This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses » Basic Riding Skills » Help with the Canter »
  Discussion on Fear of Cantering
Author Message

Posted on Thursday, Apr 13, 2000 - 8:30 pm:

I have a huge problem. I started having riding lessons (never ridden before that) about six months ago. had lessons for two months and then teacher moved town. Since i am very isolated I have not been able to find another teacher to teach meto ride. I only learnt to wlak and trot. Since then I have been looking to buy own horse to learn on myself and in my travels have been bucked off and horses taken off with me. I now have my own beatuiful gelding but ahve one major fear-cantering. because I have never learnt it and all my cantering experiences have been bad ones I am very nervous and scared. Help!

Posted on Friday, Apr 14, 2000 - 12:07 pm:

Hi Anja--I too live a long way from civilization; but I've had the great good fortune to find an instructor with very steady school horses who is now giving me longe lessons (For me, this is a first after 13 years riding as an adult plus riding as a child!)

I have to drive an hour each way for my lessons, but it's certainly worth it!!

I've never owned a horse who was schooled when I got him/her; so my riding has required that I concentrate on the horse rather than my position, skills, etc. I picked up lots & lots of bad habits along the way.

If you're frightened to canter, just don't do it until you can get instruction. It's much easier on you AND your horse. Besides, you can learn a good, basic seat at the walk!

Until you find an instructor, there are lots of books and videos that can help you understand what's involved. I think Centered Riding by Sally Swift is one of the best books. Her videos are very good, also.

If you know other riders in your area who are interested in improving their skills, maybe you could swap being "spotters" for one another. You know--keeping an eye on whether you are sitting balanced and straight, whether you're trying to balance on the reins, etc.

I really understand what you're going through, and it isn't easy--but it isn't impossible, either.

Good luck & let us know how you're doing.

Posted on Monday, Apr 17, 2000 - 9:33 pm:

Hi All,

I too have problems with the canter, it is the only gait I've fallen off three times and I still have that fear of falling. As a result I'm very tense in that gait and would appreciate any suggestions from anyone reading this. You can E-Mail me at equs.sal@worldnet.att.net. Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated by Bonnie (my horse), who happens to be wonderful and she's also my teacher and of course me.
Regards to all, from Salome'.

Posted on Monday, Apr 17, 2000 - 11:05 pm:

Dear Anja and Salome,
If your horses are well behaved I'd just start real slow. Trot a while, then ask for canter.
Canter just a few strides, then go back to trot.
Do this just once ot twice a day, then keep the canter for a bit longer as you get more used to it. As soon as you start feeling tense, go back to trot. At the canter, try to feel "heavy" in your seat and lean a bit back rather than forward.
Keep you hands low and quiet.

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 18, 2000 - 2:22 pm:

Do you both have a closed arena where you can ride? If so, and if you were both taught to sit to a trot, and if your horses do easily canter for you, you can try doing a slow, relaxed sitting trot - hold the reins lightly in one hand, and hold the pommel of the saddle with the other hand. When you are feeling relaxed and soft and together, lean back a little, ask the horse to canter just for a few strides, still holding on the pommel. Then gently go back to trot, then walk, and think about how it was. Then try again, just a few strides.

Can you do a sitting trot without stirrups? It is important to learn to do this before you canter. If you can, and you feel secure doing this [hold on to the pommel with one hand], try a few strides of canter without stirrups. It is much easier than with stirrups.

But your horses must be kind and listening to you and not tearing off and frightening you. And they must go slooooowly, not fast. And you must try to never jab them in the mouth.

It really is not easy to teach yourself to ride without help - you are both very brave. Could friends or family help? Maybe if you had a video to both watch, then they can watch you and help you a little from the ground.

Keep posting, and letting us know how you are getting on.

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 19, 2000 - 1:24 am:

Aloha Salome and Bonnie,
Many adults I know have had challenges w/cantering, so you're not alone. At which point do you and Bonnie usually depart company?It commonly starts w/ my students when they try to
accelerate from trot to canter. They usually throw the reins to the horse and start kicking, which stretches the horse's frame and makes it go into extended trot which increases the bounce and they start crunching up into a ball that easily bounces off.
Horses are just like people-if you're walking and want to run, you have to squat down a bit. Watch a tennis player walk on to the court, then squat
down into ready position so she can speed in any direction. Well, horses have to do that too-we call it "collection". Some ideas:
*Read the book, "Centered Riding" by Sally Swift-she has videos now too. Very easy to understand-great exercises. Bonnie will appreciate!
*Have a knowledgeable and patient friend canter Bonnie to make sure she understands what to do and doesn't have any physical issues like saddle fit, placement or stiffness to clear up. She should be able to make the upward transition
in 1 or 2 steps and rate her speed to a nice, slow, consistant canter. This may take some time because Bonnie may be rusty or may never have been taught how to balance herself at the lope w/a rider. Make sure the "lessons" are
very short and mixed w/other more enjoyable events so she won't get soured
to it.
*Try cantering up a SLIGHT incline (too steep and
the horse will want to go too fast). The horse has to collect herself to go uphill and the rider naturally flows into the proper position.The idea is to rrrrRELAX AND BREATHE.........
*Look way ahead. Most people get nervous and look just over the horse's ears, which tenses them.
*Talk, hum or sing (you gotta breathe that way, which relaxes your torso)
*Get her trotting in a nice, comfortable trot.Keep yakking or singing-it'll keep you loose, set the pace and amuse bystanders-humor is always good.
*Think "downshift" it's like downshifting a car to pass on a hill-you have to downshift to get the power to speed up.How do you downshift a horse?Just bring in the rein slightly (that lightens her front end a bit) and immediately squeeze or bump her sides w/your legs. remember to keep your butt nice and deep-if you tense, your butt will tense and you'll start
crunching up.
*Give her a few steps to canter. If she can't, then slow her back down to that nice trot and forget about it for a bit.Wait till you're having fun again.
*Try downshifting her again when you're ready and see what happens. Be patient-she needs to figure out what you want and get her confidence too.
You are two partners trying to figure this out together.
*Like Alexa says, when she does go into a canter, let her go a short way, then slow down to a trot and pat her.Keep reevaluating your state-are you tensing up? Flashbacks of falling? All perfectly normal. The fear will diminish with a series of small successes.
Obviously, do these exercises when you're both in a relaxed, controlled situation. I don't like to have students run horses on the way back to the
barn so they don't get conditioned to run back home. If she's all worried about leaving her pals, wind, solar flares or you're worried about falling, the IRS, UFOs, etc. ,wait for another day. You have the rest of your life to
learn this-don't let others suck you into rushing.
Lessons may help if you can find an instructor that makes you feel comfortable. Riding is a journey of constant growth-everyone should be
always learning.
I hope this isn't too wordy-I tried your email twice-couldn't send. I just want you to deepen your relationship w/ Bonnie even more. I know she'd love that!
Pam

dmassan@hotmail.com

Posted on Sunday, Apr 30, 2000 - 9:20 pm:

Hi Pamela (dmass@hotmail.com)

Thank you for your suggestions, they really helped. Bonnie and I are doing much better and I am finally relaxing at the canter. Just wanted to let you and everyone know that I am making progress. I've also found a good instructor who allows me to relax. My last instructor made me feel totally inadequate. Again many many thanks for your help and interest.
With warm regards,
Salome' & Bonnie
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC