If you do horse riding, please help! What is the best way to get into canter?

Question

Do you kick the horse or just squeeze? How often do you use the whip? Please help, it would make me such a better rider!! Thank you!

Answer 1

Only canter once you have mastered the trot, working and sitting. Start by rounding and bending your horse at the walk in a 20m circle. Then once your horse is attentive, on the bit, and round, then pick up a working trot rising. Now round your horse at the working trot in the same circle. Once you have your horse round at the working trot, you're balanced and posting the right diagonal, you're ready to pick up the canter. Now if you havent even masted the walk or the working trot, DO NOT CANTER. Its bad schooling on your horse, and yourself. But if you are ready then from your working trot posting, change to a sitting trot. Slide your outside leg back and apply pressure, while sitting, and click to your horse. If your horse does not respond, keep using the same aids but give him/her a tap on the shoulder with the whip. Now remember you have to WANT to canter. Thats the only way you'll do it. Now when your horse picks up the canter exaggerate your hip movement to stay with your horse. Abd canter in your circle. If your horse picked up the wrong lead, meaning his outside leg is the lead leg. Then down transition to the walk and start over from the very beginning.  

Answer 2

I do Horse Riding and to get into canter I :

Begin with your horse or pony calmly trotting.

Sit a few beats.

Slide your outside leg behind the girth and apply pressure with both legs (or heels if the horse is reluctant). Your inside leg stays on the girth. This encourages your horse to begin the canter with the hind quarters and correct lead, and bend around your inside leg.

You will feel your horse lift his shoulders, and drive with his hindquarters. Keep slight pressure on the inside leg to maintain the horse’s forward motion. Shorten your reins slightly to maintain gentle but steady contact as the horse lifts its head.

Allow your hands to follow the motion of the horse’s head and neck always keeping gentle contact with the reins, as the horse strides into the canter or lope. Western riders will not ride with contact but follow the motion without pulling on the reins.

Sit deep into the saddle, keeping your hips loose and following the rocking motion of the horse. Keep your shoulders back and sit upright. Don’t allow your upper body to sway.

Check your horse is on the correct lead. As you become more experienced you’ll be able to feel the motion of the lead foreleg pulling your hip slightly forward. But in the beginning it will be easier to use your peripheral vision to check the shoulder and foreleg. Tipping your head down to look will pull you out of correct position.

To correct the lead, sit deeply into the saddle, apply slight leg pressure, closing down on the horse and resist the forward motion of the horse’s head. Continue to squeeze back on the reins until the horse is again trotting.

Answer 3

not a kick but  moe of a light prod with your heels and slacken the reign a little

whip shouldnt be needed, although sometimes let the horse see it, they generally get the idea without using it