# HELP! Crow Hopping Into the Canter



## Casey02 (Sep 20, 2011)

First and for most is the horse in any pain?


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## julianeAHS (May 30, 2012)

My horse was doing that so I had the vet look at him and it turns out his SI joint is bothering him. He wasn't being naughty, he just crowhopped and then went into the canter - he didn't try to buck me off or anything, that's how I know it was physical. The vet responded by adjusting him and recommending that I build him up very slowly, and really listen to him - if he can't do it, don't push it.
However, if he tries to buck you off - stay safe. Make sure you know your one-rein stop and yielding the hindquarters so that you stay alive to address his pain. If you want a how-to video on the aforementioned, let me know. And call your vet.
-Juliane


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## Snowwy (Nov 5, 2012)

He is not in any pain. I adopted him a few years back and he was recently given an exam and is completely sound and healthy. We have tried canter poles to help him but he still crow hopped.
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## julianeAHS (May 30, 2012)

If you're completely sure -- you can always try this exercise under saddle, but teach your horse the one rein stop and yielding the hindquarters exercises separately before using this. But be careful because if, by any chance, your horse IS in pain this exercise will irritate him more.


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## Snowwy (Nov 5, 2012)

He is not in pain as he recently receive a full bill of health. We have been working him at the trot and walk for a some time now, and we have been very serious about ground work. We have worked with him for the past year now and we just cant seem to get past this. What he does is he crow hops then spins around and run the other direction. He has a tendancy to turn to the left no matter what direction we are going.
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## Snowwy (Nov 5, 2012)

And what i find rather strange is that when you trot him over a small jump, he canters away flawlessly. He only crow hops when you ask him to canter on the flat.
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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Horses are 'creatures of habit'. He has found a routine that works for him. He does it every time and there is a pay-off. You have to break the routine and thus the habit.

Since you can put him into a canter going over a jump, I would do that and then hold him in it for several big circles to the right. I would wear his butt out doing this several times. When he is good and tired, I would ask for a canter going along the rail with the rail to your left. This will make a 'duck-off' to the left a bit harder and less likely. 

I would do this for several rides and then gradually shorten up the 'warming-up time' he is cantered over jumps before asking for a canter departure. 

I would also teach him a 'one rein stop' and would be prepared to take his head away from him the instant he put the first hump in his back. If you do this, kick him hard several times with your inside leg for punishment and then immediately ask for another canter departure. Crow-hopping will not be nearly so much fun and will not have a good pay-off for him to continue.

I have had a couple of horses that did this and I took them out on the trail. I only asked for lope departure on a steep up-hill grade. It is pretty hard for a horse to buck going up a steep hill. BUT, if the horse ducks around on you, it is really easy for one to dump you going down the hill. So you have to really watch for that.


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## Snowwy (Nov 5, 2012)

That is some really great advice. Thank you very much. The only issue that i found was the kicking him part. He was repeatedly abused so hitting him in anyway changes how he acts a great deal. If there were a better way to go about the punishment that seems less harsh in that manner that would make everything easier.
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## Barrelhorseluver (Oct 31, 2012)

Snowwy said:


> Hi,
> I have a 19 year old rescued New Forest pony. He used to be an old ranch horse and was beated by several different people. We have started retraining him and found that when asked for a canter transition, he will crow hop and knock me off. I'm not sure what to do to prevent it as he even does it during ground work.


Get him checked by a vet or a ciropractor he may have something out or other problems. Also but new shoes on him! Get him wormed! It might be a behavioral thing also!
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## Valentina (Jul 27, 2009)

Before you ask for the canter make certain he is bent around the inside leg and ask him to bring his nose to the inside just a little bit - THEN ask for the canter.

If he tends to fall to inside (shoulder) then bend his nose to the outside before asking for the canter.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Being abused isn't an excuse. He's still a horse, and he needs to be treated as such. A horse needs direction and a leader, very few of them WANT to be the leader, but if you're not stepping up to the plate, they feel that they HAVE to lead. 
Pussy footing around and babying him, is not actually helping him. He's learned that he can buck you off - the crow hopping takes the pressure off. You have effectively trained this behaviour into him by NOT nipping it in the bud immediately. 
I 100% agree with Cherie's method as described. The buck/crow hop/negative reaction MUST be dealt with swiftly and immediately. Falling off or babying him does not cut it. 
Bringing his head around to the inside will save your butt - he'll find it much harder to buck if his neck is bent. The kick of the inside leg tells him "You WILL get off my leg!". The second he gives, you take all pressure off, then ask nicely again for the transition as though nothing happens. Always give the horse the benefit of the doubt. Allow them to make the mistake, correct it, then try again. 
The problem with most riders, is that once the horse has displayed a behaviour regularly, they become nervous, or anticipate the behaviour. I know the feeling because I do it too. My gelding is a chronic spooker, and he has bolted on me on occassion (true, panicked, uncontrolled bolt) in response to spooking. It unnerved me initially, and still does to a degree, so I would try to prevent the spook by taking more contact, sticking him in shoulder in and driving him sideways. 
This just made him tenser and he expected that he HAD to spook. 
So I sucked it, put on my big girl panties, and rode around on a long rein, REALLY forward, and let the spook happen without making a big deal of it. Now, I can give my contact and put my leg on when I feel him go to spook, and he settles 8 out of 10 times. 
For the other times - the one rein stop has saved my ***. 

If you are anticipating the buck, I suggest you send him to someone else who can ride it out, or get someone on the ground with you while you ride, that can yell at you to just ride forward like nothing is happening.


By taking action when he goes to buck, you are training him that bucking is harder than just cantering. Now, in my very honest opinion - a couple of moments of harder riding and 'telling' the horse, is MUCH kinder to both of you, than months of confusion, anxiousness and tension about something as simple as cantering. This is a problem that should be able to be fixed within one session, and solidified within two.


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