Horse too eager to canter??

Oldarida

Oldarida

Member
Nov 9, 2011
217
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18
Merseyside
This is going to make me look like a right moaner, but after previous comments about my difficulties getting my RS horse to move on I've now had a bit of trouble with her going before I want her to :giggle:
It happened yesterday towards the end of my lesson, after some quite successful walk & trot exercises (tbh the trotting went a bit pear-shaped after RI told me I was trotting well :( - I got a bit tense, feeling that I had to continue to be good & promptly got worse lol).
Anyway, RI decided that a spot of cantering would be a nice way to finish off so she asked me to rising trot from one end of the school to the other, sitting to trot just before the turn across, then ask for canter at the next turn & canter down the length returning to sitting trot then walk before the turn.
We had a try & it went fairly well, canter didn't last too long tbh but it was fun :D. We walked around while RI made comments & then tried to repeat the exercise from the same starting point. I was sitting quite lightly in preparation for the transition from walk to rising trot, asked for trot & got a bit of a surprise when we cantered off :giggle: I managed to plonk myself down & carry on for a few strides but I wouldn't call it a great success :redface:
I pulled up & checked with RI that I hadn't accidentally given the horse a wrong signal & she confirmed that I had asked for trot correctly and basically she was as puzzled as I was. So we tried again & the same thing happened although we cantered a bit further because I had decided to sit deeper before asking for trot, just in case...
Unfortunately we then ran out of time before we could figure out a solution (I'd actually had 10 minutes extra anyway so I really couldn't complain)

Anyone got any ideas/suggestions that I can take with me to my next lesson, please
 
Were you thinking about the canter or the trot? One of mine is fairly sensitive & likes canter, often even thinking about canter is enough to get the transition particularly if we've already done some canter work. I guess that the "problem" is when a ride is thinking of canter they subconsciously alter how they sit (eg slight change in muscle tension or weight) & on a sensitive horse that is already looking for a cue that's enough!
 
I always found that RS horses tend to canter early once they had been asked to canter once. They know that corners are for cantering and take control once they realise that canter is expected even without the aid being given. I would perhaps try a half halt down the outside rein to keep the horse's attention and keep her in trot until you're ready.

That's just my instinct however and wiser people will hopefully be along shortly with more technical answers!
 
RS horses are very good at anticipating things. Some like to turn in early to stop like they know its nearly time for the lesson to end, and some like yours are more enthusiastic once they get going. If the horse knows some voice commands, try saying trot in a low calm voice if he tries to canter?
 
I agree with the other comments, the clever old horse started to anticipate your intentions after the first canter! Solomon used to drop into trot or canter even before I'd quite realised that was my plan!:giggle:

Either that or you've got the electric bum thing going on - one of those people who cant get on ANY horse without it instantly fizzing up.:redcarded:
 
Thank you all for taking the time to answer.

I was possibly subconsciously thinking about canter, although the 'thinking' part of my brain was definitely intending to trot.

My own feeling was that it was a case of the horse anticipating my wishes & therefore cantering when I asked for trot close to the corner. I think the 'problem' is probably me, in that I'm not all that comfortable with canter yet so any corrective signals tend to be of the panic-stricken variety :redface: with the understandably confused horse then deciding that the best idea is to stop until the idiot rider sorts himself out :D

If that is the case, then I guess the answer is more practice & in the meantime ask for trot well away from the corners :)
 
Some canter on the lunge might help you relax when you take back the control. I still get nervous approaching the corner in case I get it all wrong, I'm much better on a circle or even better, out on a hack.
 
Hehehehe, riding school horses are CLEVER and know that once you've reached the stage of cantering and have asked a few times, then bobs yer uncle and off we go!lol. That is my humble experience........having said that; Storm is VERY good at spotting the subtlest of cues. For example, if we've had a wee canter and returned to trot or walk, I only have to "think" about doing it again, and she offers it up. Sensitive clever creatures that they are.....I wouldn't worry too much that you've given the wrong cues or anything like that (thou as somebody already said you could have inadvertantly done so) its just that Riding school lads are very good at knowing things..........like corners are for striking off into canter at etc.
 
Owning Ace a ex RS pony, completely agree with everything said. Ace can:

-Read letters in the school
-Can spell
-Knows the time, even now when it is getting to 45 mins he turns himself in and walks to the middle of the school, turns to face the gate for me to get off
-Knows what ridder he has on him as to what is or isnt expected of him!

I am trying to learn to canter on him, and just think it he is off. Every corner he is like "COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!" Which doesnt help when you are trying to learn!

Sadly he is bloody lame again, so i will have to stick to the equisimulator for my canter work. But we will do it this year!

I didnt want to learn on the lunge, i dont really want to do it in the school. Ideally best place is hacking where is it straight!

Keep at it and you will be fine x x
 
Yes - RS horses know the routine - one canter is generally followed by another canter. They also listen to what the RI is saying - often instead of listening to the rider - and all horses can tell what you're thinking. If you just think of cantering, then your body automatically takes up a canter position and the horse feels this. So, plenty of reasons why the horse might have done this. Or maybe your aid for trot was a little strong, so s/he horse took it to mean canter. If a horse is too keen to canter when I want trot (not a problem with Hebe!) I find it helps to sit down, relax and make myself heavy in the saddle - and think trot. But horses aren't machines: giving the 'correct' aids doesn't mean that you'll automatically get the response you expect <grin>.
 
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Horses can sense things from the rider if you are thinking about going into trot you invariably go into trot even though you havent asked for it. I find this a lot when i am out i will think to myself i will have a trot now and off we go i then have to pull up and ask properly. Horses are smart cookies thats why they get on with mankind and have served us well even though man has not always been kind to them. I am always amazed at their memories if i have cantered at a particular place my new horse now thinks she has to canter at the same place every time we are there, i have no idea if she feels it off me or actually does remember. A day never goes by when i dont find out something new about my horses and one is 18 and i have had her since 4 or 5. I can sit and watch them interact for hours sad b*****d that i am.
 
I agree with everything said above about RS horses - they are CLEVER!!!! They do tend to anticipate and they also do often listen to the RI. Where I ride, there is no indoor school so all lessons are taken whilst hacking out on the common. There are only certain bits of the bridle paths where you can canter. The horses know this and start to automatically be forward-going (even if you're choosing not to canter that day).

My first fall (a couple of months ago) was because the horse I was riding heard the RI say "We're going to have a canter in a minute". She took off before I was ready and I lost my balance.

Since then I've been particularly focussing on correcting any anticipated (by the horse) transitions until I'm the one that's given the signal.

Like others, I never cease to be amazed by their memories and their absolute cleverness!
 
Oh I've had horses taking off with me without prior warning, its not nice. I even had one take off through a couple of horses in front of her and I stayed on but the RI wasn't happy with me :frown: :redcarded: This particular horse was a lovely ride even in the school, and I would have taken her home
 
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