I have a bad fear of cantering downhill. I havent been forced to do it yet, but my trainer is talking about doing it in the spring. I tried walking my horse down a farily steep hill (the same one we will eventualy be galloping down) and he tripped! This doesnt really help me have any confidance to try going any faster down it. What can i do? does anyone else have (or has had) this fear????
Cantering Downhill
- Thread starter Shizzity
- Start date
Hi,
Being farily new to riding, I would be horrified at trying to gallop down a steep hill, should you really do this and is it safe, sorry for maybe being a bit naive.
I loan a pony who has a tendacy to trip on level ground and would not dare canter him down a hill he would fall flat on his face bless him.
Good luck
Beverley
Being farily new to riding, I would be horrified at trying to gallop down a steep hill, should you really do this and is it safe, sorry for maybe being a bit naive.
I loan a pony who has a tendacy to trip on level ground and would not dare canter him down a hill he would fall flat on his face bless him.
Good luck
Beverley
flat ground, non-steep hills, and uphill are fine with me, but I'm right with you on cantering or galloping down a steep hill. I've done it once, on a ride i was leading. We were going down a very steep hill which curved so that at the bottom of the hill it was parallell with the path at the top of the hill. The space between the two trails was VERY steep. anyhow, one of the children who were still at the TOP of the hill got stuck, her pony decided it wanted to eat the leaves instead of listen to her. I had to canter my horse up the hill, help the girl, and then to my horror, the lead horse that I'd left behind had begun to wander, so had to canter back down it...it was a short canter, and I hated EVERY single moment of it, at one point, my lovely mount was nearly on his haunches almost sliding down And they all hated this horse, mind you, I got to ride him b/c no one else would...he had "no brakes" apparently and was a monster...yep, right...
I agree about galloping down a steep hill being a bad idea.
On the other hand, learning to canter down a sloping to moderate hill is fun.
If your horse is tripping while you are walking him down the hill, it may be that you aren't sitting back enough or deep enough in the saddle. When you are in the right position, your weight is centered more over the horse's hind legs to help him bring his balance back. Think about letting your body relax and really feel the hind legs raising and lowering your hips, as you keep your shoulders back behind them.
On the other hand, learning to canter down a sloping to moderate hill is fun.
If your horse is tripping while you are walking him down the hill, it may be that you aren't sitting back enough or deep enough in the saddle. When you are in the right position, your weight is centered more over the horse's hind legs to help him bring his balance back. Think about letting your body relax and really feel the hind legs raising and lowering your hips, as you keep your shoulders back behind them.
Ill try walking and maybe trotting him down the hill during the winter, but come spring time i know i will have to be cantering down it. We are planning to make a cross country jump near the bottom...
I guess i will have to start mentally prepairing my self now...
What really makes me worried is the tripping thing. I was sitting all the way back and he still trips. He also trips a lot when we are just doing flat work, even not on hills. Maybe he just isnt focused??
Also, would it be better to practice going down the hill at an angle? Any exercises?
I guess i will have to start mentally prepairing my self now...
What really makes me worried is the tripping thing. I was sitting all the way back and he still trips. He also trips a lot when we are just doing flat work, even not on hills. Maybe he just isnt focused??
Also, would it be better to practice going down the hill at an angle? Any exercises?
Personally I never go any faster than walk down hill. I've seen too many bad falls of horse and rider to risk that. I'm amazed they are going to 'make' you do it.
Personal safety should be the most important aspect of riding out. Cantering downhill is just asking for trouble/
Personal safety should be the most important aspect of riding out. Cantering downhill is just asking for trouble/
Cantering and galloping down hill are for the more experienced rider who might need to do it for a competition, If you are a happy hacker there is no reason for you to deliberately ask for a horse to canter down hill. Why make life more difficult?
I can see there being a valid need to be able to do it in case of emergency and necessity if you get bolted with, but don't do it unless you find you need to do it for Hunting or X country.
It takes practice and good balance, get really good and confident on the flat at canter and gallop, once you feel you can stay put in most scenarios then have a go at acantering down a mild slope and if you like it and felt okay then work up within your comfort zones.
If you are not happy refuse to do it!
I can see there being a valid need to be able to do it in case of emergency and necessity if you get bolted with, but don't do it unless you find you need to do it for Hunting or X country.
It takes practice and good balance, get really good and confident on the flat at canter and gallop, once you feel you can stay put in most scenarios then have a go at acantering down a mild slope and if you like it and felt okay then work up within your comfort zones.
If you are not happy refuse to do it!
Echo Wallys reply.
To be able to canter down hill you must be able to work the horse on the bit 100% of the time as that is what is required to achieve a safe canter down hill. Doing it on a loose rein or with the horse on its forehand would be disasterous.
I do it regularly but only as it is necessary for Eventing. I remember Goring Heath event which has a long and VERY steep section to the course. I had difficulty walking down it on foot let alone on horse. Had I not been in a competition nothing on this earth would have made me do it, but adrenalin had the desired effect. Still very very relieved when I got to the bottom.
Unless you really, really need to. Don't do it
To be able to canter down hill you must be able to work the horse on the bit 100% of the time as that is what is required to achieve a safe canter down hill. Doing it on a loose rein or with the horse on its forehand would be disasterous.
I do it regularly but only as it is necessary for Eventing. I remember Goring Heath event which has a long and VERY steep section to the course. I had difficulty walking down it on foot let alone on horse. Had I not been in a competition nothing on this earth would have made me do it, but adrenalin had the desired effect. Still very very relieved when I got to the bottom.
Unless you really, really need to. Don't do it
echo davidh's post. The whole idea of being made to canter down a hill would provoke me into losing my cool i think. To a novice rider there is nothing more scary than thinking of a going faster than a walk downhill as balance is everything. I only walk downhill because as david said if there's no x-crountry or hunting need then why bother. My horse isn't very well balanced downhill due to a bad hip so i wouldn't bother putting her through it either.
If you really aren't happy with the idea then just tell them no. If they are a good instructor they will realise your fears and not demand that you do it.
If you really aren't happy with the idea then just tell them no. If they are a good instructor they will realise your fears and not demand that you do it.
When I was a child we used to go on an accompanied hack at the local riding school and they used to take us somewhere called 'V Valley' - so called because it was shaped like a V. It was quite steep and in the winter we would sledge there. We would canter from the top to the bottom and up the other side.
When I look back now I wonder how I did it and have never in my adult riding career felt the need to do it since! If I was planning a career in XC then it might be necessary but other than than why bother!
When I look back now I wonder how I did it and have never in my adult riding career felt the need to do it since! If I was planning a career in XC then it might be necessary but other than than why bother!
I am supposed to be doing it to prepare myself for cross country. Also, its not like i am terrified of this, just nervous. The hill might not be as big or as steep as you all are imagining. To me it does seem pretty steep, but it isnt very long.
Kind seems exciting...
My trainer says, "once you do it you can never go back!"
Kind seems exciting...
My trainer says, "once you do it you can never go back!"
As long as you and the horse are in balance thear is no reson why you cant canter down a hill, Bare in mind you have to on a cross country track!
I have schooled my horses cantering up and down hills.
I have schooled my horses cantering up and down hills.
Personally, not my idea of fun... I have canteered down a gentle slope, and I didn't really enjoy that!
K
Kanuma
Guest
i dont like cantering down hills at all, and stan is super balanced! deos medium level dressage but at the angelesey show this year we got a cr*p ring whth a hill in it, had to change my entire show to avoid cantering down the steepest part, which confused stan! well anyway he slipped. i wouldnt do it again if you paid me!
iff your horse trips all the time' why not take his shoes off and see how he goes' my lad was always tripping and no matter what the blacksmith did he still tripped ' the blacksmith said '' oh well it is just him'' now we are bare foot he never trips either on a loose rein or collected' so maybe worth a try' cantering down hill is not something I would have done in the past on my horse but have done it without shoes' quite exillerating'
He doesnt have shoes...I think he just zones out sometimes and doesnt pay attention. Maybe i should fix this before we try cantering downhil....
When I was 14 I went on a riding holiday in the lake district and we went to a place where there are little hills about the size of a house. EVERYBODY cantered up and down these hills, it was MAD, they were sooo steep, but guess who ended up joining in!!?? ACE FUN!! Not that I'd do it now
Not that I'd do it nownewrider.com