Training a young horse to canter- How?

[Penthilisea]

I'm looking for some step by step instructions on teaching a young horse to canter under saddle. Horse has cantered with a rider on, on the lunge line, but I want to introduce the canter and canter departure as clearly as possible.

Horse is 4, accepts light contact at walk and trot, but not for any sustained length of time, just sort of says hi for a few strides and then does her baby wiggly moves. She moves off my leg forward and sideways, she bends well etc. We're also working on keeping a steady tempo at the trot, and learning about serpentines. She's in a french link bit, if that matters.

[Lilykoi]

After having a few western trained horses, I love how they canter/lope off with a kiss. Cluck means trot, kiss means canter. So I've taught all mine to respond to that. It helps a lot when you are working them on a longe, to differentiate between the two gaits. I would start there.
Teach her to trot with a cluck and canter off with a kiss sound. Then when
you are on her, ask her with your aids and the kiss. You could even ride her on a longe and have a friend help, then try it off the longe. Eventually, she'll learn your cues from your leg and you can eliminate the vocal aid.
Hope that helps!

[2 tbs]

Agree 100% with Lilykoi! Although, neither of my TB's have had any western training and neither have I! The whole cluck to trot/kiss to canter thing is a long time method I'd attribute to all disciplines ;)

It definitely helps translate from the ground to under saddle. Sorta like adding stick to a cluck while adding leg to teach them to move off your leg.

Plus, always ask the same way and initially you can even ask in the same place each time. They really seem to understand it better at first that way. Once they get it, they have it. It might take a second to register if you do it differently or in a different place after they have the initial lesson down but they do understand what you are asking at that point. and figure out they need to respond each time no matter what.

Then of course, when they respond to what you are asking, BIG praise! Lots and lots of praise. When it's about the transition, don't canter long either. Get the departure, canter a few strides, big praise immediately, then whoa, relax a minute, rinse and repeat. When it's about holding the canter down the long side, around a corner etc, make sure you add praise when you get what you want. If that's 3 full circles, get your circles then praise. Again, rinse and repeat. It doesn't usually take them long to figure it all out. :)

[Jumper6252]

I have to disagree. I don't like it when people are going around the show ring and they are clucking or kissing at their horse. I had a pony who was trained to canter with a kiss sound and it drove my trainer crazy and she would not let us do it.

[SarahandSam]

I have to disagree. I don't like it when people are going around the show ring and they are clucking or kissing at their horse. I had a pony who was trained to canter with a kiss sound and it drove my trainer crazy and she would not let us do it.

The idea isn't that you do it forever; it's to help the horse associate the sound of a kiss with the cue to canter from the ground, then when riding aids are added, he associates it with the sound and picks up the canter. Then eventually he can respond to just the riding aids and not the voice.

[jn4jenny]

My trainer once mentioned that when they've got a very green horse at that very early stage, sometimes they'll "trick" the horse into cantering by trotting in a straight line down the wall, then doing a very tight change of direction, then immediately as they switch the bend back to the other direction as if to go onto another circle in the opposite direction, they'll apply the aid for the canter. So ideally the horse wiggles its way into exactly the leg location and bend that it needs to depart into canter, and if you apply some leg, sometimes the horse just kinda finds itself cantering. And then you praise the horse, repeat a few times, and voila--the horse starts to associate that combination of aid from rider + leg placement with "canter".

[yellowbritches]

I am of the opinion that first you have to teach them that they CAN canter with a rider, then you gradually tune it up, make the transitions nice, and make the canter stronger. For babies that are less forward going and don't just happily bop into canter, I've actually found that a good rousing game of follow the leader does wonders. If you can ride the baby in the ring with a couple of other horses, then have them lead you around the ring, and into canter, usually baby eagerly tries to keep up. It's kinda silly, but it has worked wonders on a couple of lazy bones. I always try to use the proper aid (don't just chase them into it like some people do), and for awhile I'll use the same voice aid I used in lungeing or round pen work. Some figure it out really quickly, some just take a little while to get their feet sorted out and balanced to canter with the rider. This is why I introduce canter very soon after backing, as I want canter to be something they know how to do from the beginning, not just walk and trot (besides, if they are a jumping horse, they are going to spend most of their "professional" career in canter!).

As they get better in just getting into canter, I will slowly start adding in harder stuff like more transisitons, etc. to tune up the departs and get them stronger, but I never expect them to have a clean depart in the very beginning.

[Lilykoi]

The idea isn't that you do it forever; it's to help the horse associate the sound of a kiss with the cue to canter from the ground, then when riding aids are added, he associates it with the sound and picks up the canter. Then eventually he can respond to just the riding aids and not the voice.


Right!

[Fairview Horse Center]

We always introduce the canter by opening up the communication in the trot. We ask for bigger/faster trot down the long side, and allow them to drop back into regular trot on the short side of the arena.

Within 2 or 3 times around, they just naturally step into the canter for a few strides when doing the more forward trot. We ask for a few strides in each direction, and then each day, just ask them to hold it longer, and longer.

This system takes away that "big, tense" issue of a "depart". We don't want either horse or rider frustrated at not getting it (they ARE doing exactly what is asked - bigger trot). It also stops that specific canter depart, that can be scary for both horse and rider.

[veebug22]

Agree with as much canter on the lunge line as possible. When under saddle:

-Ask for canter in the corner. Works to your advantage because chances are they'll naturally pick up the correct lead, and also because you have the straightaway for awhile and don't have to worry about balancing/turns again until you've gotten through the transition.

-Any lead is fine at first. Really the point is to make it as anxiety-free as possible at first. If they pick up the wrong lead while learning the cues, not the biggest deal in the world. I still give them big pats and fawn over them for just picking up the canter. Over time, I'll start to manipulate their body a little more, and if they pick up the wrong lead, I will bring them down to the trot and ask again (without making a big deal of it). I keep doing this until they get the right lead. Eventually they figure out the leads, but the whole point at first is to give them lots of praise and confidence in trying the canter in the first place.

-I tend to get off their backs a bit when they're first learning, but that depends on the horse. Make sure you're balanced, because they will not be :)

-Don't be too worried about speed at first. On horses with big strides, the end of the arena will come up quick, but I still try to stay out of their way at first. I don't make a big deal of it, because I want them to be confident in trying. After a few rides, I'll slowly introduce trying to rate them a bit.

-Don't worry too much about transitions at first. In the early stages, I don't worry too much about trotting into the canter and being a bit disorganized coming out of it (I always teach canter into and down to a trot at first; I don't introduce from a walk until the trot/canter/trot transitions are pretty clean). I find that as they gain balance, the transitions get better. Never be aggressive about it. I tend to sit (can be pretty uncomfortable!) while asking for the canter from the trot, just because it's an easier cue for them to understand than if I keep posting. Also, asking for either upward or downward transitions in turns is to your advantage; they'll naturally try to balance up a bit through the turns, especially if you've taught them this at the trot.

-Keep in mind that teaching a horse clean transitions takes time and comes from clear cues and confidence in what they are about to do, not from expecting perfection from the start. Chances are, no matter how well your horse goes on the lunge, he is not going to have stellar transitions or be perfectly balanced under saddle. The more consistent and soft you are with your cues and expectations, the more precise he will become.

I think the french link is a good choice.

[yellowbritches]

Agree with as much canter on the lunge line as possible. When under saddle:

-Ask for canter in the corner. Works to your advantage because chances are they'll naturally pick up the correct lead, and also because you have the straightaway for awhile and don't have to worry about balancing/turns again until you've gotten through the transition.

-Any lead is fine at first. Really the point is to make it as anxiety-free as possible at first. If they pick up the wrong lead while learning the cues, not the biggest deal in the world. I still give them big pats and fawn over them for just picking up the canter. Over time, I'll start to manipulate their body a little more, and if they pick up the wrong lead, I will bring them down to the trot and ask again (without making a big deal of it). I keep doing this until they get the right lead. Eventually they figure out the leads, but the whole point at first is to give them lots of praise and confidence in trying the canter in the first place.

-I tend to get off their backs a bit when they're first learning, but that depends on the horse. Make sure you're balanced, because they will not be :)

-Don't be too worried about speed at first. On horses with big strides, the end of the arena will come up quick, but I still try to stay out of their way at first. I don't make a big deal of it, because I want them to be confident in trying. After a few rides, I'll slowly introduce trying to rate them a bit.

-Don't worry too much about transitions at first. In the early stages, I don't worry too much about trotting into the canter and being a bit disorganized coming out of it (I always teach canter into and down to a trot at first; I don't introduce from a walk until the trot/canter/trot transitions are pretty clean). I find that as they gain balance, the transitions get better. Never be aggressive about it. I tend to sit (can be pretty uncomfortable!) while asking for the canter from the trot, just because it's an easier cue for them to understand than if I keep posting. Also, asking for either upward or downward transitions in turns is to your advantage; they'll naturally try to balance up a bit through the turns, especially if you've taught them this at the trot.

-Keep in mind that teaching a horse clean transitions takes time and comes from clear cues and confidence in what they are about to do, not from expecting perfection from the start. Chances are, no matter how well your horse goes on the lunge, he is not going to have stellar transitions or be perfectly balanced under saddle. The more consistent and soft you are with your cues and expectations, the more precise he will become.

I think the french link is a good choice.
Well said and totally agree with everything...said it way better than I did.

[findlymine]

I ride western and have to teach my horse to canter by kissing to him and clucking 2 trot because I have very little leg control. Although, in the english world i like it when they are taught to canter the method of extending there stride as mentioned before!!!!

[Donkey]

Lots of good advice, totally agree with training on the lunge using the kissy sound to make it clear what your asking for.

Just one thing to add, as it i something my coach had to keep reminding my perfectionist self when going through this with my girl - it doesn't matter what you look like, it doesn't matter what your horse looks like, the point is, in the very beginning, is to get them to canter any way you can. A few strides at first then one corner then two then the whole ring typically building up over a few rides.

Don't try to ask perfectly, do what you've got to do to get them to canter (legs flapping, kissing away) you'll refine it to what you want as you both grow.

[poltroon]

The idea isn't that you do it forever; it's to help the horse associate the sound of a kiss with the cue to canter from the ground, then when riding aids are added, he associates it with the sound and picks up the canter. Then eventually he can respond to just the riding aids and not the voice.

Right. I used this same technique with my very small daughter when teaching her to ride. I trained the pony to the verbal commands, then I taught my daughter to use them. It eased a lot of confusion for everyone, because both the pony and I were better able to tell what it was she thought she wanted. :D

[fordtraktor]

From a nice, balanced trot, ask for the canter when the outside hind is off the ground, sliding your lower leg back along the horse's side. If the horse is already moving off your leg, it will push his leg to the inside and he will pretty naturally pick up a canter as a result of what that hind leg is doing. I like asking about 2/3 of the way around the short end of the ring, so the horse is already thinking "bend to the inside" and can pick up the lead easily.

I don't like to rush them into it, but I do like to start from a nice energetic trot. If they don't get it after a few tries, I will add a little stick with my leg to encourage them to go forward. In the beginning I always praise for going forward despite the lead, but I do try to get the correct lead each way the first day I canter them, with effusive praise when they get it right.

I generally only go a little way, down the long side or so, before asking them to stop the first couple of times. (I then trot a few steps, walk and make a fuss over them.) I don't want them to fall out of the canter on their own, but they also don't have it together enough to keep going. I don't like starting horses in round pens for the same reason -- too tight of space for the horse to really keep going very well.

I do like to go ahead and canter maybe 6-8 times the first day to reinforce the lesson and so that they start associating outside leg with canter, instead of going faster. Toward the end you can go farther if they are comfortable with it and feel like they can hold it together. If they still feel like they are going to break into a trot, bring them back earlier.

I usually always have them basic w-t-c within a week of backing them, so they never see it as a big deal. If the particularly horse is sending signals that it should take longer, I give it the time I think it needs. Most horses pick it up quickly if they aren't rushed/nervous/scared, and I try not to ever let them get to the point where they feel pressured. Calm and steady works best.

I don't canter babies on the longe, and after they learn the initial walk-trot-whoa (which I instill before backing) I don't longe at all. I think all those circles are too hard on their legs.

[Penthilisea]

I love all these suggestions, thank you! I just began riding this mare, she was trained to ride and drive and got some saddle time 1x a week w/t by another rider who now has too much work to visit and ride her. I, on the other hand, lost my job, so I have PLENTY of free time!

I think I like the lunging to teach the signal + big trot on the long side, because BOY can this girl trot! Appreciate the tips, if you think of more please let me know!

[findeight]

Like fordrtraktor, looong ago when I broke colts, I had them walk trot canter within the first 14 days or so.

Mind you, I did use a round pen or ground drive so put the foundation on them. They were voice broke to whoa and knew a cluck meant forward, had packed the tack and a rider-but not at the canter in a too small enclosure. I did not use any more vocal cues though, just cluck and whoa. And the rider was me, I didn't put somebody else up there on a lunge line, I just got on. Once they were comfortable at the walk and trot both ways (in, like, 3 days max) we went into the bigger arena. Reviewed what they knew and added that canter in as soon as they could get around the bigger arena at a trot. Couple of days.

No offense to OP but I would not worry about a canter "depart" the first few times. That's almost falling into the typical trap of expecting too much and picking them to death that results in one heck of a confused colt that either won't come forward at all or tries to outrun the confusion.

Just remember, they do NOT know how to canter. They know walk, trot and gallop. Those first few mounted canters are going to be relatively clumsy, even ugly. Forget the "depart" they have to trot into it and the head and the lead are not going to be what you want but you have to reward what you get because they did come forward and shifted up into that next gait for you.

All of the "departs", leads, balance and "frame" come after they learn where all the parts go and come with practice. The absolute worst thing you can create here, and it is common, is not coming forward and that haunts them forever. Need to be positive and generous with reward those first few week at the canter, baby steps as they say.

If this one seems to lumber and does not progress out of the clumsy stages, you may need to back off and let them mature a little more...or get into a bigger space to work where more forward will help them get themselves together.

Don't know what fordtraktor's experience has been but I never had one buck at this point...that comes at about 90 days to 6 months and almost all of them will go thru it when you start asking for more. They may get pretty quick and you have to let that happen, but they rarely do much else at this point.

It is really not rocket science, just get on and go with them after a proper foundation.

[fordtraktor]

I agree, findeight. Bucking comes later, if at all. I've had a couple that will crowhop around a bit at day 5-10 or so in a playful way, but that usually lasts a few steps and that's it. Real bucking in the beginning comes from horses that are scared/pushed too hard, and riders that can't read baby horse body language. Later they get to the petulant teenager stage.

I have never backed one that reared (and I have started dozens if not hundreds). IME rearing is something that happens as a result of someone screwing a horse up, not something that happens much if you are starting a colt off right.

If the horse has a good foundation (I do exactly like f8, they need to know cluck = forward and whoa = stop) then riding is a natural progression and should never have a "breaking" aspect to it. Usually the hardest part is getting the horse to take the first step after swinging a leg over on them. Most of the time they are convinced their hooves have been glued to the ground. :lol:

[findeight]

Usually the hardest part is getting the horse to take the first step after swinging a leg over on them. Most of the time they are convinced their hooves have been glued to the ground. :lol:

:lol: ahhh memories. I never broke that many from scratch, maybe 6 or 7. Found my niche in rehabbing the ones that needed to be "unbroke" then rebroke after somebody screwed up getting them started because they were scared of them or piddled around too much..

I had better luck with the babies getting in a big space for those first canter steps. Couldn't get them to move in a small space:D.

[Fairview Horse Center]

We have started hundreds of horses, and I have trained quite a few people in the breaking process.

Just a couple of things. Horses know their canter leads from birth. When they don't "get" them, it is because the rider's weight has put them in a balance to pick up the wrong one. Horses will always pick up the lead that their balance tells them to UNTIL they learn to "tune out" the riders incorrect aids, or overcome the wrong balance the rider puts them in. To ride correctly, that is actually something you hope a horse never learns. You always want them to go and do what the rider's aids are telling them to, not learn to be selective, and tune out some that they think are rider error. SCHOOL horses need to learn to tune out rider error.

Riding horses should never be like dog training, where you teach a signal. Riding is about influencing their balance, body position, and rhythm so they move in the way we want them to. Until the horse can be influenced to change their bend and balance, you just have to be happy with the lead they feel balanced with at the moment of depart. "Outside leg back" for the canter depart is not about a signal, but about moving their hindquarters to the inside, so they are able to strike off with the outside hind, and not falling out thru their outside shoulder. Their weight needs to be moving over their inside shoulder. Bending their nose (head/neck) to the inside sends them onto their outside shoulder, and the wrong lead.

Bucking happens if the horse is not forward enough. You want a pretty brisk pace at the trot. "Forward" also minimizes the steering problems, as babies just can't "walk and chew gum" at the same time. They understand very basic aids - leg/whip means go, reins mean stop. They get very frustrated at (pulling on reins) steering while you are saying go, as to them, you are giving them conflicting aids.. They need you to get enough "go" and then steer (which slows them down a bit), then stop steering and go back to picking the pace back up.

When you canter a baby, you need to support your weight in your legs, but don't get forward. Babies are usually built downhill from their butt high growth spurts, so they have enough problem elevating their front end to pick up canter, without the rider forward, "weighing" it down. If you get too forward, that is when they can start bucking, as it is too hard to step into canter. You can think of bucking as going forward "out the back door" because the front door is jammed closed by the rider's weight.

[findeight]

Ah...that outside leg to push the haunch in is probably not yet learned and certainly not learned properly-they are clueless about that stuff. They will just go crooked like a crab and still get the "wrong" lead.

One of the biggest issues I found in my rehabs was too much lateral and not enough forward, most of these were much better sideways then straight ahead because whoever tried to start them got too wrapped up in the details and forgot to just ride.

So, when breaking colts, it is often better to quit thinking so much and just go ride the horse. The less you ask them to do, the more likely they are to figure it all out on their own and not have to be coached every inch of the way. Make it all about just going forward until you get them going.

Ride the thing, don't micro manage it's every step.

And I had better luck asking them to canter on the long side, asking into the corner was too much for them the first week or so. Best luck was in a huge outdoor ring, they got it pretty quick out there.

[meupatdoes]

If you want to introduce cantering under saddle without having a Big Dramatic Depart Event in the corner, sometimes the easiest thing to do is to trot up to a small cross rail, hop over it, and land cantering softly away.

For some horses this is the most natural thing in the world; for the others they are none the worse for wear if they trot over (and I literally mean "trot over") a jump a couple of times.

Most of the time the canter that happens after a horse has hopped over a little bitty jump is a nicer canter than you will get running into it from a faster and faster trot. The horse learns to pick himself up a little into the canter, instead of to get super long and scramble into it, and you can practice ten much nicer strides of canter than you would have got otherwise before coming organizedly back to the trot.
The downward canter-trot transition will also help prepare the horse for the eventual upward transition without the aid of the jump.

[DieBlaueReiterin]

So, when breaking colts, it is often better to quit thinking so much and just go ride the horse. The less you ask them to do, the more likely they are to figure it all out on their own and not have to be coached every inch of the way. Make it all about just going forward until you get them going.

Ride the thing, don't micro manage it's every step.


this may be some of the sagest advice i have ever seen on this board. :) i agree totally. the canter for me is not any hader to introduce than the trot. after a few days (or weeks, depending on the horse!) of riding, i will just trot into the corner, sit and ask and away they go. all i've ever done is just ask like i normally would-sit, look in, a little outside leg back a bit, a bit more inside leg. haven't yet had a problem and have taught about 10 horses to canter under saddle. maybe it was just blind luck though. :lol:

[Fairview Horse Center]

One of the biggest issues I found in my rehabs was too much lateral and not enough forward, most of these were much better sideways then straight ahead because whoever tried to start them got too wrapped up in the details and forgot to just ride.

Make it all about just going forward until you get them going.

Ride the thing, don't micro manage it's every step.

THANK-YOU! Forward is the key with young horses, and actually any problem horses, but people get nerous breaking and let them go around in putzy gaits. With good forward gaits, they don't have time to think up things to get them (and you) in trouble. Ride them just a bit "too" quick.

This is a GREAT video of pace for the young horse. http://www.showhunterclinic.com/playvideo.php?sample=319&ext=wmv

[DieBlaueReiterin]

wowww what a nice animal and beautiful ride! the transitions within the canter were esp nice. lovely horse. sad to say i can't imagine most of the riders i know riding even their seasoned horses in a forward canter (or even trot) like that, haha.

[tri]

One of the biggest mistakes people make is not asking for the canter right away. I worked my way through college backing young horses, you always ask for a walk, trot, canter and circles EVERY time you ride them.

Mine are usually cantering by the 3rd ride. When you wait to ask for the canter, the horse already thinks he knows the drill, just walking, halting and trotting. Then when you ask for the canter, it is a "hey, wait a minute" moment.

Mine get taught voice commends from the ground first and then I ask for steering from the ground and make sure they know whoa. Then it is on and walking, turning, halting, trotting, circles, bit of canter, trotting, walking, halting, walking, turning, trotting, bit of canter, etc. Then add jumping 2x week even if it is just crossrails and/or poles on the ground. Leads get better with mileage as does self carriage, bending to the inside, not falling in on circles, etc.

[Fairview Horse Center]

One of the biggest mistakes people make is not asking for the canter right away. I worked my way through college backing young horses, you always ask for a walk, trot, canter and circles EVERY time you ride them..

Yes. We backed a filly a week ago, w/t. Her 2nd ride was this past Saturday, and she cantered both directions.

[Penthilisea]

Again, appreciate all the advice. Just to note- I was NOT involved with this mares training up until a week ago and I wanted to gather info BEFORE I tried something new.

[Janet]

I'm a little different in that I like to introduce the canter on the trail, well before I canter in the ring.

[FlashGordon]

Just bumping, since we are trying to encourage my mare to canter under saddle, and she's not particularly thrilled. I think we still have a glitch in our "go button" maybe that is hindering the process.

[Fairview Horse Center]

Keep asking for "run away trot" down the long side of the arena, and relax a bit on the short side. Push again next long side until the trot gets faster and faster. That establishes the go aids, and they will fall into the canter when they can't hold the trot that fast.

Young horses often get frustrated with too much leg, so if you are not getting a quickening of the trot, lightly tap-tap-tap with the whip until you get the response on each long side. Make sure it is not on the flank, but really just behind the leg, or on the rump.

[MorganLuvr848]

What I did with mine was every time I asked for the canter I would sit the trot and keep lightly squeezing the outside rein when I would put my leg on and then would have someone on the ground with a whip to lightly encourage. I did this on the lounge line first with a rider and then did it without the lunge line when the concept was grasped. It worked well with my horse.

[Sacred_Petra]

The biggest thing with my last two babies, neither of whom were thrilled about going forward was to simplify things. I found a time when the arena was empty and just focused on cantering, didn't matter what lead or direction, they just had to go somewhere. If they got in a bad direction (such as heading straight for a corner) I gently guided them somewhere else, then put the slack back in the reins and thought forward. Once they were more confident and willing about that, then I add more steering and finesse.

[FlashGordon]

Thanks guys! Her canter work today was much improved over yesterday. Another few weeks and I think she'll have it down! She's only got about 11 rides on her.

She knows "kiss" for canter and "cluck" for trot and "whoa" too... I find teaching those on the ground and relaying them to under saddle work seems to help.

She was just like you want me to do WHAT? I cannot go faster than a trot. But she seems to be getting the hang of it now.

I got her in August and she was a clean slate, so it has been fun watching her progress. It took her some time to get her canter figured out on the longe, and a funny growth spurt didn't help. Now that her front end has caught back up with her withers her canter is suddenly looking good again on the line.

[PrimoAmor]

I personally think there does need to be some work on a depart early on. I'm coming from a different world as I have a TB and am retraining him instead of beginning with a fresh mind. I bought my guy after a year off the track and a second year of 'training'. Well he didn't come with much training. He still had a really track focused mind. I'm still debating whether there was any training or not but that is a different story.

I can 'trick' him or 'run' him into a canter all I want but if I actually ask for a canter he gets angry and confused and everything just falls apart. So I took a break from cantering and really worked on responding to the leg in walk and trot, bending, moving off the leg in both directions and nice clean walk to trot transitions. I also did a LOT of transition work on the lunge. Really asking him to depart immediately with a kiss, he was not allowed to run into it. Kiss meant canter and NOTHING else.

So a few weeks ago I finally decided it was the time to work on the canter under saddle. The first few times he got angry and I got a crop! I would get up into a two-point, (grab a little mane) as I slipped my leg into place I would say canter and kiss. If he didn't immediately respond or started getting grouchy he would get a smack. I would make a huge fuss the second he started cantering and let him decide how long we went. My only goal was to get a depart without all the anger and trotting around like a mad man.

A few lessons of just depart and now he is willing to depart and we will work on distance as he starts to relax. He gets very up tight about cantering but once we get the first time out of the way he is fine the rest of the lesson. He is getting much better. Now we can canter both ways when I want to without having to 'beat around the bush'.

[candysgirl]

I'm sure its not the "right" way, but I taught my boy to canter playing follow the leader with his Percheron buddy. He's my friend's upper level dressage horse and we'd just follow along while they schooled. His trot can be HUGE and considerably faster than my pony sized Arab's little legs can comfortably trot, so he'd naturally break into a canter to follow his friend. I could feel when he was about to do it, so I'd just cue for it. After a couple weeks, he understood the cues and would canter off a cue rather than just because his buddy was going faster.

[findeight]

I'm sure its not the "right" way, but I taught my boy to canter playing follow the leader with his Percheron buddy.


That's been around forever, so has ponying them at the canter then riding them following what was their pony horse. Whatever it takes to get them going without discouraging them is "right". Once you accomplish getting them going reliably, you can start refining it as you chose.

[morganpony86]

I trained mine on long lines with verbal cues until he was comfortable and balanced for the depart, canter itself (especially on a 20m circle), and transition back down both directions. It was important to me that he learn to balance himself before asked to carry the weight of a rider.

Then, once in the saddle, it's easy to transition from verbal cues to leg/weight cues.