How to get into a canter?

Question

Hi my name is Kristina and i take horse back riding lessons once a week for about the past 3 years. I can't say i am a beginner but i also can't say i am an expert either. Whenever i try to get into a canter for the first time during the lesson, i end up in a very fast trot, then eventually when i halt and ask again, the horse already knows what i want and without even me having to ask him he goes straight into a canter. The problem is how to get him into a canter the right way the first time? I guess i'm asking for a step by step way to get into a canter. I would really appreciate it. :)

Answer 1

Knmiamie's answer covers the question well.  I'll add this.  Make sure that you're not leaning forward when you ask for the canter, as many new riders do.  When you do that, your throw your weight onto the horse's already overloaded forehand (a horse naturally carries 60 - 65% of his weight on the forehand) and you make it very difficult for him to correctly pick up the canter.  Usually, but not always, what a horse will do when you lean forward and ask him to canter is to speed up in the trot.  In order to strike of in a balanced canter, a horse needs to rock back on his hindquarters and push off into the canter.  That's why asking for a canter departure going uphill on a green horse is always a safe bet.

So if you half halt, slide the outside leg back, squeeze with the inside, and push your hips forward simultaneously, a trained horse will pick up the canter.  Some good packer school horses will pick up the canter no matter where the rider's weight is, when given the specific cue the instructors have taught him.  Do ask your instructor for her advice.  

Answer 2

Try to prepare your horse a bit more before you ask for the canter the first time.  Pick up your reins (make them a little shorter)... that's usually a cue to the horse that you'll be asking him to go faster.  Then work on a little flexion... bend his head in while pushing his front shoulder out with your inside leg.  When you get to a corner, kiss and squeeze hard.

I can't guarantee that will work the first time.  When riding, you should work on transitioning up to the canter.  Always use the same cue to get up to the canter so the horse knows exactly what you want.  The better your transitions are, the easier it will be to pick up the canter for the first time in your lessons.

A lot of horses need the 1st cue to sort of get in the mood to canter.  A lot of horses won't do it the first time, but will the second time.  It can just be a bad habit of the horse you're riding... especially if he gets away with that same behavior with a lot of different riders (like if he's a lesson horse and a lot of beginners ride him and he gets away with not transitioning very well).  Tell your instructor that it's something you'd like to work on in your lessons... it will get better with practice.