Cantering...

[*Nothin' But Equestrian*]

I think i suck at riding. My mare won't canter. :( I will be on the rail and at a trot or walk and ask for canter and i have my reins taunt and my leg on. She swishes her tail and canters for like one stride and then throws her head and canters to the side. Also i don't yank on the reins because i know she is a touchy horse. How can i keep her cantering on the rail with a nice rocking canter?

*Also, her tack, body and teeth have all been checked. :)*

[DixieGirl]

Maybe get a crop. Or maybe lunge her and make her keep going.

[PrissyBritches]

A "quick" fix is a crop!

But personally, I dont like crops.

Do you thrust her forward with your seat? If not, do that. If she is slowing down any dont put your seat back because that will slow her down.

Move with her, not against her.

Thats basically what I did when I started cantering on my young 3yr filly.

[PrissyBritches]

OH OH, DixieGirl, I agree with you on the lounging.

You want to make sure that she can lounge properly on the lounge line before you put her under saddle and mount her and try it.

Yep :)

[Haley]

Pull your inside hand closer to the outside, bringing her nose to the inside a bit to create a bend. Push her to the wall with your inside leg, and immediately use your outside leg to push her into a canter; in her case, I don't think a kick would hurt. Keep your leg on her, and use your outside rein if she moves toward the inside of the ring. ;)

[hoovesfirst]

long riening is a great idea because once you practice a little you can do it in the ring and simulates rideing you can also help his balance some horses don't canter because when your rideing you throw the horse of balance and make him uncomfortable so trie to do some balance exercises :D

[ForeverEquine]

The first time I worked with getting Gam into a canter, we only did it like 3 times, he responded more when I pushed him forward with my seat than with a nudge of me heel. I literally pushed him forward and kept doing so and then as he got into it I relaxed a bit in the seat and went with leg alone and that really helped.

I hope you can figure out her"button" soon and best of luck!

[Zarathustra]

I've dealt with a horse like this before. He'd pick up the canter, go on for a few strides, then break back into a trot.
What you need to do is get a good "feel" for when she's going to break from the canter and squeeze your leg into her to urge her to keep going. If she break into the trot give her a kick to get her back into the canter and try again. Don't overdo it, of course. Set a goal for yourself. Try to get her to go just one lap around the arena without breaking down into a trot, when she keeps it up THEN you can let her stop and walk. Always end on a good note, don't get frustrated and say "okay, she won't canter, we'll just trot." because then she has won and has gotten her way, you're basically teaching her then that she doesn't HAVE to canter and that she can do whatever she wants.
Depending on how experienced of a rider you are it may be harder for you to feel when she's going to break the canter but after a while you should be able to develop a feel for it.

[silverleprichuan]

A "quick" fix is a crop!

But personally, I dont like crops.

Do you thrust her forward with your seat? If not, do that. If she is slowing down any dont put your seat back because that will slow her down.

Move with her, not against her.

Thats basically what I did when I started cantering on my young 3yr filly.


A crop is not a "quick fix". A crop tells the horse to move off of the leg immediately. When used correctly it allows the rider to get a prompt response without nagging the horse and over time helps the horse become responsive from quieter and quieter aids.

Although you want to "follow" with your seat, thrusting too hard can easily result in a horse that hollow down and away from your seat.

Personally, I'd get a nice trot going about 10 feet off the rail. Leg yield her towards the rail and ask for the canter, if she doesn't immediately respond, then crop. Once she gives you a few steps, bring her back to a relaxed trot, and reward like crazy.

She'll figure out very quickly that it's better to respond to your leg instead of waiting around for the crop.

[zansgoodnews]

Your horse sounds EXACTLY like mine. Whenever I would ask my mare to canter she would throw her head, pin her ears, canter for one stride and then absolutely refuse to move. She has no problems whatsoever, other than she just doesn't want to move. She is fine trotting and walking, but cantering she just doesn't want to. Eventually I used a crop on her, but she began to kick out, buck, and retaliate. A crop did not work with her. Also by using a crop I had to take one hand off the reins in order to tap her with it, therefor leaving me with little to no control. After the crop was unsuccessful and rather dangerous I placed extremely blunt spurs on my boots. These spurs worked wonders. They were an easier way for me to emphasize my leg aid and she moved with them. However, I do not suggest, if you are a beginner ride, to use spurs since they can cause a whole lot of trouble. I'm only telling you what I have gone through with that sort of horse.

Also, I have learned over the years that horses know what is going to happen before what happens happens, lol....confusing, I know, but SO true. Ask for the canter with your leg firmly first, then if the horse doesn't respond tap with a crop. Once the horse responds reward, bring back to a trot. After several times of repeating that process the horse will know that if it doesn't move the crop is going to come. I wouldn't really reward once you are back to a trot because I believe that would tell the horse that what you wanted in the first place was just trotting.

[silverleprichuan]

I wouldn't really reward once you are back to a trot because I believe that would tell the horse that what you wanted in the first place was just trotting.


By rewarding the horse once he returns to a calm working trot yor praise a correct and balanced downward transition from the canter. Balanced downward transitions will lead to better upward transitions.

[zansgoodnews]

By rewarding the horse once he returns to a calm working trot yor praise a correct and balanced downward transition from the canter. Balanced downward transitions will lead to better upward transitions.

I'm sorry. I just don't agree with that, and I don't wish to start a fight over this. I know when riding my horse if I decided to praise once I transition her back to the trot then she sees it as her being praised for slowing down, then all she wants to do is trot. Maybe not every horse, but definitely my horse.

Might we agree to disagree? :)

[silverleprichuan]

I'm sorry. I just don't agree with that, and I don't wish to start a fight over this. I know when riding my horse if I decided to praise once I transition her back to the trot then she sees it as her being praised for slowing down, then all she wants to do is trot. Maybe not every horse, but definitely my horse.

Might we agree to disagree? :)


of course, you have every right to your opinion. Just wanted to clarify my previous post ;)

[cursivenight]

Also make sure you're asking her correctly and such. Some horses need to be asked in just the correct way. Use lots of leg, and remember to sit up when you try everyone's exercises. =)

[hurricane.harold]

I really think it depends on your training, and your horses training.
If this is a problem with your riding, and giving aids that the horse doesn't understand, then I would suggest getting someone to watch you from the ground and tell you what it is that you are doing wrong.

If this is a case of your mare being un- cooperative, I agree with every word that silverlepricaun has posted. Also, if you are going to take that advice, I would also suggest a voice reward (just a "good girl!") when she goes into the canter. Also, make sure that if you use crop, it is a: crop, canter, then bring her back before she can stop on her own. You don't want her to think that she can get away with coming back to the trot unless YOU say she can. Gradually make the time that you keep her cantering longer and longer.

However, I would just like to say that either way if it is at all possible to have someone knowledgable on the ground watching, because sometimes it is hard to tell if it is horse error or rider error when you are riding. :)

Good luck, and sorry for my post rambling on.

[alliekk]

I agree with the crop as well, but I know that not all horses are good with crops, I know Shaz isn't. (after checking to make sure there are no physical problems that need to be taken care of like floating teeth and chiropractic work) Try starting at one end of your arena in the middle and just asking for a canter. Don't worry about leads just yet, just push her forward into the canter and keep her going by slightly leaning forward and driving her on with your seat.

I also just thought about her symptoms and how similar they are to Shaz's. Try lunging her with her head down, or at least low enough so that she cant hollow out her back, and ask her to do a smooth transition up to the canter. Shaz has the ugliest and unbalanced lope when he doesn't take off correctly. Trot her in circles until she is calm and quiet and paying attention to you and then ask her to canter. Once she takes off into a nice balanced canter let her go around one circle then stop her and pat her on the neck, not the face.

[windspeed]

Horses cannot talk and we need to listen to their 'silent language'. A crop might get her going, but that will not solve her problem or yours.

You mentioned that the horse 'throws up the head'. This often is a sign of pain. Please have an equine chiropractor look at your horse to check for dislocated ribs or vertebrae.

Behavior issues are often not training issues, but simply the horses way of communicating pain and discomfort.

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