Does this happen to you? You’re going along, your horse is so nice and soft and round at the trot. You sit the trot, ask for canter, and bam! Your horse puts their head up and hollows. Why does this always happen?!
Getting your horse round in the canter is one of the most common struggles I see. The canter is probably the trickiest gait to get your horse round and soft. So in this video, I will be going over my top three tips to help you get your horse round in the canter.
Before we get into the tips, I wanted take a second to tell you about my 30 Days to Round program. If you are struggling to get your horse to accept the contact, and ride round, and connected, then this program is for you. With 40+ step-by-step exercises, six theory lectures, weekly Q&A’s, and support in our private Facebook group, you will have everything you need to make progress with your horse and teach them how to get round in a way they understand. Without force or more pressure. Learn more here.
Okay, now onto the tips! Here are my top three tips to help you get your horse round in the canter:
- Rider Position – Before you ask for the canter, it’s super important that you check in with your position. Make sure that you are sitting back and your hands are down. Do not lean forward and pull on your horse. Changing your position when you ask for canter will put them out of balance and on the forehand. Remember, your horse is your mirror, so make sure that you are in the correct alignment, with a straight line ear, shoulder, hip, and heel.
- Trot Quality – The better your trot, the better your canter will be. If your horse is too slow and lacks energy in the trot, it will be hard for them to transition to canter. If they are too fast in the trot, they will be tense in the canter. Focus on getting your horse forward with energy and finding that sweet spot in the tempo. Once you get your horse nice and forward in the trot, then you can ask for the canter.
- Location of Transition – The most difficult place to ask for the canter is on a straight line. Because the canter naturally has bend and two leads, it’s much easier for your horse to pick up the correct lead on a bending line like a corner or circle. When you ask for the canter, it’s much easier to keep your horse round on the bending line too.
I hope these tips help you get your horse round in the canter!
Happy Riding!
Amelia
P.S. These are just a few quick tips – if you need more help, I go through step-by-step how to get your horse round in my 30 Days to Round program. Learn more here.
