lengthened stride has come back and the working trot all nice and together and relaxed ( thank god! thought all was lost lol) the left right left right tapping leg worked a treat although i cant do it with stirrups so back to ridding with none, prefer no stirrups to be honest. My seat and posture is better and i find I relax my shoulders better. I then thought ahhhh wonder if the canter is better with no stirrups? ;)and yes striking on correct leg, nice and together, light and bouncy.
So I have worked out my weight is obvious distributed much different with srtirrups putting too much weight down my leg and not enough in the seat.....mmmmmmm this could take some sorting out but hey found the answer just need to work on the problem.... Dont think you can do a dressage test with no stirrups? can you?? they will think i am mental!!
Thanks again everyone, you advice really helped, good luck to you, Vicky.:D