Cantering in the shafts

Jessey

Jessey

Well-Known Member
Dec 20, 2004
28,373
18,028
113
43
Suffolk, UK
Last weekend I tackled a steeper hill with Hank, he'd done it in the summer when he was fitter but only once and he lost steam just before the top. Last week following my neighbours big cob he was much more motivated to keep up so gave it some welly and put in a few little canter strides, I didn't object, and he made it to the top without breaking back to walk :)

Yesterday my friend rode Jess and I drove Hank and the little sucker now thinks that it's always time to canter :p:rolleyes: naughty boy, he did a really good job though through some tricky bits of forest in a cart and was very well behaved and came back when told, just kept trying his luck :rolleyes:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Trewsers, joellie, Kite_Rider and 1 other person
It's fine to "spring the hills" where is sensible and safe to do so, As long as he stops at the top, It's an accepted driving thing to get a pony to the top of a steep hill.

Sounds like a very sensible little driving pony.
 
Wally said:
It's fine to "spring the hills" where is sensible and safe to do so, As long as he stops at the top, It's an accepted driving thing to get a pony to the top of a steep hill.

Sounds like a very sensible little driving pony.
Click to expand...
I remember you saying before it was ok to pop a hill, so I let him get on with it and he came back nicely at the top :) Would it be okay to let him canter when he's keeping up with bigger horses out on rides/drives, I've always just walked and trotted when driving (and got yelled at for letting them break a canter) but some driving trials type thingies canter is normal so I guess it's not as taboo as I first thought???
 
We used to do full belt galloping round the marathon course ! Long as they know theres a time and place for a canter. It was part of our training cantering round the forest tracks. Its so much fun to!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
He doesn't need to do it much as he has a surprisingly good trot on him, all those hours led off jess I suppose, but I think I will try and teach a command for canter so if nothing else he knows he can't just make his own decision to go :rolleyes:
 
Ziggy responds well to "canter UP!" with the voice going up at the end, so wa-alk has a downward fall, "ter-ot" is all on one note and "canterUP" rises.
 
I had to figure out different commands for hank than those jess is used to as he has to transition a lot next to her walking, so 'hank-walk' in normal pitch and 'trit-trot' quite high is his and both back off if I say 'easy', jess canters with 'can-ter' going up/higher or a kiss, I will have to play about and see what works for him :p
 
They say never let a novice pony canter in the shafts, But he seems so well adjusted and happy and not rattled in canter, there's no reason why you can;t let him where it's safe and sensible.

Just remember in the show ring you'll lose marks bit time for cantering.

Insert red faced smilie, I am afraid I taught my two Haflingers to canter on the command "YA MULE"
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gimp, Trewsers and Jessey
Wally said:
They say never let a novice pony canter in the shafts, But he seems so well adjusted and happy and not rattled in canter, there's no reason why you can;t let him where it's safe and sensible.

Just remember in the show ring you'll lose marks bit time for cantering.

Insert red faced smilie, I am afraid I taught my two Haflingers to canter on the command "YA MULE"
Click to expand...
Haha I'm tempted to go with 'scrappie-POWER' would be fitting and I'm unlikely to say it by mistake :p
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gimp and Trewsers
I do canter chunky for short stretches on the road if there is no onciming traffic. I let him open up. I remember the first time I asked him to canter in shafts he panicked a bit. So I deliberately do canter him so that if something spooked him and he wanted to tank off the canter wouldn't spook him. I therefore could hopefully pull him up quickly.
Like riding don't let him go into a gait unless you ask. Otherwise he'll learn to take the micky.
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back