A year and 4 months ago I perchased a 12 year old Appaloosa mare. She is well broke and can walk, trot, and back up comfortably. When I TRY to get her to canter she just streches into a faster trot. When I do get her to canter her canter is bouncy and she only canters for a couple strides then she trots again. I have to kick her a lot to even get her to canter then I have to keep kicking her hard in order for her to just canter 5 strides. The arena I ride her in is pretty big and the corners aren't sharp. Every day is the same way. Even when it is colder. Is she just being lazy? Is there any way I can get my horse to canter and keep cantering?

Nb - this is english riding if your riding western I know nothing about it and this might not help. Although the stuff about the trot speed will.

You need to work on achieving an outline. SportHorseCM.com - Equestrian and Horses in Asia Getting a horse to canter is about more than just kicking them. Your aids need to be very clear.

I managed to get some very lazy ponies (school ponies -very hard mouths) to canter from walking by appling the principles of collecting them into an outline first.

Here is a good general guide

You need to build up energy in the trot and hold the horse back from just trotting faster and faster with your body position and firm reins. Try half halts to slow an escalating trot speed and regain control. Once you have got a bouncy trot in a corner (it is easier to get them to set of on the right leg this way) lean forward slightly*, move your outside leg backward just behind the girth, give a firm squeeze. If you have gained enough energy in the trot you should just pop into canter. If your horse ignores these aids a firm tap of the crop on the shoulder should also be used to get your horse to listen to you.

If you don't already ride with a crop a really suggest you do. It is much more humane to give your horse a quick tap than to kick their sides- which will only result in your horse not listening at all.

If this doesn't work you should consider getting another rider or better yet an instructor to watch you ride. They can help work out what's wrong with your aids/ position. It is so much easier to notice what somebody else is doing wrong than yourself!

* just read that this can cause problems in itself- I always did it for years without being shouted at by the instructor. Perhaps leave it out. Found a great site though- you should work through this ladies advice it is very good Riding Lesson Three
It addresses what I think you are doing perfectly and covers more angles than I was prepared to type up!

Don't forget to sit as you go into canter- if you keep rising he will just trotting! Also try lunging with a friend/instructor to make sure your horse understands the canter aids.

Let me know how you get on.

Good luck

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Originally Posted by horse101

A year and 4 months ago I perchased a 12 year old Appaloosa mare. She is well broke and can walk, trot, and back up comfortably. When I TRY to get her to canter she just streches into a faster trot. When I do get her to canter her canter is bouncy and she only canters for a couple strides then she trots again. I have to kick her a lot to even get her to canter then I have to keep kicking her hard in order for her to just canter 5 strides. The arena I ride her in is pretty big and the corners aren't sharp. Every day is the same way. Even when it is colder. Is she just being lazy? Is there any way I can get my horse to canter and keep cantering?

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The canter should be a natural gait for the horse as they are creatures of flight. It's difficult to tell from what you described if your mare has had a accident or something physically that may cause her pain at the canter. Another issue may be that your saddle fits poorly and it hurts her at canter. Are you familiar with the lunge line? My suggestion to you would be to work her strictly on a lunge for a few weeks, teaching her to walk, trot and canter on your command. If she does this easily without you being on top of her, then you can focus on why she doesn't want to carry you at canter. Horses can be lazy, Appys, as a breed, sometimes have very adamant attitudes. Another thing you can try is marking out a large circle (at least 20 meters) in your arena with small cones, or anything that you can see that will keep you on a circle. Then, place a pole somewhere on the circle so your mare has to go over it. Start at the trot, and as she is going over the pole, ask for canter. Since she is going to have to pick up her feet a bit more, this may help encourage her to canter. I don't advise ever kicking super hard -this eis never a correct way to cue a gait. You may want to carry a small crop and tap her shoulder when you ask - if she ignores you - tap harder (but not whip). When I say tap, I mean a stern slap so she understands that you mean business. Once is usually enough. I repeat, do not whip! When you overuse your hands or your legs, horses have a tendency to ignore them even more - you end up with a horse with a hard mouth, and "dead" to the leg aids. The leg should be used lightly and then increased if you get no response. But your horse sounds like she needs the extra oomph that a small crop will enforce, and encourage her to move forward. Start asking for canter in small amounts, perhaps only a circle or two at a time, then you ask her to trot so she understands that you are the one calling the shots, not her. It sounds like she may be unbalanced and running on her forehand, therefore, you should work to teach her to carry herself more from her backend instead of her forehand. I would recommend you reading some articles on dressage training. This may help you understand this concept. There are many many books and tapes you could reference. Patience, respect and repetition are three things to remember when training a horse (or retraining) - never train angry or force an outcome- Good luck.

Maybe she is sore? Ake your thumb and index finger and run them down her spine starting at her shoulders. If she flinches, take a note of it and where it is. Also make sure you do the same procedure on her shoulders. SHe may just be extremely sore. If she isn't and is just being lazy, try the other advice people. XD

YOu just need to make your horse do what you want her to do and don't be scared to get a little tough with her if she is 12 yrs old she should know how to do this she is just being stubborn try a lot of ground work first... keep pushing her in a round pen to pick up the canter use a whip if you need to then once she gets it on the ground move to trying it while riding use a crop or SPURS! She will do it if she is made to.

There could be a range of different reasons for your horse not cantering it could be just laziness or she could be sore but the most common reasons for horses not cantering is the rider or the horses is not balanced properly or the rider is asking the different aid to what the horse has been taught.
I have gone to sell horses that I could get to canter off the outside led first time every time, the new rider gets on and the horse wouldn't canter at all because the rider wasn't balanced. Also worked at a Warmblood Stud where I was training young Dressage horses and I had a lot of trouble getting them to canter at first because they had been taught a different to me so I ended up having to changing my riding to suit them.
The best thing you could do is have a couple of lessons and if it is a good instructor they should be able to pick up in what the problem is.

You haven't mentioned if you've had your horse vet checked for physical problems. She may have hoof, leg or any number of other issues that make cantering uncomfortable. Once you've eliminated that possibility you can proceed. Is there a skilled rider at your barn? Will the horse canter for anyone else? I have a lesson horse that will NOT canter for beginners but for a savvy rider will depart softly and responsively every time.

When you ask your horse for something do you have a habit of giving up before you get your correct response? That would teach your horse she doesn't really have to listen to you.

Normally, collect the reins slightly (create a slight pressure on the reins) begin to generate energy in your legs... active legs... then apply ALL go forward cues, clucking, heel pressure, a crop lightly to the rump. Get adult supervision then consider a pair of gentle spurs. Spurs are not abusive, consider using them. Spurs are only as rough as the person wearing them. Get a pair of nubby english spurs that you can push your mare gently with... always apply caution when introducing new equipment or techniques. Good luck

Cantering can be tough, but this is what I do to get my horse to canter. I squeeze with and kick with my outside leg. Encourage her a little bit. Make kissing sounds and clicking. I also have some trouble with making him canter till I want him to stop. He stops every ten strides. I think your horse is just being lazy. Show him who's boss. I suggest you have a crop in handy to. Every stride hit him lightly so he knows you want him to keep going.
Make another post so I know how my advice turned out!

My mustang has the same problem, and its just because he's fat and Lazy... with my mustang I just keep making him trot faster and faster (telling him to speed up) eventually it gets uncoftrable to trot that fast so he breaks into a lope, a set of spurs or a over and under seem to help some too

I can only ditto the advice above.
One thing I would recommend is when lunging use a pole.
When trotting, direct your horse over the pole and ask for canter as your horse goes over the pole, this should stop her rushing :)

She is not listening to you. She must first be able to do what you ask her that is she must walk when you SAY "walk" and so forth. Try lunging her to your words not clicks. Use a ball spur on her. Let her know you have them on and when riding her remember to cue her with your legs not your hands.

When she canters then stops she is winning and the boss of you. Apps are well I will say "clever" and every horse will test you no matter how old they are. Make sure you cue her when you feel she is slowing down. No need of a stick or something to smack her with. Use your legs and voice to guide her, not objects... and if the ball spurs don't work maybe go up a notch on the spurs.
My mare won't do anything without a spur because she knows when I use them (hence I control her with my legs not arms)

Hi,
I am a new member and saw your post. Has your cantering problem gotten better?
I've had horses for over 30 yrs, and have done just about anything involving horses... playing;), worked at breeding/show barn for several yrs, raising & training babies, training & re-training older horses, showing, etc... I also have an Appy, my sister was a breeder for several yrs. Appy's can be wonderful partners... but can also be pushy & stubborn(they are very clever). I can tell you that it is very hard to give advice on
This type of issue without seeing you and your horse in action... there could be LOTS of
Reasons your having this problem, from medical issues to just plain stubbornness!!
Your best bet is to find someone near you with lots of horse experience to try to get help
1 on 1... you can try your local craigslist forums.

Good luck...
Donna

If you chase her in the pasture/arena, does she canter then? Does she change leads naturally in this scenario? What was her previous discipline/use? Is she upside down in her frame with her head up, tail up, back arched?

Hi there. OK look. Mabe you should try lunging. Work the horse, and keep flicking the lunge whip at the horse when ever she/he looks like it is going to slow down. Also try a crop. Good luck,and keep trying

You just need to keep trying, I'm an instructor and find it easier with a whip, just give her a little tap every stride to make her no that you want her to keep cantering and cantering! all the other answers are wrong, I could come and give you a lesson to get her cantering longer if you want :)

fast trot= no canter
slow trot = canter

I read that somewhere, and it always helps me!