I’ve got a shire, arab, mustang cross that is having a heck of a time being balanced in his canter. The arab in him pushes his legs out behind him and he cannot do a full lap in a arena. Any tips? We have been doing lots of canter transitions and canter poles.
Start with the size circle he can maintain the canter on, and then just very gradually decrease it. If that means taking him out in a big field at first, then so be it. 
Note that this may be a month’s long project rather than a one or two sessions long one.
I do the same thing in an arena by setting up barrels in the corners. I start by letting my horses choose the size of the circle they want to canter on, and then I set barrels out away from each corner so that they canter around the barrels. Then every day, or whenever I think they’re ready, I move the barrels into the corners a few inches, and then I leave them alone and let them find their balance around the barrels a little bit at a time.
The key is to keep them calm, allow them to become fluent at the smaller corners before moving the barrels, and give them the time they need to become flexible enough in the canter so that they can keep their balance through the corner.
I’m working on it again with my very Arab-y Trak now that he’s gotten better at much smaller trot corners, and he’s developing better balance through the corners at the canter now, too.
I like the barrel method better than circles because they can straighten on the long sides so they’re not cantering around and around on a circle for too long.
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Really a lot of this is time. I would also suggest a lot of walking, over poles and especially on hills if you have them. When cantering, only push slightly past his ability, don’t keep going around all disjointed…
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Can you ride out? Take him out and canter in the open where is isn’t having to turn and get stronger there. And work on strengthening at the walk - hills hills and more hills if you have them. It will help his canter, but 2 of his 3 breeds were not bred to canter so you’ve got a bit of a stacked deck against you.
As another poster said, this may be a months-long project…and that’s for the athletically talented horse. For horses with poor conformation, holes in their training and/or breeding not conducive to balanced canters, this is more like a multi years-long project. And that’s with correct rider coordination/skills along with a guiding trainer’s eye on the ground regularly giving proper feedback. Ask me how I know!? :sadsmile:
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A good exercise is to work on half-halts in trot. Working trot to almost walk then marching ahead in working trot. Helps build core and responsiveness to your aids.
Next go on a big enough circle that he isn’t struggling to hold the canter. Pick up canter, then in about 6 strides come back to trot, be as organized as you can, a few strides of trot then back into canter. This makes you think forward in the down transition. 6 strides and back to trot. Then vary it to 4 strides, and occasionally hold the canter longer.
Repeat. The first few will be ugly but by repetition your horse will start to understand and even anticipate. Now make those nice transitions. Good balanced trot to canter to trot to canter.
Again this develops core, balance, and push from behind. The canter improves without just careening around at canter.
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Half halts and transitions and eventually spiral in
If he cant maintain a good canter, just do whatever he can and then make a quality downward transition. Then get yourself together and do it again. Dont practice a bad canter. You’ll just perfect the bad canter.
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Does he have a good trot? Sometimes you need to work on straightness and balance at the walk and trot first. Get him stronger, straighter and more supple there first…then work on the canter.
eta: Arabs often have good canters (hello, TBs all descend from Arabs but also I’ve ridden many and most have good canters)…it’s the Shire (a pulling breed) that probably makes his canter tougher.
Thank you everyone! Lusoluv, you are 100% right. Time is always the key
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The funny part it that I have his full brother(I don’t know who would be crazy enough to breed two of these crosses) and his canter is absolutely stunning.
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I had a arab, perch, appy cross. His canter improved when he found his true love, foxhunting in Kansas. When we got to the east coast, he loved eventing. Always was working on getting his butt down… It’s just time, strength, and more time. Just keep at it.
Organized transitions from a good working trot to canter. Don’t canter too long before transitioning down, Wait a bit and the transition up. Don’t forget to change the rein.
The upward transitions are strengthening , but take your time and do them properly.
Thank you for starting this thread. Dealing with a similar thing with an OTTB. I have only been riding him for about 6 weeks. Started working the canter a few weeks ago. It’s deplorable lol. Back to walk trot and trot canter transitions in the lunge and then under saddle. Trying to get him to balance and figure it out on his own. My biggest issue is probably the barn owner, who doesn’t own the horse, telling me that he needs more canter work. I think he needs more walk trot transitions and just building/balance work. He’s been off the track for less than a year and has barely done anything until I started riding him. He is so sweet and willing, I don’t want to mess with his brain. I feel like he has really solid lower level potential if I could just bring him along at the rate that he can handle. I feel like printing out this thread!
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The strength to canter nicely can also be built in the trot. Trot walk and halt trot transitions that are round and balanced will use the same muscles. Get a nice balanced trot, canter about 5 strides, right back to trot to find that balance, repeat and repeat and repeat.
Teach leg yield and shoulder in. If you don’t know how then have a trainer teach you how. You want round and relaxed and swinging and just a little sideways at first. Start at the walk, then do a couple of steps of trot. By the time you have a nice leg yield and a little bit of shoulder in at the walk and trot I bet that good canter will be there waiting for you.
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Glad I could help!ðŸ˜
