cantering downhill

[slh]

Happy new year everybody....

Can somebody advise me on cantering down hill?? I find it really difficult, it's as much as I can do to keep in the saddle, even though trying to control the horse as well!!

I'd like to do some cross country stuff eventually (once my cantering is sorted out..) but the horse I ride at the moment, it's as much as I can do to keep him in a slow canter when he touches soft ground so I always make sure I am on the flat or on an incline as that way I can control him when we go faster. I daren't try him going down a slope as I know I won't be able to stop him and I'll come off.

I went on a hack with the local riding school (thinking of practicing on a quieter horse) as I know some of their faster treks are quite good, and yes, there was a canter going downhill..but all the horses got excited and started racing each other (they'd been taken hunting the day previously!) and again, all I could do was hold the reins with one hand and the saddle with the other!! As it was a riding school pony it atomatically slowed once the ones in front did...but I know I'll have trouble if I'm on my own..

I've been looking for an enclosed track to practice on but all the slopes seem to go through open fields...any advice??

maybe part of my problem is that I tend to lean forward whilst cantering, especially when outdoors??

cheers

[anuvb]

I was always taught that unless completely avoidable it is safer for both you and the horse to keep their footing if you canter up hill only so until you are completely confident in your canter seat I would stick with this for the time being. Personally, if taking out a ride I would not ask even my most experienced ride to canter down hill, unless the slope is very shallow, as horses do tend to get giddy when in company and will try to race each other. Doing this on a down hill slope is a recipe for one horse to slip and hurt themselves.

Obviously cross country and other related disciplines asks for a level of sure-footedness which requires a horse to be able to canter down hill. Not all horses are really suitable and you need to know that you can control and collect your horse up beneath you in the canter. If you can't do this on the flat then you'll need further lessons before you try anything more advanced.

If you do want to practice your hill work then I would try in walk first leaning well back and sitting down on your seat bones (the amount of lean depends on the slope). Here you have to use your own judgement as to how steep the slope is and whether this is appropriate to be going down it in the first place. Doing it in walk will allow you to assess how sure footed your horse is and give them chance to practice where they put their feet in the walk. It will also reinforce the fact that you are in control in such situations. Leaning forward will lighten you seat and shift your weight on the horses back so is more likely to encourage them to go faster rather than slower.

The other thing you could also try once you have worked on it in walk is finding a bit of land where there is a slope in it (say a field at your yard) where you can start schooling your horse. For example I used to ride in a field where there was gentle slope I used to school in walk and trot on a circle in the field, in-corporating the slope into my circle, changing reins so that one way I was going up the slope and the next I was going down the slope. Once you can get your horse to listen to you can then start asking for canter combining your schooling with a little bit of what you're aiming for in the long run.

[Nickie]

I am of the same mind as anuvb. I didn't think that you were supposed to canter downhill at all, however, saying that, I can appreciate that it would be necessary if you were competing cross country.

Maybe you could try some UK chasers courses - these are all cross country and range in levels, distances and abilties of riders and horses needed. Maybe you could find one that would challenge you a bit and offer you a canter or two downhill?

Nicola

[slh]

thanks for your replies...!

anuvb - I think I'll stop looking for downhill routes for a while, after listening to your advice...!, on the downhill stuff - we are fine at walking down really steep slopes..even stepped slopes....., I think it must be a seat 'thing' (I find it really difficult to sit back whilst cantering - must work on this..!!!)

Nicola - thanks for the advice on chasers - I'll look into it!!!!