Tips on sitting a rough canter

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I'm hoping anybody will have a tip or trick to sitting a rough canter. Not for Lynx, thank goodness! His canter is decent.

But I'm riding in a clinic in October because I'm over ambitious I would have loved to have taken Lynx and I think it would have been great for us. But physically I think the structure of a clinic is too much for where he is right now. So I'm taking my sister in law's horse. And oh boy.

I've known him for years and he has had some issues but have been well managed last few years. But even still you know how a horse that was once in pain can hang on to habits. He's lost the bucking and kicking out thankfully. But he's always been very crooked in the canter And honestly no one has ever even tried to correct this. He's in more of a hunter jumper/Eventing program and the focus is definitely not dressage.

I feel like I can adequately ride him at the walk and trot. There is stuff to work on there, like his transitions and just really being connected and not hiding from the contact. This all seems very manageable to me. But boy the canter. His transitions are a little touch and go. And he wants to be very downhill fast and extremely crooked. I will be riding in a jumping saddle (unless I want to take a western saddle all is okay for this particular clinic.) I just feel like I cannot sit his canter!! It is one of the roughest canters I've ever ridden. I do feel like being in a jumping saddle does not help me out so I feel like I cannot wrap my leg around as adequately.

I've been riding different horses for lessons and stuff and I can easily drop my stirrups and canter and be fine on most horses. I absolutely can still get tight on certain horses especially if I'm nervous. So I'm not going to discount that I don't have a part in the problem! But in general it's not an issue except for this type canter.

I was just wondering if anybody had any thing I could try that I haven't thought of. I guess I will just work on it at the clinic as well I just don't want to be super embarrassing

[heddylamar]

How does he go after counter canter? I'm imaging it will be a rough, ugly counter canter ... but even a few strides in a shallow loop, may be enough to get him to straighten out. Ditto spiral in and out at the canter. You can do the later subtly, 1-2 steps in, straight, 1-2 steps out, during all canter and it should help. Light half halts before and after the transitions should help too.

Beyond that, yes, by all means you can sit down and wrap your legs around in a jumping saddle. I don't know that it will help any more than the spiral in/out. Not knowing him, it sounds like he could be in pain, and sitting down may not help.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Heddylamar, oh good tip! I will try that.

I know you can sit down and record legs around and jump in saddle I just meant in my mind/body I just am struggling with that.
I don't have the best back in the world either so I think we both kind of stiffen against each other.

He definitely has some issues and it was noted that he looks a bit ready for his hock injections again. The clinic is in 2 weeks so that will obviously not happen beforehand. But they were talking about getting a body worker out again before the clinic.

He actually looks fairly good right now at the trot. I feel like I said the canter has always been a thing with him. The owner actively rides him kind of counterbent in the canter anyways.

If I could take my young horse I really would at this point. I honestly think he would be easier ha ha!!!

I am pondering just trying to find someone to take my spot too. I hate to back out but at the same time definitely feeling over my head. I was told the horse would be riding was much more in shape and more in a program but apparently the leaser that was supposed to be right in him is only been riding once or twice a week. :/

[StraightForward]

Honestly, I think I would just take Lynx! It would be a good experience for him, and I'm sure if you're clear with the clinician on where you are together, she can take it easy on both of you and just give you some good feedback on what to work on and not overface either of you.

For the tough canter - if this horse knows lateral work at all, I would try what Heddy suggests, and also seeing if you can go between HI and Si in the canter, and trying cantering some square-ish corners. Often I think it comes from the outside hind pushing too hard, so the rider gets whipsawed. Annabelle does this, and it's gotten much better, but still shows up in the lengthenings. Figuring out how to get the outside hind to carry a little more can make the ride a lot more comfortable.

[exvet]

What are your goals for this clinic? Is to test ride with Jessica? Do you have something specific you want to work on in terms of your seat? If that is the case Jessica may be able to give you good tips on how to help this horse which adds tools to your toolbox and if it's your seat, a lot can be accomplished at the walk and trot. If it were me, I'd have the clinic organizer ask Jessica outright and see where she feels her and your time are best spent. If she feels working with your young horse is the way to go, she will say so. She may help you with work in hand and some under saddle to give you your monies worth. I'm not sure it's fair to any of the three of you to take a 'not quite right horse with a saddle it sounds like you're fighting against and ride in a clinic with her for the first time - I realize you've audited her before but to be fair........)

[Moutaineer]

If I were you, I would take Lynx. If the clinician is any good, which it sounds like she is, she can help you a lot without overfacing him, and it will be a great bonding and learning experience for the both of you. It will be a far more valuable experience for you than taking someone else's nqr horse whose problems you are not going to solve in 2 weeks.

And, as a dear friend of mine said to me once when I was getting worked up about a clinic, "you are paying good money to go learn something from this woman, not to show her how good you are."

[Ryeissa]

Take up jumping so you can get off his back....???? Kidding (sort of)
and yes, I would take your horse....you are going to get more for your money if its your own horse. Lynx looks ready to go and you can be his advocate if he needs a break, etc.
I had a GP clinician love me last year because I asked for a walk lesson specifically to ask about collected walk and TOH. She was DELIGHTED to give a walk lesson and said too few people focus on the walk.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Okay. I will talk to the organizer about it and see if we can figure out what Jessica would prefer.

I'm still pondering pulling out and giving my ride to someone else but we will see. I had another great lesson on Lynx today. My daughter was there and she had watched me ride the other horse last night. She told me I looked much looser and more relaxed on Lynx in the canter. She's 9 years old though. Lol but honest! And I will say I do feel Lynx is more enjoyable ride.

[Ryeissa]

Okay. I will talk to the organizer about it and see if we can figure out what Jessica would prefer.

I'm still pondering pulling out and giving my ride to someone else but we will see. I had another great lesson on Lynx today. My daughter was there and she had watched me ride the other horse last night. She told me I looked much looser and more relaxed on Lynx in the canter. She's 9 years old though. Lol but honest! And I will say I do feel Lynx is more enjoyable ride.

its your money, what do YOU want?
I think you should take lynx.

[piedmontfields]

Another vote for taking your horse (and the one you know best) to a clinic. You will learn more and it will have more long-lasting impact.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Well I was hoping to take Lynx but unfortunately I'm without a saddle that fits. I have been borrowing a trainer's saddle that seems to fit reasonably well but of course she's going to a shoe this weekend

So I will still have to take my SIL's horse. I'll just make the best of it I guess. I took a lesson on a school master yesterday and asked about my canter seat, trainer says it looks great. So it is this one specific horse.

He looks fantastic at the trot. The only issue is the canter. We have been trying different saddles (she has two.) It better in one saddle over the other but not great. I was watching my SIL ride and I realized that even in a dressage or western saddle she perches in a light seat, like a hunter. My politely pointed it out (we have an oath to tell each other things like that. I have tons of things to point out about myself) she tried to sit more with an open hip angle at the canter and could not do it. She noted that once she tried to do that she just could not get the rhythm of the canter and it was like she were being bounced out. So it is not necessarily me, It seems actually sitting in this first canter is truly difficult. But before that she really did think I was ridiculous and told me that she loved his canter lol! Well now she understands, we're trying to ride very different. She's more hunter like in her seat and I'm coming in and trying to ride in a dressage seat.

It turns out that he has not been get his previcox. She has a girl leasing him and there was a miscommunication. So he's getting back on that this week which should make his hocks feel a lot better. But I'm considering just doing walk trot for the clinic. The organizer told me that's what she's doing with her OTTB. And honestly there's plenty to do at the walking trot with this horse is he really needs a lot of work with the suppleness. Yes there may be a little bit of discomfort that isn't helping but I know this horse for a lot of years and it is a bit how he is ridden. It's pretty much on the rail and get your head down 24/7. No circles or lateral.

Not ideal. I really wish I could figure out the saddle situation and take Lynx. Saddle fitter comes the 14th of October, I can't wait.
There will be more opportunities in the future though so I just have to go with the flow even if things are not ideal. I will definitely be mindful of the horse I am riding and the situation. I hope this will actually be good for him and for his owner that will be watching.

[exvet]

There are always things to learn that can be used productively on another horse. As long as the horse is safe and sound at walk and trot I think Jessica can definitely give you your monies worth. Have fun!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

There are always things to learn that can be used productively on another horse. As long as the horse is safe and sound at walk and trot I think Jessica can definitely give you your monies worth. Have fun!

Yes he actually looks great at the walk and trot. Very forward moving guy. I'm actually surprised with how well he looks in the trot and given how the canter is. I bet we will be doing a lot of suppling exercises even at just the walk and trot. And even though Lynx is not stuff, of course taking home more suppling exercises will be beneficial to him too I'm sure.

Jessica comes back to the area quite a bit every year so I definitely will plan to sign up again with Lynx if we get along okay!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I wish I had gotten some photos of the canter but all I have is a tiny screenshot. I am so pleasantly surprised with how much work we got in given the obstacles and riding this other horse. I definitely learn things to use with Lynx as well.

Jessica comes back in December and I hope to sign up for two spots next time with Lynx

[Ryeissa]

awesome!