Major canter problems...

BeachRiding

BeachRiding

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Aug 26, 2004
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Sigh....

I just can't sit Gitcha's canter!:mad: When I ask him to canter he jumps into it and goes really fast, I just can't ride it, or get him to canter slowly. He is capable, his trainer had him going very nice slow and collected in canter but its been months since he has cantered with a rider.

I don't think I am entirely the problem, I could sit Petes canter with my eyes closed, he was nice and slow and steady. Gitcha is a rocket. He runs as fast as he can. He is easy to stop but that is all he does. There is no medium, no slow canter. Its either full speed ahead or if you ask him to slow lightly he just stops.

Any tips on how I can prepare myself to sit his canter while my trainer works on his canter? I am utterly dissapointed in myself.:mad: I used to canter him all the time with no problem, now I can't even go a few strides without losing my balance.:eek:
 
I would stick to working on feeling totally comfortable and in control at trot for the time being (while your instructor works on getting a smoother canter from him). Then you can work on canter with her there to help you. You can also work on his canter on the lunge (I mean you lunging him, not riding him with someone else lunging, though your instructor might want to do that too). If you persevere with cantering even though you feel unbalanced and bouncy, it's just going to make him worse and increase the likelihood of a wreak.

It's okay to take things slow. Really. :)
 
Thank you. I gues sit will just take lots of time and I am trying to make things come together in a week. :eek:
 
I'm an instant gratification person too :)

I agree with Grace 100%, work on trot (all speeds) until you are totally comfortable there with him and your trainer works on his canter. Eddie can get that way too, where he gets strung out and just wants to run...he isn't as fit as he could be right now, so we've stopped cantering him for the most part and are just trying to build the proper muscles at trot and get him completely listening and more sensitive to aids. It's very hard to sit a canter that is too fast for your comfort...you are probably nervous, so that is making you tense up, and affecting his state of mind too. You need to make sure that YOU are the boss, and not him, and that YOU are in control of the speed you are going...get him to recognize you in trot as the boss, and he should be much better in canter. :)
 
WL stick to trot for the moment. Canter will come when you are more balanced and Gitcha is more balanced. bouncing around would indicate a balanced issue, and possibly Gitcha striking off on the wrong leg.

Excersises to improve your balance is stirrupless work, bareback, and with the help of someone who will lead Gitcha (how is he on the lunge?) close your eyes and feel the movement of the horse.
 
If you can get his tro tyou will be able to get his canter, I have the same kinda roblem with Blue, he has a longer stride than most horses, and I was use to a short stride 14 HH horse, and believe it or not when I could get his trot I could get his canter, and the other way around as well.
Take things slowly, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, that is what I am doing with Blue.
 
you say he is jumping into canter sometimes a more powerful forward going horse will feel as though they are jumping it may just be very powerful trot to canter if you get me?

also even if he is cantering fast you should ask him to slow and listen to you with your reins and keep your leg on so he doesnt just stop think about riding him between leg and hand then you,l have more control!!! good luck hun hope it works out!!:D:D:D
 
Definitely stick to lots of trot work //

I help educate the kids at my yard (they can't afford real lessons) and the one thing that always strikes me is that they tell me they can walk/trot/canter, but when asked to canter, they kick their ponies into an unbalanced FAST canter and whizz round and round the school.

Now maybe kids on ponies can get away with that, but teenagers/adults on horses cannot! After a few sessions, they learn to "trot as slow as you can without walking" and as "fast as you can without cantering" and every formula of trot in between and Hey Presto, balanced ponies and happy riders. Rising in two-time, trotting without stirrups, etc -- all these things can also make your seat gentler so your horse can find his balance.

After a bit of work, cantering is the next logical progression and shouldn't seem daunting at all.
 
I dont do any canter work with Lady until she is listening to me and doing everything that I ask in trot.

Sometimes that could be a whole schooling session, but I would rather have a nice colleted trot going into a good canter, than rushing along (which she still does now).

:) :)
 
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