Had my first canter today!

[KaylaSaidWhat]

Been riding since December and today I did my very first canter and I don't know how I feel about it to be honest. I was so excited and then nervous. I was on the lunge of course and when the horse started cantering, although I felt balanced, I was bouncing super hard on the poor horse's back. I felt so bad for her because I was slamming down hard. But the saddest part for me is that I didn't enjoy it like I thought I would. I was looking forward to it thinking it would be so great and I felt nothing. It wasn't exciting or fun and now that the lesson is over I don't even feel like I cantered today. Sure, I only cantered for 10 seconds or so but still.
Now I'm so disappointed too. I feel like I did really bad (which I absolutely did) and I could have tried harder but I didn't. Also, as stupid as it may sound, I feel like I let down my trainer who thought I could do it. Look, I know I'm not gonna be amazing first time cantering but I'm a perfectionist and a HUGE people pleaser which doesn't work in my favor.
Anyways, sorry for the post. Just wanted to say it to someone.

 

[Doodle92]

Practice practice practice. You can't be perfect at anything immediately. I don't think anyone is able to sit to the canter straight off. Keep trying and don't give up

 

[Skib]

December is not long ago. My OH cantered after a year. For me it was more like 2 years before I was easy in canter.
My OH cantered on the lunge, but that isnt easy either as on the lunge you are turning in circles, I had to learn out hacking on the straight before I got the hang.
The secret is to breathe deep and to relax and think (or count) the 3 time rhythm of the canter.
You wont necessarilly enjoy it at once. But you werent scared and you didnt fall off, which sounds pretty good to me.

And I wouldnt aim for enjoyment. Yes, please do enjoy riding as a whole. Build a relationship with the horse and that will help with control in canter. I have had delicious canters out in the open but a lot of time, cantering is like driving a fast car or riding a bike. Going at speed requires steering and control.

 

[Tir]

You did canter and you didnt fall off, which means you did do it!

I think where you are learning actually sounds really good, but your first canter would be more difficult than is typical in the uk (from my experience anyway).

Cantering a circle is always harder than in a straight line. Most learning to canter lessons ive seen have always been canter coming out of a corner, go down the long straight side and trot by the next corner. Cantering on a lunge isnt even a 20m circle normally and due to the gait it feels very 'lumpy' cantering circles until you can find the rhytmn in your own body.

It will happen with practice. Its then a super pace and really comfy!

 

[Jessey]

If you didn’t fall you did great for a first try! Canter is often overwhelming the first time, it can look so easy when done right, and new riders see it as a huge milestone, and are excited but the first try often feels horrible, lumpy, bouncy, out of control and down right awkward, but I promise, it will get better and after a few tries you’ll start feeling the thrill.

 

[Skib]

RIs who teach canter on the lunge, do it that way because the rider doesnt have to do anything except balance, The speed and steering are controlled by the instructor.

 

[newforest]

Been riding since December and today I did my very first canter and I don't know how I feel about it to be honest. I was so excited and then nervous. I was on the lunge of course and when the horse started cantering, although I felt balanced, I was bouncing super hard on the poor horse's back. I felt so bad for her because I was slamming down hard. But the saddest part for me is that I didn't enjoy it like I thought I would. I was looking forward to it thinking it would be so great and I felt nothing. It wasn't exciting or fun and now that the lesson is over I don't even feel like I cantered today. Sure, I only cantered for 10 seconds or so but still.
Now I'm so disappointed too. I feel like I did really bad (which I absolutely did) and I could have tried harder but I didn't. Also, as stupid as it may sound, I feel like I let down my trainer who thought I could do it. Look, I know I'm not gonna be amazing first time cantering but I'm a perfectionist and a HUGE people pleaser which doesn't work in my favor.
Anyways, sorry for the post. Just wanted to say it to someone.

I learnt to canter on a hack out of the saddle. Cantering in a school on the lunge, though good to do another pace, probably won't give you the buzz you were looking for.

Being a perfectionist around horses is going to be a struggle imo.
Riding is about having fun for YOU, not about pleasing other people.

 

[Skib]

I learnt to canter on a hack out of the saddle.

When I was young that was possible. But BHS guide lines now seem to mean students cant hack until they have learned to canter. One reason seems to be that after a spook, one may get unsolicited canter and it is better that the student is able to stay on the horse i canter and control it.

I have been surprised to read about the cavalry riders being unseated when their horses slipped or spooked at the building work. A big part of my rider training was geared to preventing that.

 

[carthorse]

I still know approved riding centres where hacking is allowed before a rider has cantered, and certainly all trekking centres would do that, however I feel the OP is not in the UK so what we do here is irrelevant. I certainly think it's easier to learn canter in a straight line whether that's up the long side of a school or out hacking, it's easier for the rider to balance and find the rhythm, plus a well trained school horse isn't the type to clear off for no better reason than canter has been asked for.

As for those poor cavalry riders, all I'll say is there's spooking and there's spooking. If a horse spooks very strongly and follows it up with, say, a series of big panic driven bucks then many if not most riders are likely to come off. I somehow doubt that the horses reactions to what happened were just a jump to the side, leap forwards, or spin, not if they were so scared that they were running for considerable distances afterwards.

 

[newforest]

I have been surprised to read about the cavalry riders being unseated when their horses slipped or spooked at the building work. A big part of my rider training was geared to preventing that.

They behaved like horses, they are prey animals that can run.
The riders, behaved like humans, they can fall off.