Help! Canter!

[Shemmyboy]

Hey! My pony has this super fast canter which is more like a gallop and I can't seem to get my position right! Can anyone help???

[horseluver12]

Hi,
The canter is supposed to be a slow gait. I don't know if I can help you, but maybe you should hold him back while cantering. The canter shouldn't be like a gallop!

Lisa

[Shemmyboy]

He is really hard to get cantering too... But I'll try .... Thanks!!

[Chelsea20]

Hi Shemmy!
It is not very suprising that your pony is difficult to keep slow and at the same time tough to get cantering in the first place. My trainer's favorite saying was always "a horse that won't stop, wont go" (oh how tired of hearing that I got...'till I woke up and fixed the problem! haha).

Anyway I would do lots of transitions if I were you trot to canter, trot to walk, walk to trot, and so on. Get your pony doing the transitions sharply (this will make him listen for your next cue-his/her ears will flick back and forth to see what you have to say). Get him moving forward when you ask and slowing down when you ask.

Also when you canter (and at other gaits as well) do some circles to get your pony listening. This will probably get him to collect his stride (circles that is). Praise him when he slows down (a quick rub on the neck but continue cantering). Halt a couple of times if he gets to quick-don't be jolty about it though-you don't want to rattle him and get him running faster. After a couple of halts he should get the idea to slow when you ask. And eventually he'll learn to half halt-(slow/collect without stopping/breaking).

For now I would not let him just run around the full length of the ring pick a fairly small area to work in. For example, if you have a big ring or open area to work in cut it in half and work only in that area at the canter so you don't enourage him to open up and gallop in those wide open spaces.

I hope this is helpful. Let us know more about your pony and how he's doing.
Chelsea

[Chelsea20]

One important thing I forgot to add (I always seem to forget something)-Don't pull on your pony constantly when he goes too fast. Eventually he will respond to the reigns less and less if you do. Ask him to slow, get him to slow and then let up. I hope I am not giving you a bunch of info. that you already know, but I don't know you so I don't know how much you know.
Chelsea again

[PyscoFalcon]

Ask for cater on a bend and canter on a 20m circle with lots of half-halts. When satisfied then go back onto the track half-halting when needed.