Can't get my horse to canter on lunge!!?

Question

I have a haflinger thats 14.2, shes really good at lunging buuut... she won't canter! no matter how much you make the whip noises ( i dont whip her) or put the whip as close to her she just rushes her trot really fast. the arena isnt that small that i put her in, but not the biggest.

what could be the cause and how can i help her?

no nasty comments plzz. :)

Answer 1

use a whip

Answer 2

There is no point in trying to frighten a horse, especially a Haflinger, into anything.....

OK. Does she canter in the field? Yes so you know she can right?

Put her in the school, lunge her in walk and trot, let the line out so it's a nice long one.

Small circles are for the trained, balanced horse to improve collection.

In trot, get her going towards the long side.As she breaks the corner facing the long stretch raise you own energy say "CANTER" and canter (you) all the way down the long side until you get to the corner, then back into trot. If she doesn't do it first time, don't get cross with her.

If she is a smart pony (and Haflingers are very smart usually) she will mimic your "gait". PRAISE her with exuberance, go completely over the top with it. You must let her know she got it right.

As soon as she gets it take her out of the school, leave it for a day or two then try again.

Always start with her most favoured reign so it's easier for her and only do that one reign until she does "get it".

If she still won't, try free schooling. Turn it into a game. Show her what you want, trot yourself and then canter, back to trot and walk. Tell her what you are doing.

Anger & frustation from humans blocks any posative energy and will serve to confuse your horse.

Stay calm. Ignore the bad and reward the good. Posative training will be a happy union, on both sides. Good luck I hope this has helped.

Answer 3

teach her when your riding first. put her into canter when u ride and say very clearly CANTER then eventually she'll asociate the word if you say it in the same tone etc. each time with going into canter and then after about 3 months averagely of training her to do it on voice command in horse back try it with the lunge whip of course do the aids like touching the whip behind her etc. but say in the tone canter clearly so she hears you and hpefully it will work.. dont worry it will just take time.

Answer 4

Into the short corner of the school put up a small jump - enough to get her off the ground and as she is going forward give her the sharp command to "Canter up" backed up by the whip.  She should then canter on the correct leg over the fence.

It sounds as if she is just rather unbalanced and probably on the forehand.  Give her plenty of positive praise when she does canter, keep following her with the whip.  Try lunging over trotting poles, making shure that the distances are correct and on a bend.  These will help her to move her back end better, thus lifting the forehand.

Are you using elasticated side reins?  These help the horse to keep straight and also simulate a constant contact with the mouth.

It also sounds as tho you need some lessons in lungeing properly.

Answer 5

Can you put her in a round pen and free lunge her to attempt the canter?

I would get a lunge whip, with a plastic bag on it, leave her halter on and send her to the rail.  If she doesn't lope, she gets popped on the rear with the whip.

I am pretty sure that the bag will make your horse canter but be prepared to back it up with more should she not.

The other thing is a broom, believe it or not.  You smack that on the ground behind them and its amazing how much forward motion you get out of a horse.

But do this free lunging, not attached to the rein.

Answer 6

its actually hard for a horse to canter on a lunge line since the circle is to small, try just awalk and trot and if you want to get her a a canter take her off of the lung line and see if that works ^.^

Answer 7

Well you didn't say if you talked to her while doing it. My trainer is the best where I live. You yell canter and click you toung and kiss loudly also crack the whip right by her. This works for me and my horse was a race horse then a Abused horse [starved} I think it should work! Try it! It also might be the arena try it in a feild to it works as long a you have a good lung line! Good luck to you!

Answer 8

I agree with Mulereiner and MooMoo.

First of all, you say that the arena isn't too small, but not the biggest.  Kind of a nebulous statement, no offense intended!

How big is it, and is it an arena or a round pen? A roundpen is a lot safer than an arena (square or rectangular) - since the corners can present a problem if she runs herself into one and has to either slam on the brakes or jump.  You probably already know that.

My first thought is that the area you're using is too small.  The lunge line may be preventing her from maintaining the correct balance to canter comfortably.

If you don't have access to a roundpen, "round off" the corners of the arena with jump poles placed across the corners at chest height or higher.  Take her off the lunge line, and use the white-plastic-bag-on-a-whip monster to encourage her. (just be careful at first - use the bag-whip carefully.  You don't want her to freak out and run through the fence.  Watch her eyes, and back off if she starts to freak). Also the broom idea someone mentioned is great.

Usually when a horse rushes like that it's a balance issue.  I'm assuming she canters well in the field and under saddle (is she ridden?)

Edit:

How old is she, and for how long has she been going under saddle?

Do you have an open area to ride her in, as in out on a hack where the footing and all  is safe for a canter?  It sounds like she needs to get out of the arena and for you to get her going straight and relaxed and forward on a straightaway, to get her cantering along for a distance (when she's physically up to it).  This is a lot more natural (obviously) than cantering in a smallish enclosed area where she is not inclined to go really forward, and she has to worry about balancing in the turns.

In other words, it sounds like a green horse problem, to me.  Get her out in the open.  Goal: straight, forward, relaxed.  She needs to start to enjoy cantering under saddle.

Answer 9

not being mean or anything but i didn't thing you were meant to canter horses on a lunge line. I may be wrong - it's just what my instructor told me but it may just be with my pony as she has cushins.

Answer 10

she might not be comfortable with the excercise make her no that its all good and she will get comfortabe andf should be allright

Answer 11

It could be that the arena is too small to canter in- but judging by what you've said, that doesn't seem like the case. :)

I'd suggest tying a plastic bag to the end of the whip and touching her on the rear with it- just a touch!