[Kaitlan]

my horse is horrible at transitioning from trot to canter. i ask him on one side of the arena and he wont get it until the other side of the arena no matter what i do. he gets it fine on the lunge, all i have to do is ask for it and he gets it almost instantly but when i try to do it while riding him he gets all stubborn. he does that extended trot until he other side of the arena and with a LOT of encourgement he'll finally get it. he's fine once he's in the canter its just getting it thats the problem? anyone have any ideas on how to fix it?

[FallenAngel]

What do you do to ask him to canter?
If he can do it on the lunge, maybe you are confusing him in the saddle.

[Kaitlan]

I cluck to him to get him to canter on the lunge. when i ride him i have to cluck, squeeze, and push HARDCORE with my seat. if he's especially stubborn then a kick or 2 will get him into it.

[JBandRio]

First, stop letting him just trot bigger and faster. You didn't ask for that, so don't let him do it

Second - you are likely hindering him from taking the canter with all your body contortions Keep your body still. Use your leg to ask for the canter. If he ignores you, or just doesn't understand, use a whip behind your leg. Work on this in an open field if you can for a while so he doesn't feel confined.

How old is he, how long has he been under saddle, what sort of training, how long have you been riding, what sort of formal training, etc?

[Kaitlan]

ok, i wont let him just trot faster anymore. ill try using the whip too but not in an open field because he's an ex-racehorse and i don't trust him not to take off.
he's 6, ive been training him for about a year, before that he was racing. we've been focusing mostly on dressage but doing some jumping also. ive been riding for about 6 years ive helped train ex racehorses before, i owned an ex racehorse before i got him, and i used to take lessons once a week.
but thanks for the advice i dont know why i didn't think of that before. lol

[TB Jumpers]

do u use outside leg or inside leg for the cnter? Some horse are taugh to pick it up with the inside leg, not the outside leg. I would try carrying a whip and when u ask him for it if he dose not give u it tap him with the whip then if he still dose not give it to u tap him harder, then if still no luck bring him back down to a walk and try again. Alsow are u holding him tight with your reins?? Have u tryed asking it from a half seat?

[TB Jumpers]

sorry i dident see your post before mine.

[Horsepower KJ]

You have alittle problem here first(After you got him in a trot sqeeze or nuge him with your spur.)(If he does not go the kiss not cluck!.)(If he does not go than wipe him lightly NOT ON HIS BUT OR STOMACH!!!!.)(If he still does not lope than he needs to go back to the round pin training.And your saying that he does good on luging but when you riding he does different.The problem could be your giving him the wrong cue or dont put your foot up .And that sould do it try IT!!!!!!

[Buckshot]

Does his saddle fit well?

First of all, don't let him get away with trotting fast! If you ask for a canter and he breaks into a trot, don't attempt to run him into a canter--bring him back down to a walk, and try again. If he repeats this, stop him, back up, and try again.

You may have to use really strong cues to get the canter at first--tipped to the outside (outside rein & leg), and strong seat and leg cues. And follow through with the inside rein/leg once he picks it up. A whip may come in handy, but don't whip him--give him a good tap at first, or crack it on the saddle, but use it only as a reinforcement of the seat/voice aides. Do a lot of transitions--both on the lunge and under saddle.

[Kaitlan]

im just going to have to devote a whole riding session to trantitions. i really think the whip will help him get it. i know its not pain, or my riding that's making him do this. he's just really stubborn. he doesn't like me pushing him into it but hes fine when we get it. ill also do a bunch of transitions