You ask for a transition, and your horse’s head immediately flies up. The transition feels unbalanced and uncoordinated, and you just aren’t sure what to do. And the truth is, you just aren’t sure about cantering…if your transitions are disconnected, chances are your canter will feel the same way, but you want to canter so badly! Before you canter, consider the prerequisites to set you up for success.
In this video, I’m sharing five key exercises to prepare you for a smooth, confident canter. Whether you’re new to cantering or your horse gets tense and stiff during transitions, these exercises will set you up for success. Plus, you can download my NEW Free PDF guide to track your progress and score yourself from 0-5 on each exercise. Get your PDF here.
1. Trot-Walk-Trot Transitions before you canter
Your horse should respond immediately and smoothly when you ask for the trot—without you needing to kick repeatedly or use excessive aids. Similarly, your trot-walk transitions should be soft and responsive, without your horse throwing their head up or hollowing their back.
Try this exercise in a circle, focusing on using your seat and inside leg for transitions. If your horse resists or ignores your aids, it’s a sign that your transitions need improvement before moving to the canter.
2. Small Circles for Bend and Control before you canter
A common struggle when cantering is turning—some horses lean, resist bending, or lose their balance. To fix this, practice 12-meter circles at the trot, ensuring that your horse stays soft, maintains rhythm, and bends evenly on both sides.
This helps develop proper bend and balance, making your canter smoother and more controlled, while also improving your ability to pick up the correct lead.
3. Adjusting Trot Speed before you canter
Many riders feel intimidated by the speed of the canter, especially if they are used to trotting slowly and in control. To build confidence, practice gradually increasing your trot speed until you reach a pace similar to the canter.
Go from a comfortable working trot, then increase speed slightly, then relax, and then repeat. This gets both you and your horse accustomed to faster movement, so the transition to canter feels more natural.
4. Posting Trot to Sitting Trot before you canter
The ability to sit the trot comfortably is crucial for a controlled canter transition. Work on alternating between posting and sitting trot, keeping your horse’s rhythm steady without your horse speeding up, slowing down, or changing their feel in the contact. If you want some advice and help to sit the trot, check out this article.
If your horse stays relaxed and balanced while you sit the trot, it’s a good sign that your position and core stability are strong enough to handle the canter transition.
5. Lunging for Canter Readiness before you canter
Before asking for canter under saddle, make sure your horse can canter calmly and rhythmically on the lunge line. This helps build their confidence and allows you to observe how they move without rider influence.
If your horse is tense, rushes, or struggles to maintain a steady canter on the lunge, it’s likely they’ll have the same issues under saddle. Work on relaxed, balanced canter sessions on the lunge to prepare them properly.
Before you Canter: Are You Ready to Canter?
Once you’ve mastered these five exercises, you’re ready to canter! Score yourself using the Free PDF—if you’re consistently hitting 4s and 5s across the board, you’re in great shape!
And if you want to take your canter skills even further, stay tuned for my 30-Day Canter Challenge coming soon! It’s designed to help you build confidence, improve transitions, and refine your canter work—whether you’re just starting or looking to fine-tune your riding.
Happy Riding!
Amelia
