I\'m beyond frustrated with the Canter!?

Ive begun taking lessons again after a 2 year break and everything is going well. Recently however, I've had some trouble at the canter. The horse i ride does not stay on the fence, and when i canter she immediately darts in to the center, no matter how much leg or rein i use. Then my trainer tries to correct me, but i just get so frustrated! the canter used to be my favorite gait, but now it just makes me angry =( any suggestions? I have a lesson coming up this saturday and i want a game plan!

thanks!

When she turns to the middle, turn her into a little circle and hold her there, making sure she doesn't break down to a trot. once she stops fighting, and relaxes into the circle, let her out of it, and back onto the rail. If she does it again, repeat the excersize until she stays on the wall for at least 3 strides, then let her take a little walking break. Once she stays on the rail without a fight for 5 or more strides, with a walk break as a reward, then you can stop letting her walk, and just praise her consistently when the canters on the rail. It sounds to me like shes one of those lesson horses who has decided their is on point in hauling around kids who don't even praise her for doing it right! Make it worth her effort by praising her and giving her a release of pressure when she does what you want. Could it be possible that you are leaning to the inside, or doing some thing else that actually cues her to turn in? Or maybe this horse just doesn't respect you yet. Ask you instructor is she behaves the same way with the other students. If you are the only one she does this with, then I think it's safe to say that it's probably not her fault.
Best of Luck, and feel free to send me a message if you have any other problems with her!

I would recommend asking your trainer if you can ride another horse until you get a hang of the canter again. Once you have more experience cantering on a more honest mount, you can try the horse that is giving you trouble again. If your trainer does not let you or want you to switch horses, and does not give a good reason, you don't want to be riding with that trainer anyway.

Don't get too frustrated and don't lose hope! Good luck.

I'm an instructor.

make shure the walk and the trot are fine ( controlled, and stayed on the fence.) then move the trot faster, and faster. (ask if you could do that.)then also ask if you could go into the center of the arena, and walk and trot in there. then canter in a circle in the middle. if there are no jumps in the way make the circle bigger and bigger, untill you could go around the arena, and if their are jumps in the way, just go use 1/2 of the arena.

I hope this helped, this helped me, a lot when i was training a horse
: D

training a horse

My barrel horse used to do that also, until I found the secret. I don't know if it will work on your horse, but it has worked miracles on my friends horses. Anyway, on with the point. Whenever your horse starts to go into the center, let him/her go, but keep him going in circles in that direction. It will take a while, depending on the horse, but eventually he will get the idea. It's easier to go in a straight or slightly curved line on the fence than go in circles towards the middle. I had to do this with my horse and it took so long that I felt like jumping off and storming back into the barn, (trust me) but eventually my work payed off and straight on to going along the fence it was. Hope this helps!

Frustrated horse owner (used to be)

This is a problem characteristic of lesson horses. Too many people ride them with just as many different techniques. Horses are not "push button" creatures and are so sensitive to every movement and shift, but lesson horses can get really dull because they are so bored with their lives.

It can be more difficult for a less experienced rider to have absolute control under these circumstances. Unless you have the ability to change the situation for the horse, it will be difficult to improve the overall situation. Is there maybe a possibility you could ride other horses sometimes? Maybe consider that. Try to think about what the horse is going through and be considerate of her efforts. As you progress, so will she. Just my opinion, but you should never ride if you are feeling angry, stressed, or frustrated. Horses are so intuitive, they know changes in feelings or attitudes before you do. They will pick up on your feelings and usually react negatively because your emotions are negative. Make sense? Good luck. I'm sure you will be fine. Don't give up. Just take a rest if you need to.

Ask your instructor to let you canter on a circle, forcing the horse to look inside slightly, but not going in and maintaining the bend. Start with a small circle and make it bigger VERY gradually. Eventually make your way back to the track trying as hard as possible to keep the canter collected and calm, and the circle should help with that. Getting frustrated wont help anything, just be patient, stay calm, and you and the horse will get it eventually.

Good Luck! :D

Well thats hard but here is what i say.
I agree with the first two answers. If any plan doesnt work can u ride another horse...its no fun riding a horse that doesnt listen to u.
Before the canter trot in a circle then circle in a canter when u think she is doing good go into a little bigger circle if she tries to go into the center pull her head into the inside and that will make her stop right away....she will know something is wrong and hopefully start listening...if nothing works just tell u trainer that u want to ride another horse because this one is not listening and u are getting frustrated...i know its really hard but it may take some time if u want to go and try to train her!
Good luck and i hope i helped!! :)

ask your trainer to set up cones around the perimeter of the ring about 2-3 feet from the rail. just stay between the cones and the rail..if not use poles. also, before you canter kick/squeeze with your inside leg and hold you outside rein. make the horse point his nose out and then pick up the canter. if he/she gets away from the rail then give a big kick with your inside leg..and keep a crop to your inside. if you must wear spurs and only use them when keeping your horse from drifting

My horse does the same thing, what i do ( and it fixed it!) is if your horses gos to the center pull hard and let him/her know were you want it. If he/she still will not go were you want, come to a walk and take the reins with both hands to one side and pull hard enough to make the horse jerk, it may seem mean but it will help!

Right before you ask for the canter, make her nose touch the fence and push with your inside leg. Then ask. If she does it again do the same but if she darts towards the center pull her head to her butt on the side the fence was on for a immediate stop

Make her hug the fence at a walk, then trot, then canter. If she turns, try correcting her, and if she can't spin 'er around and try again! Don't let her get away with anything like that.

I have a bratty horse of my own : )

Can your instructor put you on another horse?

ok you cant be angry when you ask for the canter as now you are thinking she will dart in so she feels it and runs, i would say keep a crop or bat on the inside and when she darts use a tone of inside leg pressure a solid inside rain and an open outside rain also give her a whack she is doing this because i assume you ride in a lesson of well 4 maybe more and the other horses are prob stopped in the middle so she is running to her friends and is not listening to you or respecting you you need to show her some tough love and kick her lil bum back to the rail no mater what force her to the rail with all your strength and once she goes there praise her

when using the crop/stick make sure you are ready encase she takes off to remember B4 you use it heals down and sit back if she takes off

good luck

also maybe ask your trainer to switch hoses for one lesson so you can get a normal canter so you wont be so tense for your next lesson with her

If you have enough experience, I would recommend doing something to distract the horse, it may not be enough to prevent it doing it's own thing, but usually if you do something it's not expecting it does not have time to think about what it wants.
Before you canter, try some leg yielding (applying pressure with your leg and maintaining contact with reins to get your horse to step sideways). You may have to practice this at the walk. All you need is a step and then you switch and get her to step the other way. This should get her listening to you. Then when you canter, if she tries to dart to the center turn her in a circle. Get her to change gaits in the corner (I assume you ride in an arena) and try small circles just in that one half of the arena. Keep circling until she realises that it's easier just to go straight. Alternatively you can do serpentines, and turn circles when she is not expecting. This will force her to concentrate on what you are going to ask for next, and she should forget her own intentions.

If this doesn't help, try telling your instructor you think you need more experience on another horse before you can correct this one. School horses are often quite unresponsive due to having so many beginners pulling and prodding and kicking unnecessarily and it can be a difficult task to change their ways.

Due to not ever being lucky enough to own my own horse, I have ridden a great many school horses in my years. I even used to have my lessons on other peoples ponies when their inexperienced riders were having problems with them.

Good luck with your riding :) You'll master it one day.