The cantering saga continues!

[ANN G]

:) Hi,
just a quick update on the occassional canter and dropping into the trot! Reading everyone's tips and mentally forming a picture of me with heels down,encouraging my school horse Frankie with the perfect aids, I try my best or maybe too hard! It could be an age thing,aiming to come leaps 'n bounds in record time:mad:
I had another lesson yesterday,far too hot or perhaps it's just me?! For some strange reason I managed 3/4 of the menage on left rein in I thought a comfortable canter but when I changed rein, things went to the proverable pot!:eek:
My manta is 'heels' as I go round and try to relax into the corners so hopefully make life a little easier for Frankie... I'll keep trying or pershaps not too hard?
Also just wanted to say how sorry I was to hear about the tragic death of Caroline Pratt at Burghley this weekend.I was there and was in awe of their skills and courage.
Ann

[Lovecat]

Most horses have a 'good' rein and a 'bad' one, a bit like us being left or right handed - & so they will find canter much easier on their 'good' rein than the other. Perhaps Frankie finds one rein much harder? Although usually the instructor will mention this to make you feel like less of an idiot when it doesn't happen!;) I find preparing for canter a bit of a nightmare, I'm not the most co-ordinated person in the world and, on a horse that needs some help with the aids, if I'm not totally calm about it it all goes horribly wrong...

[StableCat]

I think an awful lot of instructors complicate riding - especially the canter - when I first started having lessons a few years back I found canter incredably difficult to get with losing my position, like you my heels had their own agenda.
The best advice I had was to sit, push down & forward through my inside heel (this will bring the lower leg forward without having to take it away from the horse's side and lose your contact), this automatically brings your outside leg back (without having to think too much about it) & just let the canter happen.
Heels only need to be slightly lower than your toes. For some reason when you are learning to ride some instructors seem to want you to jam your heels down much lower than necessary which makes your whole leg tense and unbalances you when you try to give the aids.
Have you tried lunge lessons? They should help to build the muscles needed to hold the leg and heels in the right place without having to worry about maintaining the canter yourself.
Best of Luck