Please help my horse and i with cantering??????

Question

so i started leasing this horse and he has a slow trot and a slow canter. he walks and trots fine for me....but with cantering he goes really fast and out of control...nothing like how he cantered before i cantered him...maby im asking him wrong???i dono...umm..he used to a race horse if that helps (as in barrels)

Answer 1

si

Answer 2

no

Answer 3

If you pull with the reins he will speed up. Do lots of doward trasitions opening up you seat and allowing the horse to come under you and halt. Stop the movement with your seat one side then the next as his hindquarters come forward. Then at trot make sure your lower back is soft and flexible remember to sit trot before asking to walk. Use you seat by fealing the inside hind leg coming forward slow with that seat bone then the other to transition into walk. Lots of practise using the seat and leg in downward transitions. I'd suggest lots of sitting trot without your stirrups to make sure you back is flexible and hips open before you canter. Remember to relax in the canter feel his energy come through underneath you. Trotting poles on the ground can slow them down, loops, circles ( you can go small if he gets too fast), even if he goes fast just try to relax and praise when he slows to trot, some horses respond to a rub on the neck - voice might be helpfull slow and calm. Best of luck with this I'm sure he'll love his new life.

Answer 4

Circles!  horses can't go really fast in a circle.  so slow your horse down by making him canter in small circles.  try to let your circle take you to different parts of the arena and try to expand and retract your circles... let the circle get bigger when your horse is going an appropriate pace and try to keep that pace as you give him a bigger area to circle.

Also make sure that you have a deep canter seat... you might be encouraging him to go faster by leaning forward or standing up... to make him go slower try to sit back and down in the saddle.

And there's one more thing.  As a racehorse, horses are asked to go faster on a shorter rein... so it might be that you're pulling on him to slow him down, but he thinks it means speed up.  So before you ask for the canter, as you walk or trot, try to get him to relax his head down on the bit and then when you ask him to canter, try to ride him leg to hand to keep his head there... keep a steady hand and try to push him forward down onto the bit.

And remember to reward him when he's gone a good pace!

Answer 5

I agree with A J i dont believe you are doing anything wrong. I am training two barrel horses and one canters faster then the other. When a horse has a background in barrel racing or track racing thats the way they have been cantering their whole life under saddle. Just doing slow transitions from the walk to the trot and back down to the walk again should help alot. Just be patient and a positive attitude.  If that dosent work you should make sure that your saddle fits right and the bit you are using isnt pinching him. Hope this helps!

Answer 6

Hi there - advice based on 25 odd years of experience with many many horses - go back to doing a lot of transition work from halt to walk to trot - make these upward and downward transitions - leave canter out for the time being.  When in walk and trot regularly put half-halts in.  When you have got all these transitions off great then start asking for canter again and if he goes off too fast bring him back to trot and even walk until he learns to chill out a bit.  It is probably his racehorse background that is hindering you so lots of downward transitions will also help.  Try asking him for canter when you are ready by using your seat instead of your leg.  Good luck.