[Horsebrat20]

Ok, no this is not a post about getting my mare to not run into the canter or anything, this is a little different. My mare's canter transition has improved so much since the beginning of the summer. Now when i ask for the canter, she drops her head, collects herself, and pops into it. She stays pretty slow if i give her half halts every stride (only in the areas where she gets quick, where she's going up and down hill). My question is this, when i ask for it, she still trots for 1-3 more strides, not fast trots, just keeps up the same pace (partly because i taught her not to rush into by holding her in a collected frame while she rolls into the canter) and then she rolls into it. So i ask, she keeps on trotting for a couple more strides then rolls into it. How do i get her to roll into it gently (no lunging into it) with no trot strides after i ask? Sometimes if i ask really strongly for the canter, so she goes into it right away, she lunges into it and rushes. Some days she really good, and will do it right away, other days she'll jump into it because she's got so much energy, then other days she doesn't respond as quickly, and takes a few strides to get into, but remember, she doesn't rush. Thanks for any tips. Oh and i wear little nub spurs when i ride.

[Horsebrat20]

Anybody have any info for me?

[crazi4horses]

Do you give half halts BEFORE the canter aid? If not, I would suggest doing that. It is basically you telling her "okay something is coming." When I ask for the canter aid on any horse whether it is trained or I am doing the training, I half halt outside, inside, both, THEN the aid and continue the outside half halts through the transition.

If that doesn't work, or you are already doing it, I would suggest giving the aid stronger until she realizes, oka, when she gives me the aid I HAVE to go into the canter RIGHT away WITHOUT rushing, once she realizes that, back off a little with the aid..back off a little time each time she gets it until you barely have to give an aid at all..if she doesnt get it, go one 'step' harder than you just tried it..does this make sense?

I hope this helps..If it doesn't, let me know and I can try to help you more from there..

-*-Paige-*-

[crazi4horses]

..and when you get stronger with your leg aids, you will probably need to use stronger half halts through the transition to keep her from running into the canter..

[luvs2ride79]

You trained her a bit backward, at least from the way I have been taught and train my horses. You need to get her to do it promptly without worrying about her speed or frame. Once you get her to pick it up right away, you can polish her frame and speed back to where you want it. (The first thing I do is get the horse to pick up the canter without worrying about it and collect & relax up once in it. Then we work on promptness, then speed and collection during the depart.)

So, be more insistent about your cue. Use a dressage whip or spurs to help you. If she doesn't take it right away, smack with the whip or spur and ask again. Reward her when she only takes one trot step before departing. Also work on canter transitions from the walk, halt, and rein back. This will help with her promptness. Once she's being more prompt, go back and polish the now prompt depart.

Working on transitions within the gait are also good practice. Expect and demand prompt transitons from collected to working, collected to lengthened, and lengthened to collected.

Make sense?

~Barb

[emsNkeeper]

I have to agree with Loves2Ride. You want to work on response before frame. You may be concentrating so much on the look and slowness, that your horse is getting mixed signals... hands saying slow down, legs saying go. Try giving your horse rein and pushing him/her forward with your seat and leg. I was suprised as to how quickly Keeper picked up his canter when I let off his mouth. If you feel you need to use a spur, use it. Working on differnt transitions... especially upward transitions, like halt to trot, will really get your horse listening and on the bit. As well as more prepared for the canter. Once you get a quick response, then work on the frame.

[Horsebrat20]

Ok, when i give her more rein and ask, she gets all strung out and trots a ton more then when i have her on the same contact throughout the ride. I have tryed using a crop to give her a smack to get a more exact response, but this only leads to her anticipating, then when i ask, it's like she's spooking forward, and i usually get left behind, then when i lean forward expecting it, well that's just bad equitation. When i first got her, she would jump forward at the cue to canter, what i had to do was say canter, then give my outside leg a squeeze and kiss, then she'd pick it up more easily. I don't want her going back to spooking forward again, that's no fun, and in my opinion, is harder to fix. Another thing, the other day, i did tons of backing and starting the canter from the halt. She started to anticipate so bad, that i would ask her to halt, back up, and she was shaking the whole time, just getting prepared for the canter, then she would leap forward. How do i get her to be more exact, but not get all spazed on me? I know as soon as i resort to the crop, everything is gonna go down hill from there, because remember she has her days when she gets it perfectly, and when we bring the crop into it, there won't be any perfect days.

[luvs2ride79]

Let her be spazzed. And don't be spazzed yourself! lol Keep asking for the prompt depart while mainting your own sense of relaxation and calmness. Just don't fuss over her being too forward. Forward is good! And make sure when you use a whip that it's BEHIND your leg. You want it to reinforce your leg, not just be a punishment. Borrow a long dressage whip so you don't have to change your hand position to get her behind your leg. Praise her like CAZY for taking off at the canter promptly, no matter how rushed she was. Soon, she will relax and realize she's being a good girl (as long as you're relaxed!).

And don't school her from the halt or rein back very often. Do it one day until she gets it, then leave it alone for a week. Only come back to it if she's not departing promptly. My mare gets antsy on me for that as well, but she gets the point and we don't have to school it often.

I would ride her with the whip all of the time. That way she doesn't "know" what it's there for. Only tap her with it when needed. Keep it infront of your leg when you're not using it (to steady the whip so she doesn't anticipate you smacking her with it). Again, use a dressage whip. They are a more effective training tool. A crop if more of a punishing tool, a dressage whip is more of a training tool (if used correctly).

So, just don't worry about her attitude or rushing. Relax yourself, don't anticipate, keep her guessing (with transitions, but don't forget your half-halt just before!), and STAY RELAXED. And take some lessons with a qualified trainer to help you. There might be something you are doing that is making your mare nervous.

~Barb

[Horsebrat20]

Ok thanks, i'll try with the dressage whip (i just got one). I jus don't know how to use it. I try to flick her with it without moving my hand and i end up bumping my leg with the stem of the whip. oh well.

[Horsebrat20]

Well, today she was PERFECT! I gave her 3 days off after our hunter pace, so she had plently of forwardness today (without being stupid). Plus it was windy and cool. But anyway, i got her moving under me, lots of transitions, and the worse she did was trot one stride, if that, when i asked for a canter. She also did this fabulous canter, where she was loping (almost) and i didn't have to do anything, usually i have to hold her with my reins and use lots of leg, to encourage her to go slow, but today, she did it by herself. So, i guess i'll just carry the whip, and pop her when she doesn't pop into the canter right away.