Training a horse to canter with rider?

Question

My horse is 11 yrs old he's still pretty green, and his previous owners tried to make him a bronc horse, it didn't work and we know that he was previously beaten with whips also. So my question is how do i teach him to canter with a rider, i'm not going to worry about picking up the correct lead i just want him to canter. We have gotten over the whole whip thing and i use a whip sometimes to get his attention back on me (just a little tap with it) when he "zones out". I'm pretty sure that i shouldn't hit him with my whip or keep kicking him to go forward, i have tried to "urge" him into a canter and he just does the fastest trot he can. So far he has learned everything in his training except the canter, flying lead changes, and jumping, but other than that he's learned it all. Oh ya i've also been told that if you canter your horse on the longe line and say a certain word to get them to canter it will work the same way mounted......with my horse it doesn't. any are answers helpful :]

Answer 1

my friend never got her horse to canter either, not until i let her borrow my spurs. if you arent using spurs, then i suggest you do. in your mind picture cantering. tell him canter and kiss. and just continuously keep nudging him with your spurs. once he canters, let off the spurs. and stop to praise him. he will get the jist that cantering is good. you will not hurt him unless you are nudging him on a cut or something. i repeat: you wont hurt him. i had a horse that was abused once. he was scared of everyone but he trusted me with his life. i rode him, and they told me he doesnt canter. i got him into a nice trot and then i did what i told you and he did it. build a great bond with him first. i have bonds with lots of horses and they do a LOT for me.

hope i helped. ((:

Answer 2

If he doesn't canter on the lunge, I'm not sure about how you want to go about cantering with a rider. I wouldn't go to spurs. Spurs are for horses that know what they are doing. Spurs aid a rider in making cues more accurate and subtle, not train something new.

You could just keep urging him forward when he trots. Eventually, he will have to break into a canter. A horse can only trot so fast. Make sure his legs are protected, in case he clips as he trots faster. Bell boots are almost a must. Once he breaks into a canter, praise him like he is royalty.

If he can canter on the lunge, I would lunge him with a rider. Along with the lunge cues, a rider could give cues from his back. He will associate the cues together and begin to take the rider's cues instead.

Answer 3

^^^ Exactly.