# How to ask for the canter for the first time?



## msbuffalorider (Jan 23, 2011)

I am training my first horse, and so far we can walk, back, trot, halt, and turn off leg while riding. Before I got her she had only had 2 people lead around on her back. (not at the same time lol) :lol: When she is ready, what would the best way to ask her to canter be? thanks!


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## Travellersmom88 (Jun 24, 2011)

I would just say the standard outside leg behind the girth and keep pushing till you get her/him in it.  Get the canter first then work on getting the correct leads (if he/she doesnt already)


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## Fatty Lumpkin (Oct 29, 2011)

I do it out on a ride, with other horses to help, in a straight line and let them get the hang of balancing with a rider. Once they have got the hang of it in a straight line with another horse then I go back to the arena and start to ask in there. Some horses find the arena hard to get to grips with cantering at first.


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## horsemadgirl (Aug 23, 2011)

With other horses might be best, but still use all aids and then try it on your own and he might 'oh, art time when she did this i had to canter.. may as well try'


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

On a corner,whatever way you were taught.


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## Sahara (Jul 23, 2010)

Spyder said:


> On a corner,whatever way you were taught.


Spyder, why do you bother typing these ridiculously unhelpful responses?


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Sahara said:


> Spyder, why do you bother typing these ridiculously unhelpful responses?



What would you suggest then ?


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Spyder, correct me if I'm wrong...

By starting it going into a corner, you increase the chance the horse will take the correct lead. On a straightway, if the horse isn't familiar with the cues, it increases the chance he'll be on the wrong one if and when you need to turn.

Unless it is my gelding, who seems to switch to his left lead, even when I get him started on the right - but he has me wondering if he has an injury from his ranch days.

I'd start a horse that hasn't cantered on a lunge line or round pen, just to get him used to it. Then initiate it entering a corner...like Spyder said.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

bsms said:


> Spyder, correct me if I'm wrong...
> 
> By starting it going into a corner, you increase the chance the horse will take the correct lead. On a straightway, if the horse isn't familiar with the cues, it increases the chance he'll be on the wrong one if and when you need to turn.
> 
> ...


Exactly. Just because I didn't write a book long paragraph doesn't mean what I wrote was a _ ridiculously unhelpful response.

_Nor am I going to suggest canter aides this person would be unfamiliar with. I have no idea from what is written how they normally initiate a canter so suggesting something they are unfamiliar with would actually be unhelpful. So whatever way they were taught to canter is fine at this stage.So_ ''on a corner the way they were taught''_ is exactly is exactlywhat I would ask them to do initially in a lesson...and then and only then after I see results would I MAYBE make a change.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

I usually school the canter on a thirty meter (plus or minus) circle. The constant bend gives a better idea of which lead he may need than being driven into a corner, IMO. The corner may do more to unbalance a green horse who probably already has balance issues.

I use the outside leg behind the girth, but it only holds the haunches. I do not ask for forward movement with this leg. The inside leg is at the girth and does two things. First, it pushes at the girth to encourage the horse to move into the outside shoulder/rein to encourage a correct bend and, secondly, it asks the horse to energize and go forward. One should always ask for forward with the leg at the girth. Leg behind the girth is more effective in placing the haunch where you want it. Too much pressure with the leg behind the girth may swing the haunch to the inside of the circle, making him crooked and unbalanced.

I ask for the canter using these aids. If the horse picks up the incorrect lead, I quickly bring him back to trot and *quickly* ask for canter again. If the horse simply tries to trot faster I bring him back to a much shorter stride and ask again *quickly*. The longer you take asking for the canter again, the more likely the horse picks up the same incorrect lead. Eventually, the horse will pick up the correct lead. I praise him and the big reward is allowing him to canter on without any interruption. 

The two things that do the most to sabotage a canter is lack of the proper bend and heaviness of the forehand (keep the trot stride short and energetic as a long stride is difficult for the horse to balance with).

Persistence and praise is what will help the horse understand what you are wanting.

I hope this makes sense to you and offers some help.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Allison Finch said:


> I ask for the canter using these aids. If the horse picks up the incorrect lead, I quickly bring him back to trot and *quickly* ask for canter again. If the horse simply tries to trot faster I bring him back to a much shorter stride and ask again *quickly*. The longer you take asking for the canter again, the more likely the horse picks up the same incorrect lead. .


This is the one thing I would not do and especially with a young horse.

They are unbalanced enough and the fact that they broke stride in the canter tells me they haven't the balance or power to carry you. To ask for a canter from an unbalanced trot teaches them nothing but to rush into things anyway they can. Nor would I shorten the striding quickly for a green horse this is rarely possible. Also horses don't think like humans and what is done is forgotten in seconds so taking your time and getting the best trot before you ask again shows the patience needed for a young horse.

It is the rider's JOB to position the horse for the best results, not the fastest ones.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

Spyder said:


> This is the one thing I would not do and especially with a young horse.
> 
> They are unbalanced enough and the fact that they broke stride in the canter tells me they haven't the balance or power to carry you.


Who said anything about breaking stride? I said if they picked up the incorrect lead. 



> To ask for a canter from an unbalanced trot teaches them nothing but to rush into things anyway they can.


You seem to be reading things into my post that are not there. I said that when they start trotting faster(a sign that they are heavy on the forehand and unable to engage the haunch enough to push into the canter, they must be brought back before attempting again. I also said that the reattempt at the lead must happen as quickly as you can. I don't remember saying to throw the horse into it from an unbalanced "frame", but simply to rebalance quickly.



> Nor would I shorten the striding quickly for a green horse this is rarely possible.


Definitely not in my experience. To shorten a stride is not hard at all, if you use enough leg to maintain enough energy to shorten without loading the forehand. This is something I teach to my green horses before even trying the canter. My horses can do a regular working trot AND shorten the stride and slightly lengthen the stride without affecting the tempo. Until they can do that, they are not ready to canter at all. It is MUCH easier for a young horse to do transitions from a shorter stride. It is much easier, then, for them to push into the transition instead of pull themselves into it with their forehand.



> Also horses don't think like humans and what is done is forgotten in seconds so taking your time and getting the best trot before you ask again shows the patience needed for a young horse.


I have found (actually, I learned this from Capt. Heyer also) that horses are much more prone to repeat an incorrect lead when allowed to go too long before asking again. And, since the trophy awarded in the World Cup in dressage is called the Heyer Cup, I will probably follow what I learned from him.



> It is the rider's JOB to position the horse for the best results, not the fastest ones.


I agree that you must instill/maintain balance in the horse. What I am saying is not to dwell on the "correction" SO long that the horse forgets that he has even been corrected. It doesn't take twenty times around a twenty meter circle to rebalance a horse who has just missed the lead. If you cannot rebalance a horse within one circle....well, you have just lost a better opportunity to retry the canter depart, IME.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

I stand by what I posted and the only error I made is in the breaking stride comment and I should have said incorrect lead but my answer still is to not bring the horse to a trot quickly. If the horse is on the incorrect lead there are balance issues. Your original comment make it sound like you should be hauling him up and without and preparation throw him back to the canter. 

Also no where did I even suggest you make twenty circles to get the horse into some semblance of balance. I good horse person would not take that long, but they WOULD ensure the horse is in its best balance before attempting a retry at the canter.


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