How can I help Moo with her canter?

[Moomin]

Moo has been having some ongoing problems with her cantering under saddle. First it was just throwing herself into the transition and then not really going anywhere, then when I got her to go somewhere it turned into full on fly bucks - at which point I had her saddle checked ASAP (stopped using it in the interim!) , and saddle fitter said technically its not too small but its literally on the cusp. Moo tried some others and found one she said was better so I got her that this week and we have used it for three days including today.

The first session was pretty short so she could just take time to realise that the saddle was different - she did an impromtu canter (unheard of for her) and went away to think about it. Next day we did walk, trot, canter on both reins and she started to relax into it, and there was no bucking at all so I'm sure that was down to the saddle.

However she is still tending to throw herself about going into canter Its not as bad as it was before the bucking started though. I ended yesterday with a fair few decent transitions and canters on the right rein but only one decent one (the last one so finished on a good note!) on the left rein. Today she was wanting to experiment a lot with cantering but not managing to do it consistently well on either rein (still better to the right tho). She rushes into it, breaks into trot quite frequenty, quite often puts her head down as if to buck (most disconcerting but I think its force of habit as she doesn't follow through) and strikes off on the wrong leg one out of three times even when I set her up properly. Today we still finished on a good note all the same with a good canter on left and right.

If anyone has any methods I can use to help point her in the right direction I would be most grateful.

Some notes - she is seven but only started last September so by no means your "average" seven year old in her ridden work. Can't carry a whip with her (she was beaten in a previous life). She has had back and teeth done recently. She is also extremely attentive when I ride her, listens to me well and always puts 100% into what she's doing.

[nirikina]

Do you lunge her at all? Lunging might help because (a) she's on a circle so quite likely to get the right leg, and (b) she can practice transitions and learn how to balance herself without you on her back, and (c) you'll be able to see exactly what her legs do and pick up on any issues.

How about ground pole work? I use 3 poles about 10ft apart centred down the long side of the arena. That way you can balance around the end, come out on the straight and the horse sees them straight away so doesn't speed up down the long side.

[Bay Mare]

How about taking her on a hack (hark at me who doesn't like hacking :rolleyes: ) so that she can relearn that to canter doesn't equal discomfort? No pressure of being in the school and no pressure of having to be on the correct lead though obviously you can ask for the lead that you want even though you are hacking :)

[Moomin]

She's fine on the lunge - she's learned to balance herself although it took a while. She's also fine on a hack (distracted by the scenery I think!) - its only in the school she gets herself in a pickle! I took her out yesterday for a canter and she was fine.

[ANN H]

I was having the same sort of problem, but idiot woman here was letting Misty trot on faster before she went into canter thinking that helped. If you can get a nice controlled trot and then ask for canter at a corner she shouldn't launch into it. It worked for me.

[Tnavas]

I would say that it will just be a matter of time, and that her balance and suppleness will improve and the canter will become more fluid. Just keep quietly asking for the transition, often the best for a green horse is the corner coming out onto the long side of the arena. The corner helps to get correct lead, followed by a canter in a straight line, and then you can start the circle at E or B.

A pole on the ground in the corner can help get a crisper strike off into canter.

[Cochise]

I'm also inclined to think that you may need to have a look at her back muscles if she has had some time under a tight saddle. Several of the horses I have worked with in the past few years have had muscle wastage from tight saddles. Massage can help stimulate the muscles.
And remember, that it takes a few days for the pressure points of a new saddle to become more apparent.
The others have raised good points here about training her, but just check her actual back. :)

[Jessey]

When Bo was a baby it took ages to get him to make a good canter transition, one trick we used was to make a tiny jump, I'm talking a pole raised 6 inches and you ask just as you get to it, it just gives them a reason to pick all their legs up to get going instead of running along on the forehand.

I also found that even with the above it was a bit hit and miss, he would always pick up the canter but would often drop back to trot straight away, I found that he just didn't understand my legs (he was also perfect on the lunge) so I started using my lunge command whilst riding - *deep breath, aannnnd caaannnnttteeeerr* and suddenly he got it :D now my canter aid is just a deep breath and a little leg to tell him which lead I want.

Also to help try just getting the good transition on the long straight first and don't worry to much about the lead (although always ask for the correct one), once you can get a good transition consistantly in the school then you can worry about the leads and circles.

J x

[Moomin]

Ta everyone. Shall be trying these out tomorrow!!

She has had her back checked by osteopath prior to saddle check and I kept the "bad" saddle off her back until saddle fitter came. She has no muscle wastage - but i hadn't really considered that she will be getting used to her muscles moving properly under her new saddle. She also has an Equissage massage every day anyway - intensity was upped to help her with any problems from old saddle.

Will make sure to check her back tomorrow prior to riding as she will have had time to work out if she wants to whinge about her new saddle!!

[Cochise]

That's good news about Moo's back and the massages. :)