Lots of trot/ canter/ trot transitions. After I have done some it just becomes seamless, go forward into canter go forward into trot. Thank you for all your videos, I am learning a lot from them.
I have such trouble with trot to canter transitions. What I've noticed is that when I ask for canter, I get myself into an almost foetal position, so I pull my knees up (loose my stirrups because of that), my hand go towards my chest, my chin goes in, etc. So I have to remind myself constantly to stay tall and long in the saddle. Your breathing tips will come in handy for that, so great video!
Before I learned to canter my riding instructor got me to trot as fast as my lesson horse could down the longer side of the arena and slow down for the corner. I used to be scared of the speed of the canter but after doing that and realizing that my horse trots faster than she canters I wasn’t scared to canter.
HAHA! I still have this vivid memory at 9 years old and learning to canter. As you know, when we're learning we don't always ask correctly, the horse gets confused, and things kind of happen correctly eventually in spite of that. This is why lesson horses are worth their weight in gold.
I love all the small things you recommend in your videos. Using the concept of getting the horse to relax in a fast trot before going to canter is insightful. If they cannot relax in the trot, I doubt they would in canter. So one more tool for me to try. No one has ever recommended the concept that I know of. I think of your videos as containing all those small connector pieces that really help put full movements together, especially for people like me with horses who like to test you once in a while, just to see if you know what you are doing. 😉🐴
Hi Amelia, I've just started watching your videos and find them very helpful, you explain things so well and in a simple easy to understand fashion. Thank you!
godd i was so good at canter when i first started but then latley ive been so bad constantly falling off watching this im realizing im really locking my knees and picking up my hands smh more lessons for me lmao
Is something wrong with me I fell 4 times when I started riding. For the past 6 years I havent fallen. The horses I ride are so smooth & well balanced its hard to fall
I fell off my horse yesterday during canter. Im a bit sensitive and scared during canter but it’s not so bad now, its just that, sometimes i mess up my position so she either bucks or i fall off her. Im ok and i will work on my position during trot and pick up the speed into a canter
This was so helpful. I especially love the reminder about breathing before the transitions. Can’t wait to be more aware of this in my next lesson! ❤️❤️❤️
Very very helpful video. I have some canter fear myself and want to be able to go from sitting trot to canter, so that I'm for sure sitting down when it happens! (My senior citizen balance is terrible!) And I want to be able to trot fast without my horse expecting to roll up into the canter. So although that method makes perfect sense, not sure it would work for me. The seat position and breathing, tho. I definitely need to work on that, and I was thinking of having a trainer ride my horse through a bunch of trot/canter transitions for me, so will do that for sure. Another tip I got from Warwick Schiller is to be sure your horse is trotting calmly on a loose rein before asking for the canter. Helps eliminate the horse's sudden lurch forward (both mental and physical). I don't think Amelia rides on a loose rein much, but for some riders, that would be appropriate.
The faster trot scares me a bit because my horse does not like trotting and wants to immediately canter. Thank you for that tip though because that is the one thing I am going to work on with my horse!
Well done, a clear explanation. Many trainers teach to begin the canter at a slow trot so the horse doesn’t rush into a sloppy trot before the transition, but I see the value of the controlled increase in the trot for a smoother and more natural transition, especially with a sensitive horse. Well done.
I am a new rider and my horse just broke away from the other horses in the riding club and started cantering madly. After a few crazy rounds, the instructors caught him and said they saw me wrap my ankles around the horses belly. I didn't know it was the signal for a canter🤷🏼♀️ U could say I got confidence in the canter unwittingly 😀
Thank you for this video! I cant wait to try it. My biggest challenge in the canter is staying in the saddle. I fly up out of the saddle then everything falls apart. I would love to see your teaching on how to stay deep in the saddle.
Awesome tips, yes I never even thought about my breathing.... my horse falls in at the canter which straight away makes me grip with my knees and loose my stirrups and go off balance...
Also, if you’d like me to send more dressage tips into your email inbox every Wednesday, you can sign up to my mailing list www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/subscribe/ (If you’re already familiar with all this and have received this before, apology for the unnecessary message, I’m being super thorough today!) I’m also on FB and IG facebook.com/amelianewcombdressage & instagram.com/amelianewcombdressage/ Also, and this is super helpful too, join Amelia’s Dressage Club on Facebook, it’s a really active and engaged community of riders and no question goes unanswered! facebook.com/groups/ameliasdressageclub/ And finally, there’s my website (for when all the social media goes down again 🤣) www.amelianewcombdressage.com/ Ok that’s the lot I promise. Have an awesome day! 🐴
The tips are great, thank you! My advice is: Watch your inside hand, the horse bobbles it's head to the inside at every canter stride. Also, seems to be behind the vertical most of the time, even on a loose rein. I have been taught that the canter cue comes from the inside leg while having the outside leg back to indicate what we want-that the horse starts its stride from the outside hind leg. The impulsion is maintained with the inside leg so that the outside leg can be used for sideways movement once the horse is further along in its training.
1atocha1 all the videos I’ve seen talk about outside keg inside leg use fir the transition. I don’t have access to a school, the horse I ride is hacking, so I’m not going in circles. How dies the leg use apply for straight line canter?
I have always struggled with canter transitions, I have tensed up and had trouble knowing how to coordinate my aids, I would also try to get the canter by leaning forward (😑). Over the last year or so I have learned how to get a smooth transition, now mainly using my calf and still stay in the same position with my seat. Breathing really helped me a lot, and focusing on having a good trot/walk before the transition 🙌 a horse I rode was so sensitive that she could start cantering just from me breathing and thinking that I wanted canter. She helped me a lot too in realising that I don't need to lean forward or be overly crazy with my legs 😊
I look forward to trying these tips. I overthink about getting everything right as I ask for the canter. I think if I concentrate on a couple things that you've suggested here things I will get more confident as my horse will stay relaxed if I am not tensing.
This is such a huge help for me. I tend to hold my breath in Troy and canter. The tip and inhale and exhale on the transition is brilliant. Thank you!!!
Nice video. I enjoy watching you ride. One thing I would add. I think transitions are helpful too. With young horses or tight ones like the one in my profile picture I'll work at getting a stride or two and back down to a trot, unless, they are willing to carry a lope with out me having to peddle them along. There does come a point when a horse needs to move out. For me when I was beginning to learn, it gave me a chance to start to feel how the horse moved but not a lot of time to get out of balance or completely unseated until I started to get the hang of it. Thank you.
You have no idea how much I respect you and your teaching. Perfect, precise also rights on points not to mention very clear. I'm able to see all the positioning that you describing, your back, hands feet, legs very clearly. This is not the problem, The problem is me, I'm not made for riding a horse, I'm actually made for guiding a bicycle in my hand not even riding the bicycle, I think that pathetic. Nevertheless I have been trying riding a horse and if I have to describe myself on top of the horse well it goes like this imagine yourself in a prom day when everybody are dancing smoothly and having fun on the other hand here is a person who dancing like wild Disco nutcase in a schmucky way on smooth jazz music. Sadly when I finished riding after all of that mess I still have the gut to go to the instructor and ask her: how did I do? Isn't this question make you pause for a second if you are an instructor? I know there's no hope in me coming from an instructor View and I do understand why, I still don't understand why I asked her this question. All that said I will say that I accomplished only one thing and that thing is making everybody in the arena and around the arena laugh hysterically from the noises that I had made, it is very difficult for me to explain in words, you Could Only Imagine. In the end I have only one question to the instructor of this video. My question is do you think there is hope for me after you read what I have to say? I am waiting for your answer but please be gentle.
when i had my first canter my trainer thought i was ready but as soon as i cantered i basically had a panic attack freaked out and fell off then i was scared to canter for ages xD
An update the horse I ride can get really strong in the canter. Im only an amateur but these ideas do help. 1. As the instructor says stay relaxed. This is crucial as you do NOT want to get into a tug of war with a hot horse. Do NOT pull hard on the reins as your main method of slowing down. Use your seat & core. 2. I mix the gaits up. He has a tendency to get hot in the canter after a few circuits. To stop that tendency I will canter then drop down to the trot. Then I might canter again & then drop down to the walk. 2. If he has stopped listening to my commands I drop down to a walk. I do a lot of walk/ trot transitions. If he still doesn't listen i tap him on the shoulder & say listen. I personally think walk stop transitions are a great warm up as he realises he needs to comply & listen. You should do that in the trot too. Go into a trot then drop down to a walk. Make sure he's listening. If he trots off without prompting bring him back to a walk. I will ask for a horse to stop & only go when I say. I often want him to stop for 3 seconds before I go again. I notice he soon realises he better comply to my requests rather than doing his own thing. In the past I let him jump into a gait without prompting. Thats not a good idea he soon realises he's in control. 3. In the trot if he gets hot I try and keep him collected with good contact on the outside rein. My reins are short. I find he will attempt to jump into the canter but he finds it difficult due to the compact trot & contact with the outside rein. Once he realises he can't jump into the canter he starts to relax. 4. If he is too hot Ill walk around the arena & let him relax. After 15 minutes of constant riding when his energy levels have built up I find this is a good way to keep him calm. I often give him a long rein so he can stretch out. 5 do small circles in the canter its hard for him to go fast. In essence your aim to have a relaxed canter but it does require work. My canter is a work in progress.
After watching your smooth transitions , I realize that I struggle with sitting the trot quietly before my canter cue . Going from posting to the sit is not effortless! I’m thinking that’s what I need to do before starting on your suggestions ! Thank u for your excellent video!
Lots of helpful information here! Your horse has such a floaty trot, love it :) I definitely tend to tense up and "perch" in the saddle when asking for canter, and only until recently have I been working on correcting all of those unaddressed habits. My lower leg is also not stable and slides forward a lot, especially in trot. My trainer has referred to this as "bracing". I have a lot of relaxation issues, come to think of it XD I think the breathing and faster trot exposure techniques will really help me a lot. Thanks for posting!
So funny being reminded to breath, but it's true, I often hold my breath unless I remind myself. Your rhythmic breathing tip is critical ... your big inhale-exhale tip is genius! Thank you.
Falling off from bad forward hunched position and balance helped me with my confidence! Almost an overnight fix, if I don't sit back when asking, my horse doesn't know what I'm asking for and I hit the deck, as always it's trial and error... and a lovely patient horse always helps too :D
Thanks Amelia. Great information as always. Your videos are really helping me enormously. Just feel like I have a million things to learn at the moment!
This helps so much Amelia! You have a great way of teaching! I tend to pull back on the reins when I ask for canter - I guess because I am scared.I know this confuses the horse. I will try the breathing technique - thank you!
Thank you Amelia I am bringing on my 4yr old and this is going to really help me cant wait to try it I have never heard this taught this way My boy is big 17hh and playful and I get a bit concerned but i can see this working thank you
I'm a middle aged bloke who rides regularly. I really like the tip about getting speed up in the trot & the breathing. My canter is getting better. My friend says use your outside seat bone to slow down & the inside one to go faster. Im lucky both the horses I ride are exremely well trained. One is a 23 year old australian stock horse. The other is a warmblood/stock horse cross. Do you have any suggestions one horse can get strong in the canter & he stops listening
A few lessons ago I started the canter and the horse I ride is super lazy and doesn't fully trot so it's a really lazy trot so when I went up to the canter I yelped like a hurt dog! But, this past lesson I knew what to expect so it went better! :D
Thank you for this, i have recently acquired a rather Hot mare who is 12 years old and I am bringing her back into work at her having 5 years off as a brood mare. She's great but very green I have been wondering what my strategy should be for asking for the canter without getting her tense or excited, I think this will be my best approach, let her fall into it no big deal x
Hi Amelia, thank you for the video and tips. I have found them to be very useful. I had an instructor who taught me make the horse to jump really low, in order to canter.
I’ve fallen 2-3 times in canter in the last 6 weeks and that’s brought my confidence down. I grip so much with my legs and come out the saddle and then I panic with stopping then I loose my balance and fall off and she buggers off not caring what I feel like 😂😂
Do you have any advice for being able to kick whilst in canter to keep them going? My seat is apparently fine and I don’t bounce too much but I have a lot of trouble keeping them cantering, I don’t think I’m gripping either. I’m pretty relaxed in the saddle I just find it a little harder to be able to kick in the faster movement. I’m trying a few ponies to possibly buy within this week so I want to get as good as possible within those few days in my current horses! Thanks Amelia💕 This video also helped me quite a lot.
Although im only an amateur if i want to keep canter going i put my lower leg on with some pressure. The lower leg is the go signal. I notice here in the comment section there is mention of kicking. I really think its important to use the least pressure possible. A cooperative well trained horse will respond to pressure. I personally rarely kick a horse. Its not necessary. Moreover, with an actual kick you risk getting a huge reaction. If you resort to kicking a horse I really think some guidance from an instructor is important. For example, when I was learning transitions I used the whip occasionally. In retrospect it wasnt necessary. From memory I wasnt giving him the right signals &i hadnt set up properly before the transition. My body postion was probably blocking the transtion. A big piece of advice is relax. If you tense up before the transition your tense body will block the transition.
Thank you for your tips, I can't wait to try it out! I'd say my biggest problem with canter for now is actually keeping it. I feel really dependent on the horse's willing about this haha ^^; At least it makes me practice asking for it properly since I have to ask it again every time the horse I'm riding falls back into trot. (I'm still a green rider, I've started riding only 2 years ago ^^)
Zowie Amelia, never heard this expressed before. I'm now at the stage where I am learning to trot to canter, like to today where I kept missing it it by sitting too far forward and swinging my outside leg too far back and then up so I was holding on with my knee ( my instructer told me after we decided to move on and try next lesson depending on hoe I do, as I Type yer now talking about this dang :) , Thanks for this video lady. Cheers.
Excellent video! My lesson horse, Splash, has a very unbalanced and choppy canter, and it is very difficult to get a canter out of her. My instructor even has a difficult time with her, and one of my classmates can't get her to canter at all. I can get her to canter about half the ring before she goes back into a trot. Splash is very sensitive to the rider's movements and if I don't keep reminding her to canter forward, she will break back into a trot. I also have to keep reminding myself to sit back. All suggestions welcome.
Beth Staiano It is possible that you’re telling her to go with your seat but restricting her with your hands, although not intentionally. My trainer calls this “stepping on the gas pedal and the brake at the same time.” We all tend to do it. Doing it will make your horse break to the trot from the canter.
I have been riding a very short time, actually since 25 August 2020, I've learned a lot but do not have my own horse, I bate a horse, I ride almost every day and have started to jump and ride without stirrups, but I battle to get Hamely to canter comfortable, he's has been injured in a competition, when I canter on the left reign he's reluctant and his entire mood changes, how can I relax and get him to relax to improve my riding . He's a large gentleman, 720 kg . But I love him . Any advise will be appreciated. I had a couple of bad falls on him as well. Do you think there is a change I'm scared of him and he feels it.Thank you 😊
I some days ride well and other ready bad an still learning but the change of place or horse or shoes or number of horses in field all affect my perfection.. and that worries me that one day am a rider and other i am beginner...i have had 70 + lessons so far or more in 7 months
Two things, how far back does your leg go back? That outside leg was on the outside both times you asked. And do you leave it back the whole canter? Thanks!!
Hi there! I usually lean forward when I canter and my feet stick out a lot. Do you have any tips on how to keep my heels down and legs near the girth? Thank you so much.
Dear Amelia, thank you so much for your videos! I am 32 and I have just started the lessons and I feel that I am scared of horses. I can touch it only when I am on it. So, the horses, probably, feel that and usually don't listen me during the lessons. It's veeeery difficult for me to manage them. Please recommend me what to do to feel myself more relaxed with horses. Also, will be nice if you can record the video about how understand the horse and how to manage it. Thanks a lot!
Anna Gk The best advice I can give you, as someone who works with animals, is to just not be afraid. I know that’s dumb but pretty much any animal can sense your fear. The likelihood of you being kicked is going to go up when the horse can feel you being nervous and scared around them. You just have to trust the animal. There’s some tips you can do that will help you out just to feel safer. Never fully squat down when working around horses. If they do bolt or spook you can’t get away as fast. If you don’t know a horse and you’re walking behind them, just keep your hand on their booty. The horse will know where you are and is so much less likely to spook. When brushing down the horse or getting them from their stall (if you do) just take a moment to be with the horse. Give it a few pets before you put the halter on and groom them good so it feels nice for them. Horses aren’t insane animals, I promise if you just start trusting them your fear will go away. If you’re incredibly nervous you could try watching some videos on horse body language just to understand and see how they show us their emotions. Ears are always a big one to see how a horse is feeling.
the horse that i usually ride absolutely loves fast trot and canter but the only problem i have is that he doesn’t want to go when the other horses are stopped because i am in class when we canter other riders are advised to stop. any tips on how to get him going??
I defo need a confidence boost especially in canter and because I ride a young horse I'm training to trot canter andall the rest and almost everytime I ask to canter he either does and I get rlly scared or I just cry bc i'm only a child. My mum says shes getting sick of it... Any suggestions of how stop crying and keep myself together?
My horse doesn't go forward into the canter - it is like we are cantering on the spot. Will try getting the trot and little faster as mentioned. I let feel for some reason that my horse does not KEEP the canter. How do I train him to do this?
Hi Amelia, love your videos, I get nervous on canters I only ride school horses, could I ask a question...I have a big problem keeping the canter I'm not kicking I must block it out ...I can't canter all the way round the arena can you help me. My legs are not moving 😮
So all you say to the horse to pick up the trot is 'come on' ? or do you do give it a physical sign too? I saw you switched at some point to a bigger trot without saying anything. What did you do then to have it happen? Thx
This is a great video. Though I have a question and sorry if it sounds silly, is it possible to canter from a slow trot at all? Don't some horses go from walk to canter?
Hi! Yes for sure it is possible to pick up the canter from a slow trot. Bit if you are having trouble picking up the canter or if you are afraid, going into it from a fast canter will help.
Really helpful video. My problem with canter is my horse "nods" her head so much its hard to follow with my hands. When I take the reins up a bit, she bucks or tries to change leads. Her head is very deep, but not tucked in. What do you suggest?
Hi Nancy, good question! It sounds to me like this is an evasion and not the "right kind" of nodding of the head. Sometimes in the canter especially horses fling their head around to avoid the contact and taking weight on the hind legs. I would recommend getting her to carry her head a bit higher and more still. You may have to ride out the bucks and lead changes!
I liked the video but what got me to sub. and alarm was the ending when you posted up safety first. To many people ignore this fact and then blame the horse when something nasty happens. This is why we have to many rescues or put downs because the horse gets labeled as bad, not the rider. I am a green rider but I have learned a lot from just observing the horse I was riding. I am also learning from watching videos and have seen many triggers that a new owner might not even be aware of. Like colors, noises, water, bridges, etc. Something could of happened to this horse that causes these fusses when it encounters it. In the future I am going to only walk the horse through all kinds of things and watch if it has any reaction to anything along the way. Then I will know what to train against until they have no reaction at all to it. So far out of all the different videos I've seen only you and one other give talks about safety first. *shaking head there are not more* Thank you.
Hi Amelia My trot is really good and I’m trying to get a forward trot. But when I try to use my leg aids to get her into canter she just ignores me, then I stress out and my position completely changes. My hands go up and my legs just don’t work. I need help 😢
Make sure you are preparing for the canter with a half-halt. Make sure your aids are very clear, and that you don't lean forward. Ask her to lift you into the trot! Leaning forward into the canter is a very common mistake.
who else is here because they are a little bit too confident? i almost fell at my last lesson because my horse spoked and went from walk to canter and i had never cantered, i was on a very calm horse because i was already scared after i fell off of a halflinger a month ago, i fell twice because he kept bolting with me and tried to canter down a very steep and rocky will with me into a cold river so i jumped off! like if you are here for the reason at the top and reply if you are here because you had an experience like i did
What has helped you get confidence in the canter?
2 point seat and cross country cantering :-)
Breathing like you demonstrated Amelia. I am far from fearless and it really helps me. ☺
Having my trainer there talking me thru the motions to help me stay relaxed and confident. And lounging before if alone!
Lots of trot/ canter/ trot transitions. After I have done some it just becomes seamless, go forward into canter go forward into trot. Thank you for all your videos, I am learning a lot from them.
Canter-trot-canter transitions and changing the speed of canter fast-slow-fast. Thanks for your videos, they've been very helpful =).
You perfectly demonstrated my canter problem -- I stop breathing, lean forward and totally confuse my horse.
I have such trouble with trot to canter transitions. What I've noticed is that when I ask for canter, I get myself into an almost foetal position, so I pull my knees up (loose my stirrups because of that), my hand go towards my chest, my chin goes in, etc. So I have to remind myself constantly to stay tall and long in the saddle. Your breathing tips will come in handy for that, so great video!
Msc its just a matter of practice
The breath functions as a half halt! I love it.
Could you do a canter/trot/canter transition video (1st level) and a canter/walk/canter transition video (2nd level). Thanks
Before I learned to canter my riding instructor got me to trot as fast as my lesson horse could down the longer side of the arena and slow down for the corner. I used to be scared of the speed of the canter but after doing that and realizing that my horse trots faster than she canters I wasn’t scared to canter.
HAHA! I still have this vivid memory at 9 years old and learning to canter. As you know, when we're learning we don't always ask correctly, the horse gets confused, and things kind of happen correctly eventually in spite of that. This is why lesson horses are worth their weight in gold.
I love all the small things you recommend in your videos. Using the concept of getting the horse to relax in a fast trot before going to canter is insightful. If they cannot relax in the trot, I doubt they would in canter. So one more tool for me to try. No one has ever recommended the concept that I know of. I think of your videos as containing all those small connector pieces that really help put full movements together, especially for people like me with horses who like to test you once in a while, just to see if you know what you are doing. 😉🐴
Thanks again for this video being included in your free Canter with confidence PDF Amelia.
Hi Amelia, I've just started watching your videos and find them very helpful, you explain things so well and in a simple easy to understand fashion. Thank you!
godd i was so good at canter when i first started but then latley ive been so bad constantly falling off watching this im realizing im really locking my knees and picking up my hands smh more lessons for me lmao
You've been falling off???
@@AmeliaNewcombDressage yup
Is something wrong with me I fell 4 times when I started riding. For the past 6 years I havent fallen. The horses I ride are so smooth & well balanced its hard to fall
I fell off my horse yesterday during canter. Im a bit sensitive and scared during canter but it’s not so bad now, its just that, sometimes i mess up my position so she either bucks or i fall off her. Im ok and i will work on my position during trot and pick up the speed into a canter
Wow! That horse is very gorgeous her gaits are so beautiful ❤ Love your videos they are very helpful
This was so helpful. I especially love the reminder about breathing before the transitions. Can’t wait to be more aware of this in my next lesson! ❤️❤️❤️
Very very helpful video. I have some canter fear myself and want to be able to go from sitting trot to canter, so that I'm for sure sitting down when it happens! (My senior citizen balance is terrible!) And I want to be able to trot fast without my horse expecting to roll up into the canter. So although that method makes perfect sense, not sure it would work for me. The seat position and breathing, tho. I definitely need to work on that, and I was thinking of having a trainer ride my horse through a bunch of trot/canter transitions for me, so will do that for sure.
Another tip I got from Warwick Schiller is to be sure your horse is trotting calmly on a loose rein before asking for the canter. Helps eliminate the horse's sudden lurch forward (both mental and physical). I don't think Amelia rides on a loose rein much, but for some riders, that would be appropriate.
The faster trot scares me a bit because my horse does not like trotting and wants to immediately canter. Thank you for that tip though because that is the one thing I am going to work on with my horse!
Well done, a clear explanation. Many trainers teach to begin the canter at a slow trot so the horse doesn’t rush into a sloppy trot before the transition, but I see the value of the controlled increase in the trot for a smoother and more natural transition, especially with a sensitive horse. Well done.
Yes. For the rider it’s harder but for the horse it’s more natural.
I am a new rider and my horse just broke away from the other horses in the riding club and started cantering madly. After a few crazy rounds, the instructors caught him and said they saw me wrap my ankles around the horses belly. I didn't know it was the signal for a canter🤷🏼♀️ U could say I got confidence in the canter unwittingly 😀
Thank you for this video! I cant wait to try it. My biggest challenge in the canter is staying in the saddle. I fly up out of the saddle then everything falls apart. I would love to see your teaching on how to stay deep in the saddle.
Awesome tips, yes I never even thought about my breathing.... my horse falls in at the canter which straight away makes me grip with my knees and loose my stirrups and go off balance...
Wonderful tip about trotting very fast!
GREAT INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO!! Thank you so much for your clear teaching and your sweet transparent spirit! YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION!!!!
Thanks so much Deborah! And thanks for watching!
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Ok that’s the lot I promise. Have an awesome day! 🐴
The tips are great, thank you! My advice is: Watch your inside hand, the horse bobbles it's head to the inside at every canter stride. Also, seems to be behind the vertical most of the time, even on a loose rein. I have been taught that the canter cue comes from the inside leg while having the outside leg back to indicate what we want-that the horse starts its stride from the outside hind leg. The impulsion is maintained with the inside leg so that the outside leg can be used for sideways movement once the horse is further along in its training.
1atocha1 all the videos I’ve seen talk about outside keg inside leg use fir the transition. I don’t have access to a school, the horse I ride is hacking, so I’m not going in circles. How dies the leg use apply for straight line canter?
I have always struggled with canter transitions, I have tensed up and had trouble knowing how to coordinate my aids, I would also try to get the canter by leaning forward (😑). Over the last year or so I have learned how to get a smooth transition, now mainly using my calf and still stay in the same position with my seat. Breathing really helped me a lot, and focusing on having a good trot/walk before the transition 🙌 a horse I rode was so sensitive that she could start cantering just from me breathing and thinking that I wanted canter. She helped me a lot too in realising that I don't need to lean forward or be overly crazy with my legs 😊
Good for you! Glad you are figuring out the aid for canter ❤️
I look forward to trying these tips. I overthink about getting everything right as I ask for the canter. I think if I concentrate on a couple things that you've suggested here things I will get more confident as my horse will stay relaxed if I am not tensing.
This is such a huge help for me. I tend to hold my breath in Troy and canter. The tip and inhale and exhale on the transition is brilliant. Thank you!!!
Nice video. I enjoy watching you ride. One thing I would add. I think transitions are helpful too. With young horses or tight ones like the one in my profile picture I'll work at getting a stride or two and back down to a trot, unless, they are willing to carry a lope with out me having to peddle them along. There does come a point when a horse needs to move out. For me when I was beginning to learn, it gave me a chance to start to feel how the horse moved but not a lot of time to get out of balance or completely unseated until I started to get the hang of it. Thank you.
Thanks for adding this!
You have no idea how much I respect you and your teaching. Perfect, precise also rights on points not to mention very clear. I'm able to see all the positioning that you describing, your back, hands feet, legs very clearly. This is not the problem, The problem is me, I'm not made for riding a horse, I'm actually made for guiding a bicycle in my hand not even riding the bicycle, I think that pathetic. Nevertheless I have been trying riding a horse and if I have to describe myself on top of the horse well it goes like this imagine yourself in a prom day when everybody are dancing smoothly and having fun on the other hand here is a person who dancing like wild Disco nutcase in a schmucky way on smooth jazz music. Sadly when I finished riding after all of that mess I still have the gut to go to the instructor and ask her: how did I do? Isn't this question make you pause for a second if you are an instructor? I know there's no hope in me coming from an instructor View and I do understand why, I still don't understand why I asked her this question. All that said I will say that I accomplished only one thing and that thing is making everybody in the arena and around the arena laugh hysterically from the noises that I had made, it is very difficult for me to explain in words, you Could Only Imagine. In the end I have only one question to the instructor of this video. My question is do you think there is hope for me after you read what I have to say? I am waiting for your answer but please be gentle.
I believe it yr control in yr pull and command the position is very important
when i had my first canter my trainer thought i was ready but as soon as i cantered i basically had a panic attack freaked out and fell off then i was scared to canter for ages xD
An update the horse I ride can get really strong in the canter. Im only an amateur but these ideas do help.
1. As the instructor says stay relaxed. This is crucial as you do NOT want to get into a tug of war with a hot horse. Do NOT pull hard on the reins as your main method of slowing down. Use your seat & core.
2. I mix the gaits up. He has a tendency to get hot in the canter after a few circuits. To stop that tendency I will canter then drop down to the trot. Then I might canter again & then drop down to the walk.
2. If he has stopped listening to my commands I drop down to a walk. I do a lot of walk/ trot transitions. If he still doesn't listen i tap him on the shoulder & say listen. I personally think walk stop transitions are a great warm up as he realises he needs to comply & listen. You should do that in the trot too. Go into a trot then drop down to a walk. Make sure he's listening. If he trots off without prompting bring him back to a walk. I will ask for a horse to stop & only go when I say. I often want him to stop for 3 seconds before I go again. I notice he soon realises he better comply to my requests rather than doing his own thing. In the past I let him jump into a gait without prompting. Thats not a good idea he soon realises he's in control.
3. In the trot if he gets hot I try and keep him collected with good contact on the outside rein. My reins are short. I find he will attempt to jump into the canter but he finds it difficult due to the compact trot & contact with the outside rein. Once he realises he can't jump into the canter he starts to relax.
4. If he is too hot Ill walk around the arena & let him relax. After 15 minutes of constant riding when his energy levels have built up I find this is a good way to keep him calm. I often give him a long rein so he can stretch out.
5 do small circles in the canter its hard for him to go fast.
In essence your aim to have a relaxed canter but it does require work. My canter is a work in progress.
Thank you ❤
After watching your smooth transitions , I realize that I struggle with sitting the trot quietly before my canter cue . Going from posting to the sit is not effortless! I’m thinking that’s what I need to do before starting on your suggestions !
Thank u for your excellent video!
Very helpful instruction for the canter. Thank you!
Lots of helpful information here! Your horse has such a floaty trot, love it :) I definitely tend to tense up and "perch" in the saddle when asking for canter, and only until recently have I been working on correcting all of those unaddressed habits. My lower leg is also not stable and slides forward a lot, especially in trot. My trainer has referred to this as "bracing". I have a lot of relaxation issues, come to think of it XD I think the breathing and faster trot exposure techniques will really help me a lot. Thanks for posting!
You’re very easy to understand and as a very green rider this helped a lot
So funny being reminded to breath, but it's true, I often hold my breath unless I remind myself. Your rhythmic breathing tip is critical ... your big inhale-exhale tip is genius! Thank you.
Falling off from bad forward hunched position and balance helped me with my confidence! Almost an overnight fix, if I don't sit back when asking, my horse doesn't know what I'm asking for and I hit the deck, as always it's trial and error... and a lovely patient horse always helps too :D
Thanks Amelia. Great information as always. Your videos are really helping me enormously. Just feel like I have a million things to learn at the moment!
Really excellent tips. Thank you so much Amelia!
This helps so much Amelia! You have a great way of teaching! I tend to pull back on the reins when I ask for canter - I guess because I am scared.I know this confuses the horse. I will try the breathing technique - thank you!
I love this idea. I'm going to try it.
Great tips! Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Love the preparatory breath and exhalation for the transition! Will experiment with that for sure.
Thank you Amelia I am bringing on my 4yr old and this is going to really help me cant wait to try it I have never heard this taught this way
My boy is big 17hh and playful and I get a bit concerned but i can see this working thank you
You are so welcome!
Thank you! Great video, this is very helpful!
Thank you ! Greatly Appreciated🌹
I'm a middle aged bloke who rides regularly. I really like the tip about getting speed up in the trot & the breathing. My canter is getting better. My friend says use your outside seat bone to slow down & the inside one to go faster. Im lucky both the horses I ride are exremely well trained. One is a 23 year old australian stock horse. The other is a warmblood/stock horse cross. Do you have any suggestions one horse can get strong in the canter & he stops listening
A few lessons ago I started the canter and the horse I ride is super lazy and doesn't fully trot so it's a really lazy trot so when I went up to the canter I yelped like a hurt dog! But, this past lesson I knew what to expect so it went better! :D
Thank you for this, i have recently acquired a rather Hot mare who is 12 years old and I am bringing her back into work at her having 5 years off as a brood mare. She's great but very green I have been wondering what my strategy should be for asking for the canter without getting her tense or excited, I think this will be my best approach, let her fall into it no big deal x
How generous you are. Thank you!
Do you have videos teaching how to sit the trot and how to sit the canter? If you don’t, could you make some? Thanks! This video was very helpful too.
Yes, I do! Check out my channel page!
Hi Amelia, thank you for the video and tips. I have found them to be very useful. I had an instructor who taught me make the horse to jump really low, in order to canter.
Great video! Great tips and reminders as well!
Wonderful video! Do you have any tips for keeping a long, relaxed leg, with heels down?
great question! this might help you: th-cam.com/video/UU3lxBBbSSg/w-d-xo.html
Hi Amelia, loving your videos, your great tips and advise are helping me in my riding. Thank you.
Like the breathing in transitions!
This was very helpful. I always feel like I’m going to bounce out of my seat. 😂
Glad it was helpful!
I also liked how you talked about just trotting faster and move into canter. Eye opening. Good advice. Thank you.
any videos on spooky problems? makes me nervous to canter , wind etc. a 12yr old very good quarter horse otherwise. one end of our outdoor.
I’ve fallen 2-3 times in canter in the last 6 weeks and that’s brought my confidence down. I grip so much with my legs and come out the saddle and then I panic with stopping then I loose my balance and fall off and she buggers off not caring what I feel like 😂😂
Do you have any advice for being able to kick whilst in canter to keep them going? My seat is apparently fine and I don’t bounce too much but I have a lot of trouble keeping them cantering, I don’t think I’m gripping either. I’m pretty relaxed in the saddle I just find it a little harder to be able to kick in the faster movement. I’m trying a few ponies to possibly buy within this week so I want to get as good as possible within those few days in my current horses! Thanks Amelia💕 This video also helped me quite a lot.
Although im only an amateur if i want to keep canter going i put my lower leg on with some pressure. The lower leg is the go signal. I notice here in the comment section there is mention of kicking. I really think its important to use the least pressure possible. A cooperative well trained horse will respond to pressure. I personally rarely kick a horse. Its not necessary. Moreover, with an actual kick you risk getting a huge reaction. If you resort to kicking a horse I really think some guidance from an instructor is important. For example, when I was learning transitions I used the whip occasionally. In retrospect it wasnt necessary. From memory I wasnt giving him the right signals &i hadnt set up properly before the transition. My body postion was probably blocking the transtion. A big piece of advice is relax. If you tense up before the transition your tense body will block the transition.
Very helpful! Thank you for the tips!
Thank you for your tips, I can't wait to try it out! I'd say my biggest problem with canter for now is actually keeping it. I feel really dependent on the horse's willing about this haha ^^; At least it makes me practice asking for it properly since I have to ask it again every time the horse I'm riding falls back into trot. (I'm still a green rider, I've started riding only 2 years ago ^^)
Wonderful tips thank you!
My young horse wont give right lead, no matter what.
Wouldreally love some tips..
Please could you help with tips on how to not pump with your seat in the canter
Zowie Amelia, never heard this expressed before. I'm now at the stage where I am learning to trot to canter, like to today where I kept missing it it by sitting too far forward and swinging my outside leg too far back and then up so I was holding on with my knee ( my instructer told me after we decided to move on and try next lesson depending on hoe I do, as I Type yer now talking about this dang :) , Thanks for this video lady. Cheers.
thank u for what u do...it is a really hard work and amazing videos...big love for u...💗
Excellent video! My lesson horse, Splash, has a very unbalanced and choppy canter, and it is very difficult to get a canter out of her. My instructor even has a difficult time with her, and one of my classmates can't get her to canter at all. I can get her to canter about half the ring before she goes back into a trot. Splash is very sensitive to the rider's movements and if I don't keep reminding her to canter forward, she will break back into a trot. I also have to keep reminding myself to sit back. All suggestions welcome.
Beth Staiano It is possible that you’re telling her to go with your seat but restricting her with your hands, although not intentionally. My trainer calls this “stepping on the gas pedal and the brake at the same time.” We all tend to do it. Doing it will make your horse break to the trot from the canter.
I have been riding a very short time, actually since 25 August 2020, I've learned a lot but do not have my own horse, I bate a horse, I ride almost every day and have started to jump and ride without stirrups, but I battle to get Hamely to canter comfortable, he's has been injured in a competition, when I canter on the left reign he's reluctant and his entire mood changes, how can I relax and get him to relax to improve my riding . He's a large gentleman, 720 kg . But I love him . Any advise will be appreciated. I had a couple of bad falls on him as well. Do you think there is a change I'm scared of him and he feels it.Thank you 😊
I some days ride well and other ready bad an still learning but the change of place or horse or shoes or number of horses in field all affect my perfection.. and that worries me that one day am a rider and other i am beginner...i have had 70 + lessons so far or more in 7 months
When I start to canter I slouch and my posture is terrible. How do I fix this?
My biggest problem in canter is leaning forward and loosing contact when I'm transiting to canter.
Yes! I think a lot of people struggle with this!!
Same. I also put my feet too far back which doesn't help
I lean too far back because I'm subconsciously scared to be bucked off (it's happened before)
Thank you for this video! I now know why i can't get my horse to canter .
Do you have a video about the sitting trot?
Yes, I do. Will try to find it!!
@@AmeliaNewcombDressage Thank you!
Two things, how far back does your leg go back? That outside leg was on the outside both times you asked. And do you leave it back the whole canter? Thanks!!
Omg lightbulb moment
Yay! I love those!
The great teacher Jean froissard taught to trot on the inside diagonal then most green horses fell on the correct lead in a relaxed way
Hi there! I usually lean forward when I canter and my feet stick out a lot. Do you have any tips on how to keep my heels down and legs near the girth? Thank you so much.
Yes, I have a whole mini-course on the canter! Check it out here: amelianewcombdressage.com/canter-with-confidence-o/
@AmeliaNewcombDressage thank you so much!
Dear Amelia, thank you so much for your videos! I am 32 and I have just started the lessons and I feel that I am scared of horses. I can touch it only when I am on it. So, the horses, probably, feel that and usually don't listen me during the lessons. It's veeeery difficult for me to manage them.
Please recommend me what to do to feel myself more relaxed with horses.
Also, will be nice if you can record the video about how understand the horse and how to manage it.
Thanks a lot!
Anna Gk The best advice I can give you, as someone who works with animals, is to just not be afraid. I know that’s dumb but pretty much any animal can sense your fear. The likelihood of you being kicked is going to go up when the horse can feel you being nervous and scared around them. You just have to trust the animal. There’s some tips you can do that will help you out just to feel safer. Never fully squat down when working around horses. If they do bolt or spook you can’t get away as fast. If you don’t know a horse and you’re walking behind them, just keep your hand on their booty. The horse will know where you are and is so much less likely to spook. When brushing down the horse or getting them from their stall (if you do) just take a moment to be with the horse. Give it a few pets before you put the halter on and groom them good so it feels nice for them. Horses aren’t insane animals, I promise if you just start trusting them your fear will go away. If you’re incredibly nervous you could try watching some videos on horse body language just to understand and see how they show us their emotions. Ears are always a big one to see how a horse is feeling.
How many tips I need to do for the horse
the horse that i usually ride absolutely loves fast trot and canter but the only problem i have is that he doesn’t want to go when the other horses are stopped because i am in class when we canter other riders are advised to stop. any tips on how to get him going??
I defo need a confidence boost especially in canter and because I ride a young horse I'm training to trot canter andall the rest and almost everytime I ask to canter he either does and I get rlly scared or I just cry bc i'm only a child. My mum says shes getting sick of it... Any suggestions of how stop crying and keep myself together?
My horse doesn't go forward into the canter - it is like we are cantering on the spot. Will try getting the trot and little faster as mentioned. I let feel for some reason that my horse does not KEEP the canter. How do I train him to do this?
Would it be beneficial to work on sitting trot before moving on to the canter?
Responsiveness to outside leg aid.
Is there anyway to practice my riding if I cant go to the barn?
My horse keeps bolting once I ask for the canter, its really hard to control her especially since she's a bigger set horse.
Hi Amelia, love your videos, I get nervous on canters I only ride school horses, could I ask a question...I have a big problem keeping the canter I'm not kicking I must block it out ...I can't canter all the way round the arena can you help me. My legs are not moving 😮
Check out my free mini-course all about the canter! It will help! amelianewcombdressage.com/canter-with-confidence-o/
So all you say to the horse to pick up the trot is 'come on' ? or do you do give it a physical sign too? I saw you switched at some point to a bigger trot without saying anything. What did you do then to have it happen? Thx
Yes! My legs are giving the signal to get the horse to move more forward!
This is a great video. Though I have a question and sorry if it sounds silly, is it possible to canter from a slow trot at all? Don't some horses go from walk to canter?
Hi! Yes for sure it is possible to pick up the canter from a slow trot. Bit if you are having trouble picking up the canter or if you are afraid, going into it from a fast canter will help.
@@AmeliaNewcombDressage Thanks very much Amelia, I will try this to hopefully build more confidence 😊!
Really helpful video. My problem with canter is my horse "nods" her head so much its hard to follow with my hands. When I take the reins up a bit, she bucks or tries to change leads. Her head is very deep, but not tucked in. What do you suggest?
Hi Nancy, good question! It sounds to me like this is an evasion and not the "right kind" of nodding of the head. Sometimes in the canter especially horses fling their head around to avoid the contact and taking weight on the hind legs. I would recommend getting her to carry her head a bit higher and more still. You may have to ride out the bucks and lead changes!
@@AmeliaNewcombDressage Thanks, will try my best!
Hi. I am a new rider and having trouble with rising trot. Can you please give any tips? Not sure about contact of legs etc.
The best way for learning canter is riding a horse with nice and comfortable transition.
My horse has no go but a huge first step to the canter, and I lose all confidence when he (reluctantly) canters, so he stops.
I liked the video but what got me to sub. and alarm was the ending when you posted up safety first. To many people ignore this fact and then blame the horse when something nasty happens. This is why we have to many rescues or put downs because the horse gets labeled as bad, not the rider. I am a green rider but I have learned a lot from just observing the horse I was riding. I am also learning from watching videos and have seen many triggers that a new owner might not even be aware of. Like colors, noises, water, bridges, etc. Something could of happened to this horse that causes these fusses when it encounters it. In the future I am going to only walk the horse through all kinds of things and watch if it has any reaction to anything along the way. Then I will know what to train against until they have no reaction at all to it. So far out of all the different videos I've seen only you and one other give talks about safety first. *shaking head there are not more* Thank you.
For your young horses, do you train the fast trot into canter on a circle or on the long sides?
Hi Amelia
My trot is really good and I’m trying to get a forward trot. But when I try to use my leg aids to get her into canter she just ignores me, then I stress out and my position completely changes. My hands go up and my legs just don’t work. I need help 😢
Make sure you are preparing for the canter with a half-halt. Make sure your aids are very clear, and that you don't lean forward. Ask her to lift you into the trot! Leaning forward into the canter is a very common mistake.
who else is here because they are a little bit too confident?
i almost fell at my last lesson because my horse spoked and went from walk to canter and i had never cantered, i was on a very calm horse because i was already scared after i fell off of a halflinger a month ago, i fell twice because he kept bolting with me and tried to canter down a very steep and rocky will with me into a cold river so i jumped off!
like if you are here for the reason at the top and reply if you are here because you had an experience like i did
im here for both so i reply to my own comment :D
Haha! Yes, it's good to know how to canter so that if it happened you don't end up in the dirt!
U done a lazy trot not sitting:::: after happens sitting then center the gallop
👍👍👍
The video: "And-" Ad- "Star Stable-"
My horse canters so fast.. that’s what makes me so nervous
I don’t have any issues with cantering why am I washing this?