# Ideas To Help STB Trotter to Canter



## greenhaven (Jun 7, 2014)

Got hills? Use 'em! A steep enough hill will almost necessitate a canter transition with enough encouragement...then praise, praise, praise!


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## greenhaven (Jun 7, 2014)

P.S., what a beautiful animal, love me some Standies!


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

Do you have any videos of him cantering in the front but not the back?

I had a STB mare who was gaited. She would walk, trot, canter, and do a gait where she cantered in the front while trotting in the back. Her gaiting was very very smooth and comfortable. She also had a fifth gait, I'm guessing a pace? But I only got her to do that once and I never managed to get her to do it again.

Does your horse canter in the field? Or do the canter trot thing? 

â€œGait Keeperâ€ Geneâ€™s Influence On Canter Seen In Standardbreds | 2015-04-14 | American Farriers Journal


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

So, in that video I see a horse that is confused to be honest. He shakes his head and is over bent towards the inside. He is not sure if he should listen to the riders rein cues or the lunge line cues. He is uneven in his trot, which is making it difficult for him to take up a canter. 

Standardbreds are amazing horses. It has been my experience that before you start seeking a canter you need to have three established speeds at the trot. A slow trot, a medium trot (other would consider this a working trot) and a racing trot (aka an extended trot). I would start by working on the trot. If you want to work on the canter try asking him from a walk. Than pair this with a word or sound, once he consistently does the canter from a walk try asking from the trot. 

For the poster above, if the gait you felt was somewhat like riding waves in a boogie board (going from side to side) than it was a pace. If it was really smooth but fast than it was probably a rack.


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## HiddlesKenway (Jul 5, 2014)

4horses said:


> Do you have any videos of him cantering in the front but not the back?
> 
> I had a STB mare who was gaited. She would walk, trot, canter, and do a gait where she cantered in the front while trotting in the back. Her gaiting was very very smooth and comfortable. She also had a fifth gait, I'm guessing a pace? But I only got her to do that once and I never managed to get her to do it again.
> 
> ...



No I don't, sorry. It usually last a few seconds before he starts one or the other and he doesn't ALWAYS do it. He also does not pace.

He either canters or trots only time he does that is when being asked under saddle. I have heard of a number of different horses of different breeds doing this.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Hi, some related threads:

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-breeds/standardbreds-4352/page2/

Lots of training talk on that page.


Also here:

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-training/off-track-standardbred-385082/page5/#post5051185

That whole thread is really useful and will keep you busy. ;-)

Also interesting:

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-breeds/standardbred-awkward-gait-597442/

Some other good past threads if you put "Standardbred" into the forum search engine!

Nice-looking horse you have there!


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## Tracer (Sep 16, 2012)

I'm no expert but, as someone who was looking into saddle-breaking a Standardbred, this is what I see/think.

Asking him to canter on such a small circle is a no, especially with a rider. He is unbalanced and therefore not confident. You'd be much better off asking him on the straight. If you're worried about canter leads, don't be. Baby steps, and HUGE praise whenever he does get into a canter, even if it is a 'tranter' (trotting in the front, cantering in the back).

Keep trying to get voice commands down for the canter, preferably in a bigger lunge circle. Even if you can just work on him learning that a clicking tongue means faster, or whatever noise works for you. 

He's a beautiful big boy, and it seems like you've been doing a good job. The canter can be difficult; I'm leasing a 21y/o pacer at the moment who's been undersaddle since he was young. We've only just cracked the canter together, and he can only hold it for a couple of strides before dropping back to a trot/pace/canter to gather himself, because he's off-balance. One of the most awkward horses you've ever seen move, I swear!

But like I said, try it on the straight or a very slight curve. To help his balance, do some trotting in circles, figure eights and the like, gradually getting smaller as he gets more comfortable. It's important that you as the rider stay balanced too.


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## HiddlesKenway (Jul 5, 2014)

I can't seem to edit my original post but I should of also mentioned that he is a renowned head tosser, he does it. ALWAYS. In the paddock, standing still, lunging, ridden, sometimes even eating. He seems to do it as a nervous tick as he is a very, very sensitive horse. Not convinced he has HSS. 

Also when he becomes forward he forgets his feet. He used to be ridiculously unbalanced (I know you all think he's fairly bad considering that video) but that is nothing to what he used to be like. I do have a few videos of him trotting nicely and less... spastic.  He seems to forget how to use his feet when he gets excited. Jumping and trot poles have helped him balance himself out a bit better.

I use the roundyard for asking for the canter which is much larger and gives me the chance to ask for forward instead of worrying about steering him or him getting spooked halfway in. As I said previous he is very, very nervy. He is a big stresshead.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

This horse is being "run into a canter" and that is not how it is done. Certainly is not done on a circle so small with a rider who is.. not really understanding how to support the horse into a canter (either on a circle or on a straight). 

Drop the canter. This horse needs to learn how to move at the trot round and easy and, as previously stated, at different speeds. Use caveletti and teach him rhythm and straightness.. out of which comes suppleness and (eventually) collection. Get the horse to do these things trotting and to build what he needs both mentally and physically to canter. 

It will take time.. and a lot of it (months). 

If you ride out on the trails with friends and then all go off for a canter do NOT let him trot along at racing speed (keep him at a walk or medium trot). It he is too green for that, then do not go out riding with friends.. work on getting the horse right. 

When you finally do get the horse even, cadenced, straight, supple doing walk to trot transitions in a balanced manner and trot to walk transitions in a balanced manner (which is going to require upgrades to riding skills) THEN you can ask for a canter.. on the straight. Use small spurs. 

You want the horse to pick up the canter not run into the canter. 

Nice horse. Just needs training.


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## Teller (Jul 30, 2015)

He's beautiful he looks like my guy! I just got a standardbred a week ago. Their beautiful animals.

I have been talking to someone who runs a standardbred organization, and she said hills are best, and also lung line with all his tack on. Canter is hard for them because they haven't built the muscles up yet.

I've been doing alot of ground work with mine, and also trying to get his walk trot transitions perfect as well as helping him gain his balance on the lunge line with trotting ( my horse was raced; so he only knows one speed FAST), did you praise him a lot once he did canter that one time?

They are disciplined each time they canter, so when he does break into it make it like yay!!!

good luck! curious to see how this goes for you...


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## HiddlesKenway (Jul 5, 2014)

Teller said:


> He's beautiful he looks like my guy! I just got a standardbred a week ago. Their beautiful animals.
> 
> I have been talking to someone who runs a standardbred organization, and she said hills are best, and also lung line with all his tack on. Canter is hard for them because they haven't built the muscles up yet.
> 
> ...


My guy never raced at all, he's learned three different speeds. Lazy, working, and race! He doesn't struggle to canter at all on the ground. And he's cantered more then a few times under saddle. Actually just made me think of why he could of decided to stop cantering for me! I would praise ANY kind of effort as well. I lunge him at the canter with and without tack, on and off the rope. The roundyard is a lot bigger for him and he's not got anything yanking on his face. I've done hill work with him before, its very, very good for his balance and forcing him to use his hind end which when I got him he struggled to do so. 

He was started under harness but I don't think he ever made it past being mouthed, considering how he behaves around any kind of wheeled vehicle be it a car or a pram he freaks. He doesn't even have a race name either. I rescued him over a year ago from an abusive owner who bought him off a knackery truck, poor thing was scared of everyone and everything and very close to being a bag of bones. 

I do have someone coming to help me with him tomorrow and work on him with me. He's a chronic head tosser and that doesn't really help with his balance issues but there is absolutely nothing anyone can really do about it, besides he isn't as bad as he used to be in either.

A lot of people have actually told me that any speed of trot is okay for first starting out at the canter and not to worry until after you've established the canter as NO transition will be perfect to begin with and that takes more training that can be done once you've established the canter and also that if the horse is comfortable they're more likely to canter and that is even more true for STBs. There are a hundreds are ways to do it, its just finding the right one to suit your horse I suppose. 

He works pretty decently when he's in full work as well, he has more balance at the trot and comes into a frame a 50% of the time when he's been doing hours of trot poles. Poor thing's brain doesn't seem to be connected to his legs very often... this was awfully rambly! Haha sorry!


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## HiddlesKenway (Jul 5, 2014)

*Canter and Trot Videos*

https://youtu.be/k_XJACn58xs
https://youtu.be/P9cIyAh2Vhs

P.S 
I know I'm horrendous at lunging with a rope you don't need to tell me what I already know, reason why I don't do it. We both suck at it... and I don't think it benefits him or me when we do lunge with a rope.


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## ShirtHotTeez (Sep 23, 2014)

Well I think you are on the right track.

Does that lunge-rope feed through the bridle and over his head? No no no. If you don't have a proper lunge-halter then just use an ordinary halter. Give him as much rope as you can and still have control. Plenty of lunging without a rider will help him get his balance and transition in his paces up and down.

He is a standardbred. He is bred to trot. Trotting is natural and comfortable to him. That is ok.

What I see is that he is confused but that is to be expected (not helped if that lunge goes round his head as it looks to me). You are asking him for something new and he is trying to please. Repetition will teach him. Always end on a good note and give plenty of praise.

Keep your sessions fairly short - 20 minutes. If you want to ride longer take him for a quiet ride that is pleasant but not intense.

Looking at your video, when you get him into a canter you stop telling him what you want, so he stops. Once you get him into a canter you want to keep him going for two or three circles then deliberately stop him (halt) and give lots of praise.

I agree with Elana that he needs lots of work at the trot for balance and to get him moving forward kindly in a straight line. Cavaletti are great or even just poles on the ground.

As you are not all that experienced I would recommend you get a trainer to keep an eye on things to make sure you are not developing any bad habits. Do you have pony or riding clubs in your country?

I wish you all the best, have fun and good times with your horse


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

I actually like the lunge rope over the head connecting on the opposite side. It has helped me correct horses that are learning to lunge and have bad manners or are trying something. It just gives a little extra "oomph" that can help them spin their head/front end towards me and the hind end away. Likewise, it can help a horse that tries to turn or bolt or forgets that he can't just run in a straight line. If your horse respects an under the chin or side of the halter that is great but doing over the head is not wrong in my opinion.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

ShirtHotTeez said:


> Does that lunge-rope feed through the bridle and over his head? No no no. If you don't have a proper lunge-halter then just use an ordinary halter.


^^^^^^^*This is incorrect.
*Proper lunging if you lack a lunging cavesson it to set the horse up in a snaffle with the lunge line through the bit ring nearest you, up over the poll and down to the bit ring away from you. It is inconvenient to change directions as you have to stop and change this set up. Lunging in a halter is a plain pure waste of time. It teaches the horse nothing. 

You are doing it right. 

I do not believe is lunging a horse a lot. It has its place and can be a good learning tool, but too much is not good for legs, joints or minds. That said, proper lunging, teaching the horse to reach under themselves with hind foot on a circle and tracking up.. accepting the bit and so forth makes lunging a good training tool.


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

with the chronic head tossing OP have you had his teeth checked? what sort of bridle is he riding in? Does his headgear make any difference in his head tossing? I am just wondering if the head tossing is connected to a larger issue that may make picking up the canter the last thing he is focused on. If he canters well on the ground and its only under saddle that he has an issue than its a rider/balance issue that he is trying to figure out.


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## ShirtHotTeez (Sep 23, 2014)

Elana said:


> ^^^^^^^*This is incorrect.
> *Proper lunging if you lack a lunging cavesson it to set the horse up in a snaffle with the lunge line through the bit ring nearest you, up over the poll and down to the bit ring away from you. It is inconvenient to change directions as you have to stop and change this set up. Lunging in a halter is a plain pure waste of time. It teaches the horse nothing.
> 
> You are doing it right.
> ...


Hi Elana, I guess we could agree to disagree.

For the head-tossing, check the browband is not too small, it could be that simple if you are lucky.

I enjoy reading how everyone does things differently. Thanks

:runninghorse2:


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## khorrapony (Aug 31, 2015)

Advice from a Standie enthusiast!

I agree with what was said above, your horse is very confused and while doing his best--all over the place.

I think you need to take a step back. Maybe two.

Before you can ask him to canter, he needs to be able to maintain a steady, even, balanced trot, while using himself correctly. He needs to accept the bit. This will make going to the canter MUCH easier on both of you. I would really suggest working on your trot for several months before cantering. Work on the lunge with a Pessoa or similar lunging system. Standardbreds are use to pulling with their shoulders; you need him to lift his front end so his shoulders are free for canter transitions. Work over poles and on hills to build his hind end, then worry about the canter


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## khorrapony (Aug 31, 2015)

Also, about the head tossing-- check his teeth first of course, but would it be possible for you to try a micklem bridle? A horse at my barn was a chronic head tosser, switched the bridle and within two rides it was solved  if not the bridle, check the saddle fit.


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## khorrapony (Aug 31, 2015)

One last thing...
Have a chiro out.


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## Whinnie (Aug 9, 2015)

:wave: Standardbred owner here. When breaking/training my mare, I waited until she was steady at every speed of trot and giving consistently to the bit (being on the bit) at the trot. Then the first time I asked for a canter under saddle I set her up to give to the bit when trotting and asked for the canter. She lifted into the canter like she had been doing it for months (beginner's luck). Any time my mare sped up the trot and tried to run into the canter, I slowed her down and asked again. It didn't take very many sessions to get her consistent with her transition. I am only asking for about 8 to 10 strides right now before slowing down (just started the canter training). I spent several months at walk/trot before asking for the the canter.


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