Slowing the canter

Tootsie4U · #1 19th Jan 2009, 06:17 PM

What exercises would you recommend to improve the tempo and rythm of canter? Right now, the horse in question has only one speed in canter, and its 'super fast'.

Also, he is difficult to stop in canter. This has led to me being forced to many times lock up my seat and pull relatively hard on the bit. This in turn causes him to stiffen and become less controllable (snowball effect!!!). Its all just becoming a mess. Would switching to a different bit (I loathe the idea) help the situation until he's better balanced and better communication is established? I have spent a good bit of time ***trying*** to teach him the transition without using the reins so much, mostly my seat and voice only. But I dont think it's being understood.

Alice1992 · #2 19th Jan 2009, 06:23 PM

Haha

Super fast

Try circles making them smaller in canter, he will then need to slow down, also trot a 20 metre circle then canter on and if he rushes off then trot again ...reward him with a jump or something he likes

Tootsie4U · #3 19th Jan 2009, 06:29 PM

Thanks!

Question: if the reason for his 'fast' canter is lack of balance, wouldnt cantering small circles make him more unbalanced - in the beginning?

xloopylozzax · #4 19th Jan 2009, 06:39 PM

he will slow down to get balance, if he ends up on his arse then more fool him, they arent stupid he wont do it again

(will get slated, but it works)

agree with small circles, and only doing a few strides of good canter (slow, almost beaking into trot to start with) then back into trot, re-prepare then ask again on next corner.

~*sugarlump*~ · #5 19th Jan 2009, 06:41 PM

cantering smaller circles if hes unbalanced will just lead to him falling in and getting a very bad quality canter.
try working on his balance in walk and trot first, lots of flexion and lateral. try abit of lunge work (walk and trot and then a little bit of canter) just so he can work out his balance himself first without a rider on. If the true cause of him going fast is that he's unbalanced, play around with his other paces alot before you go for canter, lots of collection and extension of trot and walk
good luck

#6 20th Jan 2009, 08:24 AM

I agree with the lunging. My boy has the same trouble, getting him to understand it is a change of GAIT not change of SPEED. Try getting to understand fast and slow canter on the lunge with a voice command and when totally entrenched, on board using same lunge command.

Tabitha123 · #7 20th Jan 2009, 11:12 AM

Hi,

My personal approach is three pronged.

(1) lunge - they need to get used to cantering on their own without the added weight of a rider

(2) Work more on suppling the horse up in walk and trot. Leg yield is a fantastic exercise and can be used to help improve your horse's overall balance no end. Leg yield first in walk down the long side and trot out of it onto a 20m circle. When this is established build up to doing this in trot and into canter on the circle. Once you have this working well I would only then start to leg yield in and out on a circle. If you start it any earlier you will only unbalance him more

(3) transitions transitions transitions. walk to trot to canter a few strides and back down again. Don't make it too hard for him and reward him when he carries himself.

don't worry too much about bit at this stage. if you have the leg yield established and still no brakes that's the time to start swopping not before.

Fanshawe · #8 20th Jan 2009, 12:46 PM

I agree with what Tabitha says

If he is difficult to stop and takes off with you then worth standing up in the stirrups and using reins rather than locking your seat.

Also use the weight down in to the stirrups to slow the canter at the same time as squeezing with the upper thigh (one of the aids as for collection) and you can use this in walk and trot too.

HashRouge · #9 20th Jan 2009, 12:56 PM

I like Tabitha'a ideas. Don't overdo cantering on the lunge though if he finds it hard.
What you could do when you're on him is try making your canters as short as possible and only on the straight. So, ask him to canter, count five strides and then ask him to trot again. Do the same on the next long side. It might take a while for you to actually manage to keep it to five strides and at first you might find you're asking for five strides but getting 8

. Keep at it though, because he should slow down and start thinking more about his canter - if he expects you to ask him to stop, he's going to have to listen more. When he can do this calmy and remains soft and supple, try asking him for the whole long side at canter, but don't canter round the corners until he can do the long side keeping calm and balanced. As you seemed to be worrying, its no good just asking him to canter circles, as others have suggested, because if he isn't balanced he will keep on 'running' round the corners and won't learn to slow down and balance himself up.

Spoof · #10 20th Jan 2009, 01:41 PM

Quote:

(3) transitions transitions transitions. walk to trot to canter a few strides and back down again. Don't make it too hard for him and reward him when he carries himself.

For those who have hard to stop horses, it helps to throw in a circle, for example, canter three strides (if that's all you can do before takeoff) and then drop into a 10 meter circle, and trot. The circling keeps them from really taking off on you.

The real key is to wait for them to calm while circling, then when you approach the wall again ask for the correct lead for the direction you're heading and off you go. Rinse and repeat.

Tootsie4U · #11 20th Jan 2009, 02:08 PM

Thanks for all the input so far.

The horse in question (10 years old) has a well establlished walk and trot. Trot is his preferred natural gait. Lateral movements (leg yield, shoulder in, etc.) are easy as well as going onto the bit and working through collection and extension (walk & trot).

The circling exercise sounds good but any transition work is going to be hard because thats what I've already been trying and its causing tenseness. Even on the lunge he doesnt always want to transition down. Up transitions are tons easier with minimal coaxing from me. He is one of those horses who has alot of 'go' and not so much 'whoa'.

HashRouge · #12 20th Jan 2009, 02:22 PM

Has he had his back looked at recently? Or his saddle for that matter?

LisaLovesHorses · #13 20th Jan 2009, 02:54 PM

My old horse was a quickie too - even though she's 22, she acts like a youngster

I had regular lessons on her as she concerned me with the speed she could especially pick up on the long sides and thought it was my lack of riding skills. She too was hard to bring back down a gait but no issues going up a gear. My instructor got us doing loads of transitions (even if it took me a whole circuit to get what I wanted, which it often did!), circles of all sizes, serpentines and anything which we could use literally every inch of the school! We also did extended canter doing the long side and *try* collected on the short sides. We did eventually get there last October after a few months hard work and she was a pleasure to ride... and shortly after, I swapped her for Victor, my ex-racer, who also knows just one pace...