# Mare canters sideways



## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Well it takes a lot of rider balance and self balance for the horse to go truly straight. 

Do you canter her off the rail in the arena or stay on the rail? She was probably using that as a crutch, so now you discover her canter needs some work.

I would find a big open field and canter in straight lines. Also watch that you aren't cueing her with your collapsed hip or leg slightly tighter than the other.

Has anyone else ridden her at the canter.. is it the same?


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Is she, by chance, a fairly hot blooded horse; prone to prancing and usually really wanting to run?

Only reason I ask is because it's a fairly common thing to see in horses that are wanting to go faster than they are being allowed to go.


----------



## Army wife (Apr 29, 2012)

Does she canter in a straight line when you turn her loose? Or when she is out in the field?


----------



## DappleGray (May 14, 2012)

Skyseternalangel said:


> Well it takes a lot of rider balance and self balance for the horse to go truly straight.
> 
> Do you canter her off the rail in the arena or stay on the rail? She was probably using that as a crutch, so now you discover her canter needs some work.
> 
> ...


I usually stay on the rail, and I also ride with quite a bit of balance too. She does this in the field, thought only sometimes. It is the same when other people ride her. But thank you for the advice, I'll be more conscious about what I'm doing next time I'm riding her and do some drills : )


----------



## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

My mare did the same thing, only in the ring!! It's an annoying problem to fix and took a couple months. Make sure she is willing to move off your leg. We did a lot of circles pushing her hind end out. Also, a lot of flexing and bending. When we got the canter I would lift my inside rein (she can't canter with her butt and her head to the inside) over exaggerate my hip (if her butt is out left I stick out my right), use my inside leg and open up my right leg. If she really wasn't listening I would put a lot more weight in my outside stirrup to get her hips over. When she got the point I would ask, let her go until she turner her hip in and then just correct as often as needed. Now I rarely ever have to, only if she is feeling testy!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------

