Cantering problems

[HorseManiac]

Ive got echo off the leg but... when I ask for canter he doesnt listen. He will rush. I back my aids up with whip then he will canter but I dont want to keep on doing that all the time otherwise he mite get bad habits. HELP!

[iloveshearer]

when he rushes slow him back down to a trot and when he is listening to you ask again, if he doesnt respond then back it up with the whip, eventually he will learn!

[Laura+Phantom]

My pony does exactly the same thing, it takes ages to get from trot to canter, I have to hit him - then as soon as we get canter he bucks to try and get out of doing work and falls back into trot, it's so frustrating!

[alfie1410]

I have to make sure that we have an active, balanced trot before even considering canter and try and ask at just the right moment. I've also found that lots of transitions on the lunge have worked wonders. We've also tried walk to canter, if there are a few trot strides in between, no problem, but usually the quality of the canter is better as long as the walk is active and sharp. Sometimes though, it all goes wrong and burn round in extended trot despite everything :(