Rushing off into canter

[soulburyrider]

Now maybe it was because it was cold and windy yesterday but the last 15mins of my lesson was spent in trying to get Missus speedy knickers to trot and not go rushing off into canter once she got into the corner of the school.

Basically we had warmed up, done small circles in trot and then done a couple of trot to canter transitions on both reins and my instructor was pretty pleased with the results especially as in previous weeks I had a habit of pulling on the right rein in canter when coming up to the corner thus pulling her off the track - I am now totally concious of this and when on the right rein I allow her the slack on this side.

However we started to trot again and the minute we got to the corner she struck off in canter without me asking. We established trot again and once again on the corner she made a break for canter... basically she was taking the pee and so we then commenced several circuits of the school with me holding her at trot on a very tight left rein to slow to a couple of steps in walk and then back to trot again with tight left rein - she was not happy at being told what to do rolling eyes and swearing !

Now I have to say that I was greatful for this lesson in control despite the fact that it was blinking hard work. She tried a similar thing last week but I managed to get her back without a fight.

So was it the weather or was she having a mareish day?

She is a very forward going TB and has a very pleasent and placid disposition but I really saw another side to her yesterday !

[galadriel]

Cold and windy will do that to my horses :)

When I know that a horse is "anticipating" a transition, I'll sort of hold a half-halt throughout the area where the horse is anticipating.

F'rexample, my horses are both prone to trying to pick up a trot when I shorten the reins in walk. So I just make sure that throughout the collecting of the reins, I keep my seat well squeezed and I keep a contact on the reins, so the horses don't decide that they can do whatever they want to. For more discussion of half-halts, see:
http://lorienstable.com/articles/riding/900-half-halt/

[RodeoDreamer33]

I also have an outlook that you might like if it may not be the cold weather:
I have a firecracker pony at my barn but she doesn't only do it from a trot to a canter but she doesn't know what the word walk is. For awhile I would make her stop and back up every time she trotted off, but it felt like I was pulling on her face, so my trainer told me to try something different. What she wants to do is go faster than I want so I let her, but I made it harder work. In your case you would do this at the canter, I am just saying at the trot because this is what I had to do when the pony wouldn't walk.

Right when she went to trot off I didn't pull her back or ask her to walk i just kept her trotting in a circle. Right when she trotted I would turn a circle and trot 3 or 4 times around in about an 8 foot circle, now don't yank her around it, but make her work in the gate that she wants to, in a circle. The circle is harder for her to do and she can't go any faster. Then just say whoa walk or whoa trot and go on your way.

Every time she canters off go back to it, but keep her at a canter in the circle and dont let her break to a trot untill you tell her too.
Hope this helps!
If you have anymore questions just ask!

[Bay Mare]

I would do as Galadriel says and half halt at the 'naughty' corner :) It sounds like a combination of the weather and anticipation, trying to please you :)

I would always bring her back to trot as soon as possible otherwise she doesn't know that she's done the wrong thing (or she realises that she can do what she wants and you won't stop her).

I'm not sure that I would hold her on a very tight rein though (I'm confused as to whether you're talking about inside or outside), I would prefer to use half halts and seat aids. All they do on a fixed tight rein is fight against it or try to run through it and, as we know, they're A LOT stronger than us and are always going to win in a fight :p

[*HoRsEtArD*]

the horse i ride does that to me a lot....no matter what the weathers lik, shes very shy and timid which i suppose adds to it.... :rolleyes:

[Eli_Jay]

if thats all she does on a cold windy day - she's an angel! however, its still disobedient. it could be, as others have said, her simply anticipating your aids. my gelding was out of work because of a sore back (he's now back in full work and loving it) and bringing him back into it i found him very stiff. did you know that its much easier for horses to canter than do an extended or upbeat working trot? therefore if the mare is stiff it could - although this is a bit far fetched - be her simply making it easier for herself. it could also be her just feeling good and taking advantage in order to get a bit of wind in her hair!

[ponytude]

The TB I ride is very ready to go, even despite his growing age, but to keep him collected and from "rushing off" I half halt when asking for the canter and when we come back down from the canter as he will try to extend trot (Which is amazingingly extended and forward and truely to die for...:D) or he will trot but canter on. So in my experience the half halt is what Jake really understands and he picks up on staying collected