# Fake canter -_-



## JaneyWaney9 (Jun 7, 2010)

Comet always develops quirks in the winter. They go away in the spring come show season, so I figure it is just the cold weather, me not being out as much, and him being a bit more stiff. I'm not expecting show-perfection out of him, but I'd like to keep from going insane! haha

He has been really lazy lately, and I've been riding western. He has a great jog with nice collection, but he loses this when he goes to the canter. He picks it up fine 90% of the time, the issue is that it isn't a natural canter. I feel like he's doing the fake canter (trot in the back, canter in the front). His canter strides are just awful, and the only way I can get him to canter normally is to make him speed up. I have tried to work his collection by doing canter-walks (canter about six strides, halt, pick up the canter again a few times around the arena), canter-rollbacks (same thing, only backing 4 steps at the halt before cantering again), and doing circle exercises, but it doesn't seem to be doing much. 

Do you have any ideas? 
**When this first started happening last week, I checked for pain and soreness. Comet is a HUGE wimp, so if there was anything, I would know pretty fast!


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Do a search on the forum for 'four beat lope' you will find a thread started by me and Kayty answered it very well. I have no idea how to link it to you....but it was very helpful

Type in 4 beat lope.


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