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Discussion on How To Teach A Young Horse to Canter
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Member:
lhenning
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Posted on Friday, May 9, 2008 - 3:32 pm:
My 7 year old Quarterhorse and I have worked through many issues. Though we were both completely green when we began this journey, five years later we are becoming soul mates. One major issue we still have to conquer is cantering.
When I first began riding Cutter, I was afraid to canter. Being new and middle aged, it scared me to go so fast. A few times, Cutter has bolted and thrown me, which has only added to my apprehension. However, over the winter I set some goals and have become a very secure rider and my confidence has grown steadily. We have practiced a one-rein stop at walk and trot. I am very good at a sitting trot which has helped me learn good balance. Thursday and Friday, we cantered for the first time in years.
The problem is he is young, frisky, and has had no training in canter, so he gallops. Both days I stayed firmly in the saddle (we are inside an indoor arena and I won't ride him outside until I conquer this hurdle). I stayed calm, and I was able to stop him by turning into a circle.
I know my next step is to teach him to move at the speed I dictate - preferably something between trotting and galloping.
So I am looking for advice on how to go about this. How do you communicate to a youngster to canter at speeds other than "hot go" or dead stop?
Thanks,
Linda
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Member:
stevens
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Posted on Friday, May 9, 2008 - 4:05 pm:
Hi Linda,
He's going to have to learn how to balance himself with a rider before he's going to be able to adjust speed within the gait.
Jane Savoie has some great instructional videos on YouTube that you can access for free. Of course, she sells videos too on her site janesavoie.com
The first lesson on her horse training program is called "Go and Whoa".
Can you adjust his speed at the walk and trot? If so, then you should be able to use the same aids at the canter. Typically, you slow a horse down by stilling your seat and squeezing the outside rein (assuming a snaffle). If not, then I would suggest you not even try at the canter until you can regulate his speed at the walk and trot.
Good Luck.
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Member:
sarahb47
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Posted on Friday, May 9, 2008 - 4:36 pm:
Hi Linda,
I start my young horses cantering on a longe line or in a round pen (at least 50-foot diameter) so they learn to balance themselves at a steady canter without a rider. I use voice commands, also, so when I ask for a canter under saddle I've got one more tool in my toolbox.
I make sure my young horse can make several trot-canter transitions in sequence on the longe line, going from quiet trot to quiet canter and back to trot, before I ask for the same thing with me on top. The transitions help him learn to balance himself and also strengthen his back and hindquarters.
After he's showing me that nice canter on a 15-to-20 meter circle, both leads, with a saddle but without a rider--no bucking, bolting, racing or silliness--then I figure he's ready for a canter under saddle. I first ask for a canter as we come out of a corner or on a large circle, so he's likely to give me the correct lead, but I don't fuss about the lead at first. I canter about six strides, come back to rising trot, then walk and reward. Then I repeat, asking for a few trot-canter transitions if he seems balanced and strong enough. The point is that at first he's only going to be asked to canter a few strides before we come back to trot, so he learns to get ready for the slow-down and we can re-organize whenever we need to. I offer lots of reward and rest and relaxation.
If I run into trouble, I work more on walk-trot transitions and transitions within the trot, asking for a slower trot and then a more forward trot. And I may put him back into the round pen, riderless, and work again on the trot-canter transitions.
Sarah
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Member:
sarahb47
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Posted on Friday, May 9, 2008 - 4:40 pm:
PS If your own balance at canter is not really really secure, you can't help a greenie find HIS balance. Ask a more skilled rider, someone who has lots of confidence and a calm, relaxed approach. Horses aren't born knowing how to balance a rider, and people aren't born knowing how to sit on a horse (though sometimes it seems that way). Either the horse has to teach the rider, or the rider has to teach the horse!
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Member:
ekaufman
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Posted on Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 11:21 am:
Hi Linda,
The first thing to remember is that he can't run any faster than you can ride! Speed can be unsettling, especially if it feels unbalanced or the horse has a history of bucking, but speed in itself isn't going to do anything but cover ground.
Bill Steinkraus always said "don't fight the oats." Make sure he has a good opportunity to blow off his ha-has before you get on.
I agree with the comments that he may be losing his balance. Don't keep him in canter for longer than he can balance, even if that's 4 strides. Ride lots of transitions and focus on your preparation and relaxation. Use figures or the shape of the schooling area to help you-- for example, ask for your down transition facing a wall (but don't run him into the wall, or he will think you're out to get him).
Cantering over rails (properly spaced for his balanced length of stride) will give him the idea of keeping a regular rhythm. Once he really gets it on his own, then you can try it under saddle.
Good luck!
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 7:42 am:
Hi Linda, when I was learning to canter Hank he did the same thing, and that horse could un-nerve me, he knew that of course. At the time I was working with a trainer, he basically said the same thing as Elizabeth, except I was to do it in saddle. We knew Hank could canter correctly, I was getting in his way,since I was nervous about speed, and god knows what else he may do....all in my head. Of course with the nerves raging I was riding unbalanced and tugging the mouth more than I should.
The trainer said to just go with him at 1st with the speed until the energy level came down, then work into the canter. I couldn't do it...to make a long story short, I had the trainer get on and show me. After I saw with my own eyes he wouldn't kill me at a fast speed and indeed he was just burning off excess energy and learning his balance, I believed I could do it. From that day forward we didn't have many problems, granted the trainer could canter beautiful circles with my horse..I couldn't. We started out on the long sides and trotted the corners...because I fell in on a circle and wasn't helping his balance one bit!
IF you feel comfortable doing it in saddle start on straight lines and don't fight the energy, it will dissipate. He was 3 when we started this exercise and it took a good year before I felt really comfortable cantering a whole circle.
We canter everywhere now and it is our favorite "gear". Still have to let him gallop first occasionally just to blow off steam, but now I enjoy our gallop first instead of it scaring me to death which has been the key, Me relaxed and balanced.
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Member:
lhenning
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Posted on Monday, May 12, 2008 - 11:36 am:
Diane, I think you are on it. I feel more relaxed than I used to be, but still a little "up there". I do think if I kept going he would slow down, but it is hard to keep going when I am getting more nervous.
As for him learning to balance me . . . When I cantered him as a three year old, he was learning to balance me. Now at seven, he doesn't have that heavy feel but he does need a lot more practice at this. I have lunged him at canter and he is very balanced and can do trot/ canter transistions nicely. He bucks on rare occasions to get his energy out, but only on a lunge. I am not afraid of him bucking when I ride him. He is voice trained to canter when I kiss, and trot when I cluck. So this is making me realize I should use those voice commands when riding. Duh!
Now the issue of my balance. I feel very ready for this next step. I ride western, and I often envision myself being like a cowboy cutting cattle. I love the way they move and stay with their horses. My middle is very flexible and I can make those moves, in a smaller fashion. However I have little experience with cantering though I have plenty of "book and video" learning. I know that sounds bad, but I've trained this horse and myself all along. It just takes us longer but we figure it out over time. That is why Diane's comments hit home. We just need to keep trying and we'll get this.
Chris mentioned adjusting his speed with my seat. That may be where I need help from all of you. When we trot, I can get him to go from posting trot where he extends himself to a slow jog by sitting down. He knows two speeds at trot. He transitions from walk to trot to walk easily, most of the time. When I asked for canter, he did not seem resistant. Quite the contary, he seemed to wait to see if I "really" meant it, then when I asked again he seemed quite gleeful to take off flying. If I had been watching from the ground I would have thought he looked quite lovely.
I mentioned him bolting in the past and he threw me off during one of those episodes. I had the feeling this time he was checking to see if he could get me off again. He didn't! So maybe we are just working through some of the past issues?
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Member:
canter
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Posted on Monday, May 12, 2008 - 1:15 pm:
Hi Linda,
I also have some past canter issues that are rooted firmly in my head (and only in MY head, my horse is not the problem), and have been working steadily to get myself through this. Not always easy, that's for sure!
For me, when I ask for a canter depart, I have the bad habit of tipping forward, which of course dumps my horse on her forehand and trashes her balance. The result is that she will canter strung out, trying to catch up to herself and it feels out of control to me...and I continue to tip forward, my seat comes up out of the saddle...it's not pretty. I wasn't aware I was doing this until it was pointed out to me. So, now, I try to think "Up" as I ask for the canter. I try to picture in my head a plane lifting off from a runway. I also try to lean further back than what feels correct for me, realizing that although it feels like I am way behind the vertical, it actually puts me in the correct position.
I had the same issue with my horse not sure if I really meant "Canter, right NOW". I started by telling her first verbally that we were going to canter (saying the word) and then gave her the physical cue. That helped and I have now eliminated the verbal cue and give her a heads up with a half halt and ask with my body. Things are far from perfect, but have much improved.
Good luck!
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Member:
stevens
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Posted on Monday, May 12, 2008 - 1:42 pm:
Hi Linda,
You might want to go back to the trot and develop more than 2 speeds at that gait, or even the walk.
For example, in dressage (don't freak out just yet and remember dressage means to train) we have a collected trot, a working trot, trot lengthenings, medium trot and extended trot. When I was competing in AQHA shows, it was not unusual to be asked to extend the jog in either a pleasure or horsemanship class ir extend the trot in a Hunter under Saddle class.
Your horse should be able to slow and extend his jog (you'll be sitting at both) and slow and lengthen his rising trot (you'll be posting at both). He should also be able to slow and extend his walk. It's all about body control.
I was taught to use the aids in this order: seat, legs, hands. So say you start out in a jog and want to extend it; you would give a nudge with your seat (driving seat), and close both your legs and allow him to move forward with your hands. Now, say you want to slow the jog back down; you would sit deep by bracing your lower back and contracting your tummy to stop your seat from following the horse's motion as much, use your legs to push him into your closed outside rein (assuming a snaffle, if you're riding in a curb lightly close your legs to push him into contact). If you just pull on the reins, he'll fall onto his forehand.
In the rising trot, you should be able to lengthen the stride by using a driving seat and closing your legs. You should be able to slow his rising trot by stilling your seat by posting slower (sitting longer) and closing your outside rein.
Once your horse understands this at the walk and trot, he should understand it at the canter. Still seat + pushed into closed outside rein = slow down.
Good Luck.
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Member:
stevens
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Posted on Monday, May 12, 2008 - 1:43 pm:
One more thing; once you have confidence that you can slow him down at any gait, you'll likely be less nervous. It's a good feeling to know that you have reliable set of brakes.
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Member:
cpacer
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Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 7:33 am:
Linda, when I was learning to canter at a reasonable pace we would go into a smaller circle to slow, then straighten back out. We use a hind-quarter and a give of the nose to do this on a loose rein. May not work for everyone, but worked for us. Good luck!
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Member:
lhenning
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Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 10:39 am:
Fran, you describe exactly what is happening. I need to really focus on sitting back and staying deep. I like your image of the plane taking off, I will use that. I did not come up out of the saddle because my back was relaxed, but I may have been sitting more vertical with the shoulders slightly curled forward. That would certainly encourage Cutter to move faster! I must remember to round my back more and keep the shoulders back.
I have tried lunging with more trot/ canter transitions. Cutter is tuning in to me and listening for the start and stop cues. This should easily transfer to saddle so he tunes in better to me and help him feel more relaxed with this new work.
Chris, I shall work on getting more variation of speed during trot. He listens to my seat but we are in the learning stages. I've only become consistent with the seat, legs, hands method in the past year. Things seem to take Cutter and I a long time to learn, but we are in no hurry.
cp, I will try the circle. I prefer doing this beginning canter work on a loose rein. That is how Cutter learns best, even though it isn't always pretty at first.
Thanks to all of you. Your suggestions have given me some better ideas to get this on track. Hopefully, Cutter and I will be happily zooming around the arena very soon. I appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences.
Happy trails,
Linda
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Member:
muffi
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Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 12:16 pm:
WOW - I found this thread very informative.
I too fear the Speed on my horse. I have taken quite a few spills and at over 50 Don't want to take too many more if I can help it. So I have a fear of speed. I do very well with a trot - - I post both english and western (same horse). I can do a canter / gallop on a long visable flat stretch or a gentle hill with out freaking - I get nervous when we start out then relax in to it and actually enjoying 'flying' with my horse.
What I was did notice it that I am not the only one that has this fear. It's good to know.
I only have a round pen to train in not a large arena. The round pen is about 70 feet across - good sized but definatly all corners for a cantering / galloping horse. I Lunge him in there in saddle and he does quite well but 2 separate times I have seen him loose balance and come down - so not quite sure his balance is ready for me in the saddle at that speed either.
He did however come down when he was all out galloping and cutting a corner even sharper for some reason (dog out side? or percieved threat?)
bottom line - THANKS Guys - yea I am relativly new to riding (this is my first horse had him 4 years now) The horse and I have had only a little training but slowly but surely we both are getting to know each other and how to ride.
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Member:
lhenning
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Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 3:39 pm:
Muffi,
You will find there are lots of people afraid to canter, especially those in our age group. Many times it is due to accidents, but not always.
For me this is all about trail riding. I realized as long as I am afraid of cantering, I have no business on trails. My horse is young enough that I know anything could happen out there and he could bolt. I am determined to conquer this fear so I can feel confident on the trails.
Take your time and gain your confidence at walk and trot. Trotting teaches so much about balance and cadence it is a good place to begin. I also recommend a book by Julie Goodnight called Ride With Confidence. She teaches some very good techniques to combat fear and anxiety. However, confidence mainly comes from successful riding experience - so just keep riding!
Good luck,
Linda
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 5:12 pm:
Oh good, it's not just me that feels like my galloping into the sunset days are a thing of the past! Must be the approaching 50 thing?
I also like a nice wide open stretch, and sometimes, I keep one hand on my dog collar bucking strap. (I buy nylon dog collars at the Doll$r store and have one on all my saddles for that "oh s*** handle!) The last spill I took I could hardly move for 3 days. Didn't hurt much when I hit the ground!
Muffi,
If your horse gets worked in the round pen, free lunging I think is good, that's a wonderful size to teach him to carry himself well. I also have that size, and have had my horses slip and fall, but they need to learn to control themselves and balance. I actually prefer to canter there vs my arena, but only after lots of walk/trot work in the arena. Cantering is hard for them. But in the round pen if they know word commands for their gaits, I think it's safer than the arena. Just my 10 cents worth.
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Member:
muffi
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Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 6:26 pm:
WARM and FUZZY Feelings....
what did Holly call us Nicker Sisters.
or was it the Saddle Bags? LOL
Yea girls - every time I do take him out and canter or gallop i feel better and better. We are learning each others queues. I am working on the trot canter transition WITH OUT BUCKING. it;s coming along.
Linda most of my riding is Trail - you see I live in the mountains in the forest right now and well - Trails are the only place other than that round pen. penning is fine but you need to really get out and stretch those legs once in a while & come home with a tired horse.
I am sure that soon with practice I will get more comfortable.
I'll have to look up that book by Julie GN. Sounds good - she writes an article in the local Horse Mag and it always makes sense to me.
thanks for the tip
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Member:
canter
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Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 7:28 am:
Angie, I haven't given up on the idea of galloping off into the sunset (despite my age!)...I think I will just take my time on getting a nice, balanced gallop first!! .
My guess is that many of us with issues didn't ride as kids or did, but took a lot of time off before getting back into horses? I curse myself every day when I remember how I asked my Dad for riding lessons because my best friend took them. At the time, I also had music lessons. My Dad said I had to choose between the two...I chose the music. Years later, I have a horse in the barn and a piano sitting unused in a spare room. What was I thinking way back then????  . How life has changed!
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 8:34 am:
Muffi,
Speaking of Holly, she told me to help with the canter, lean waaay back when you start out, while holding on to that strap. When visiting Holly next month, I hope we get some riding lessons in, both for me and my daughter. Daughter, natural little athlete that she is, can
ride without a care in an English saddle. Me, I tried once and hated that "nothing there" saddle but I know it'll be a great learning experience.
Fran...
Piano lessons over riding lessons?!?!?  Does your horse enjoy your music? 
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