Trouble with Cantering??

Question

Hi, well I rode my horse yesterday and I couldnt get him to canter more than 3 steps or so. I kept kissing and urging him on but he wouldnt go. He has cantered for me a while back fine. Nothing is wrong with him cause i feel like it is my fault cause i can longe him and he has a great canter.

How exactly do I cue the canter? ( just want to make sure i am doing it the same everytime, i know how to canter but something i am doing may be wrong)

Also how do i get him to canter right away without this really bouncy broken trot that lasts forever at the speed of lightning?

How do i teach him to canter from a walk?

I heard that it does take strenght on the horse to do that what exercises should i do with him?

Help please, thanks!

Answer 1

Do you do any lateral work with him?  I train all the basics before cantering.  If he doesn't yield to leg pressure, and easily move sideways and on a two track, plus shoulder in/out, he isn't ready for cantering.  Once he is flexible and responsive to seat and leg cues for lateral work, he will more easily transition his gaits.

Lots of people spend all their time working on forward movement without working on the laterals....that is doing things backwards. My advice is to forget cantering for now, and work on laterals.

Answer 2

when riding in an arena,pen,or inclosed area use your inside rein and only kick on your outside leg it will get him to canter and be on the right lead...if he feels like he is getting ready to break give him a little leg if he trots,walks,or stops just keep trying!

good luck to you and your horse!

Answer 3

Try placing your inside leg beind the girth, and your outside leg in front of it and sqeezing while kissing and urging.

Answer 4

When asking a horse to go into a faster gait you first need to shorten up your reins so he will know that you're up there and about to use an aid and command..... as well as collected with his hind end underneath him more,  for his push off.

I know your in a western saddle but it seems to me that you want to ride english!!  In western which I've ridden but I am definitely an english rider...horses are usually directed by neck reining...lets say your going the first way (counterclockwise) which would mean we want to be on the left lead.  For a western cue..shorten your reins so you have mouth contact put pressure on the inside rein (hand moving to the outside)to slightly turn his head while using your outside leg and apply pressure just behind the girth....lean forward slightly and put pressure in your right butt cheek and leg and he will go into a canter.  In watching the video..he knows what to do and you did fine..you just need to have some contact with his mouth and you sitting deep into the saddle and move with his rhythm.  If you feel like he is slowing or going out of the lope or canter use your legs to push him on.  You can use a crop..but I think you need to give more direct commands and stay in control.

With you holding your reins in two hands...you would use your outside rein and outside leg..to engage the canter.

Not knowing which dicipline you plan to go into..the jog and lope in western is a lot slower than in english.  I did look at your other video and saw that you trot at the speed that you should be posting too..which,  you can post in a western saddle or stand in your stirrups so you don't bounce.

If he goes into a trotting start..stop him and once again give him the canter/lope command and once he does it after a few strides stop him and pet him and do the take off again and just keep pressure on him to continue to move on.

Also...in your pre-lesson warm up..instead of just walking the ring..do circles, serpentines and other exercises to limber and flex him up and bend using you leg aids!!

He is really a nice horse and you'll learn a lot from him..just don't let him be stubborn!!

And, I loved his designer fly masks!!

Oh...and practice!!  Sit deep into the saddle and put pressure into your stirrups so you don't bounce..follow his rhythym and move with him moving your hips and butt...back and forth, not up and down!!

Answer 5

if you have ever looked at a drag speed race, you will notice that the cars that run the quarter mile in 4 seconds, can do so because of the engine in the back that boosts them with all the horse power. or if you ever see a boat take off at fast speeds you will see that, it comes off the water at the front. the reason for this is the engine is in the back and the power boosts the boat or drag racer forward with such force that it make the front lighter, in fact so light that it will raise up int he air. The horses, engine is also in the back, in the hind legs. It sounds to me that your horse is heavy in the forehand and lacks the impulsion that he needs to take off confortably in a canter. to cue the horse to canter i place my inside leg at the girth and my outside leg about six inches behind the girth, at the same time i give a gentle squeeze on the inside rein to give my horse a slight bend around my inside leg. i advise you to continue riding, and don't worry about the canter for now, help your horse get stronger, by doing many transitions from walk to trot and back to walk and other transitions like this, your balance will improve with time and your horses strength will also improve, i recomend that you invest in some training for you and your horse so that you have a better understanding of what you want to acomplish and what a realistic time frame would be to reach your goals. please visit http://tonyonehorse.weebly.com and tell a friend about me.

Answer 6

im not sure about the first question but in the video you have a tendency to bounce around in the saddle while cantering.

Your horse could have pulled a muscle in his back while you were lunging, but get him checked out if you're worried.

Answer 7

His back might be hurting from you bouncing up and down on him when you canter. To get him to canter, use a crop or something like that. Dont lounge him before, orelse he will be too tired to canter. when you do break to the canter, try to sit deeper and keep your leg on him. Getting him to go from walk to canter might be hard. Try to canter with him a few steps, then stop and try to get him to canter from walking, becuase now he knows what your asking for becuase you just cantered a few seconds ago. to not have that long ugly time where he trots lightining speed, use the crop right when he starts to trot, right on his hind quarters, if you know how to. But if you dont you should be able to hit him on is shoulder but that might make him change leads, so do it on the outside shoulder.

Good luck and hope this helps!!