New Horse Difficult to Canter...

[piftisha]

So I've been really working on making my canter pretty, and thought I had it down, and my RI threw me a curve yesterday. ]

He put me on a new horse at the barn, Rhode Island (the school horses are all named after states). I could tell there might be an issue when whenever I started to come off the rail for a 20m circle he would drop into walk from trot unless I was being super positive with my aids on the sitting part of posting trot.

When I tried to get him to canter...nothing! He would just turn into the center of the ring. Tried again...fast trot and into the center again! Seemed like he was running away from my leg. Finally after really, really squeezing him up I got about 3/4 of a 20m circle and then lost it again.

Any suggestions for dealing with this type of behavior? RI says no crop on this horse.

[Hannah.Horsie]

dident your ri tell you to do anything/give advice? or was he like my old ri and just laugh at you?:(

[stormchaser]

What aids to canter are you giving? nudge/squeeze/kick with the outside leg? indirect rein and outside leg?

It's good to ride difficult and/or new horses sometimes. Maybe you just need to get to know this horse better? Seems like you two have a communication breakdown... sometimes it just takes a bit of time.

[xLuckibrunette]

Maybe you should just work on getting a nice canter around the ring before you try any circles as it seems to me that the circles are stopping him? Obvioulsy get to a corner getting the correct inside bend, sit, inside rein & outside legs. This horse does not sound very uncommon he just sounds a little lazy. You said he is a lesson horse, well he most likely knows you don't know what you are doing and knows exactly how to trick a new rider to get out of work. :p Remember: To get the to a canter from the trot, sit deep, inside rein and hard outside leg. Good luck. :)

[Amanda992]

When you ask for canter make sure the horse is in working trot and being responsive not being lazy. Then if you sit a bit longer than normal maybe 3-4 seconds then give 1 firm squeeze and really mean it if he doesnt respond collect them back up and squeeze harder and keep squeezing harder and harder until he canters you can even growl at him just so he knows you mean bussiness.
Have fun :)

[dancing-horse]

if your ri says no crop, trying giving this problem cantering horse a couple of smacks on the but before you canter him/her (just with your hand)_. Do it in the trot to show you mean business and then ask the horse for the canter.

[buckskin100]

its hard to get my blue roan to cancer.hes lazy!!!!!kick him all day and he will trot.grrr jack!:D im new at this

[EquestrianRider]

its hard to get my blue roan to cancer.hes lazy!!!!!kick him all day and he will trot.grrr jack!:D im new at this


Please don't. :(

[notpoodle]

getting the horse to cancer? :D

i now have hilarious images in my head where the horse takes 2 steps forward, one backward whilst wielding hooves like pincers :D

[Afellpony]

It's best to get a horse to canter on the corner of the school. It's easier than on the straight. Give clear and concise canter aids so it leves in the horse in doubt what you want, even over emphasise the aids. Hope this helps.

[piftisha]

Those were all helpful! I was giving him the standard sit / slide the outside leg back / squeeze canter aid, but he was really just running through it. I haven't gotten a chance to ride him again, but next time I'll be ready!

Today I rode one of my favorite, but one of the most lopsided horses we have - Louisiana. She is great on the right side, but has a left side bending issue...but we're working on it!:rolleyes: