Trouble Getting Horse to Canter Under Saddle

Question
Hi!

I have a National Show Horse who is 8 years old and a good, sweet, patient boy. He easily goes into a walk and trot but I am having difficulty getting him into a canter under saddle.

When I am lunge lining him with tack on, all I have to do is make a kissy noise and he immediately canters. But when I am riding, kissy and kicking have not worked. He has become stubborn and typically just goes into a fast trot. My instructor and I worked for 20 minutes trying to get him to canter during one lesson. I got him to go around the ring once at a canter each way. But after that he fell back into a fast trot.

I am still a novice rider but my instructor told me the last leasee (who's been riding for 15 or more years) had to use spurs to get him to canter and that he is a difficult horse to canter.

Is there a way to teach him to be sensitive again so that all I need to do is touch him with my heel and he immediately goes into a canter?

Answer
Hello Tiffany,

Usually when it is difficult to get a horse to do something it is for one of these reasons:

1. The horse is not physically ready to do it.
2. The horse does not emotionally understand it.
3. The horse is tense, sore, stiff, in pain and therefore cannot do it.
4. The rider is not riding (training) in a way that the animal understands.

I have been riding for many years and trained with many good horsemen.If I have a problem with a horse I always go back to ME..what did I do incorrectly? How can I help the horse understand?

If a horse is out of balance, (the fast trot) he is unable to go into a balanced canter. It is like you if you are running downhill....that is how he feels. With a rider on his back who may not be helping him as she should, it is more difficult.

You need to be certain that the people helping you are humane, intelligent, experienced horsepeople who have the correct sense of humility that is necessary to work with a horse. The advice about spurs is incorrect.

Find someone who can help you learn how to teach you and your horse half halts so you can learn to rebalance him. Ride him in circles and bending in changes of direction so he is supple laterally and longitudinally. Just riding him forward and running him into the canter is incorrect.

If he canters slowly and calmly on the lunge line and you are using the correct aids to canter and your weight and seat are independent, have an experienced horse person lunge him with you on him. But be certain that they know how to lunge using half halts, and that they do not run him into the canter on the longe line.

He WILL canter for you when it is easy for him, when he is in balance and understands. He is probably VERY confused if he has had people in the past trying to run him into the canter and using spurs. He does not know what anyone wants now and is probably tense about it.

I applaud your caring decision to write to find out how to help him. I will gladly answer more questions, either on EXPERTS or my email, Summersdressage@aol.com.   www.MitziSummers.com has articles on it.