Desperately seeking... canter advice

Casey76

Casey76

Passionate about Pinto
Apr 30, 2003
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I'm having so many problems getting a canter transition I'm really at a loss as to what to try next.

Since he New Year I've been unable to get a canter transition on the first, second or even third ask, and it seems to be getting worse.

What I would normally do is...

Wait until the trot is nice and forward going, then either on a circle or in a corner move my outside leg behind the girth, squeeze with my inside leg, whilst checking down the outside rein... At the time my horse (Leon) has some semblance of correct bend (depending on how stiff he's feeling that day).

I did this for about 3 circuits of the school today and he didn't as much as flick an ear, let alone depart to canter... so we did some more sitting trot, and some leg yeilding then tried again.

It was more successful the second time, but still took several several attempts before we got the transition. I also smacked him quite hard with my whip, but although the quality of the trot improved, we still didn't get a canter transition.

However, once we did get canter, my instructor said that he canters better with me than her other riders, as we always get a nice 3 beat stride.

Anyway... you all have 3 weeks to come up with suggestions, as I'm going on holiday and don't have a lesson til 4 weeks today.

This is seriously starting to erode my confidence :(
 
Same thing happens to me all of the time. If you read my thread "Mare acting strange--Please help!!" You'll see that I have the exact same problem. My confidence is declining week after week of riding. But theres always light at the end of the tunnel. You probably know as weel as I that horses have a few bad days every now and then, but this is getting out of hand. First, check your position and aids. Remeber (and I'm sure you do) always sit to the trot when asking for canter. Also check your hands and feet.Dont pull on the reins too much. I know you want to pick up the right lead put this could also slow down the horse if you pull too hard on one rein, and even confuse him. Check his hooves, and for any other health related problems. Build your confidence and always be in charge of the horse. Don't let the horse take over you! Hope I helped, andrea.
p.s. tell me how it goes.
 
Maybe you could be trying a bit TOO hard? Sounds weird, but when I first started cantering I would get transitions quite well. Then when I had a bad one, my confidence would go, and I couldn't do it again for ages. This was because I got so worked up and worried about not being able to do it, I would tense up, and stop my horse from going forwards. Perhaps if you try not to worry and think about it too much it might help?

Another thing, you said that you move your outside leg back and push on with your inside leg. A lot of horses I ride only respond if after moving your leg back you then squeeze with the outside leg, as it's their outside hind that takes the first step of canter. If the inside leg was used but not the outside leg, they would just trot faster. Also, if you are just moving your leg back, you could try advancing your inside hip which should help move it back to the right place.

I've probably gone and told you totally the wrong advice, but hey. Hopefully something I said was a bit of help to you!
 
seems like you have a capable instructor, why not ask?? Maybe he is just getting lazy, or he might be a little sore somewhere?? But i'm sure you would've noticed. Have you heard of the 'leg, voice, then whip' theory? First you use your leg, then your leg and your voice (clucking or something) and then leg, voice, and whip the third time. Not hard, but enough to wake him up and remind him who's still in charge.
 
I always seem to have been able to get canter before, but a couple of weeks ago I had a lesson on my instructor's well schooled eventer, and I could *not* get the darned thing to canter! She refused to give me a whip because she said he's really easy to get into canter, I just need to try harder... after a couple of circuits of unintended medium trot, she (and I) realised that I wasn't using my hips enough! I have a habit of blocking with my hips (I've been told I need to put one hip in front of the other in time and swing with the horse's hips) and so Tammy told me to sit to the trot and ask for canter while sending my hips into canter motion. And it worked! So maybe try that?
Rachel
 
Try feeling for the correct time to cue....

It is the request for impulsion AND the weight shift that properly asks for a canter. The weight shifts to the inside seatbone by dropping the inside knee and/or using the outside leg to push behind the girth (sometimes WAY behind)

It was suggested that you check for physical problems. Feel for unusual heet in feet and joints. Even a bad farrier job can cause soreness by unbalanced hooves or incorrect angles.

Back to YOUR job as a rider.
At the walk, feel the barrel move side to side. As a hind leg comes forward, the barrel kind of moves out of the way. You can feel your knee drop and move with it. Just relax and FEEL for a while. Left. Right. Left. Right....
Now, say you are going counter clockwise. If you were going to ask for a canter, from the walk, at the instant that you feel your right knee is going to start to go down and back with the barrel is the instant to ask. The outside hind is THE FIRST STEP of the canter. So if you ask just before another leg
is to be placed, he can't pick up the canter just then so he trots faster, not sure what you've asked.
Now, some horses know their rider's don't speak horse and have learned our language to pick up the canter just because we bring our outside leg back.
But we should learn theirs!
If you use a crop, it is the same instant as the ask but you need to feel and know the instant. That is why I just want you to walk and feel for quite some time
It is the same at the trot in that the barrel still moves left and right for the hinds. If you can feel when to post, you can feel when to cue. It just takes some time.
And when you get the canter, KEEP YOUR WEIGHT TO THE INSIDE. Dropping your weight to the outside is the cue to drop back down to the trot.
Don't ask for a canter for at least a week. Just spend your time 'feeling'. You can show your instructor this post if you like to have her help you.
Sometimes I am not clear enough.
 
Thank you for all your replies :) There is definitely a lot for me to think about.

Mary1: I only ride at a school (don't have my own horse :( ) and I only ride once a week, so unfortunately I can't practice all you say, and Leon would never have the impulsion to go from walk to canter... he takes enough convincing to go from walk to trot some weeks!

I know Leon is not the easiest of rides, and my instructor says he's just teaching me to be a better rider lol
 
Im working on my canter still (sitting it really) and I have to bed the horse to make him go on the right lead in one direction. Anyway, what your horse seems to be doing shouldn't be tolerated so if he doesn't respond to your canter aids then (words of my trainer) kick the snot out of him. Also, make sure you are doing a sitting trot when you ask for the canter and make sure you aren't pulling back a little to much or anything. If your posting and asking, of course he's going to think that you just want a faster trot. (good luck)
 
Leon would never have the impulsion to go from walk to canter... he takes enough convincing to go from walk to trot some weeks!
Click to expand...

Then the key is to insist on a good forward walk right from the start. You might be surprised though, many horses and riders pick up canter more easily from walk than they do from trot. As has already been mentioned, a good canter depart comes from the seat. If you have an easier time staying with his motion and relaxed in the seat during the walk as compared to the trot, then your cues for canter-depart will be clearer to him.
 
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