The Canter -Everything to Help you with Your Canter!

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Here are some additional resources on the canter:
Canter Transitions:

3 Exercises to Improve Your Canter Transition:

https://youtu.be/n_fOdPw6rZo

The Trot-Canter Transition:

https://youtu.be/GqCWaTXBv-Q

Trot-Canter Transitions on a 4-year-old

https://youtu.be/nEdnq9EtLw0

Walk-Canter Transition:

https://youtu.be/bYz7U1_YhEs

Canter-Walk-Canter Transitions:

https://youtu.be/XcCF6uFjhcM

Fear of Cantering:

Canter With Confidence Tips

https://youtu.be/cvI4M2eh5y8

Help your Horse Relax and Slow Down at the Canter

https://youtu.be/Ou8_DgemCnc

Build Confidence in the Canter (with Natasha)

https://youtu.be/i0V4HcbBJvw

How to Sit the Canter:

How to Sit the Canter

https://youtu.be/E0R5KBrmbeQ

The Basics of Cantering:

https://youtu.be/m4fVkQnQI1g
How to Use Your Seat in the Canter

https://youtu.be/ig7MUnHwY-c

Sitting to Canter (Mary Wandlass)

https://youtu.be/Ise87B1eA9g

Advanced Canter Topics:

Teaching the Leads to a Young Horse:

https://youtu.be/lLJgQGrFUzo

Canter Pirouette Exercises:

https://youtu.be/hQFU8SYer8E

Flying Changes

How to Introduce the Flying Changes

https://youtu.be/0p5Z2GH621U

How to Ask for a Flying Change:

https://youtu.be/2XRf7EehIF4

Many horses and riders have difficulty with the canter. You may have trouble with the transition in to the canter, or perhaps you and your horse get tense and anxious in the canter, or maybe you just have trouble following the motion of the canter and finding your canter seat. Here are some tips to help you with the canter:

Some facts about the canter:
The canter is a 3 beat gait: (1) outside hind leg, (2) inside hind leg and outside front leg, (3) inside front leg, followed by a moment of suspension.
The horse has a left lead and a right lead canter.

The canter aid:
Everyone and every horse have a slightly different aid for the canter (this is why picking up the canter on a new horse can be a challenge!!
The universal canter aid is inside leg at the girth, inside seat bone, and outside leg behind the girth.
The amount of pressure in each leg depends on the horse but outside leg back indicates the lead, inside leg is for impulsion and to keep the horse from falling in.
Be sure that the horse is flexed to the inside and off of the inside leg before asking for canter or you may get the wrong lead!!

The canter seat:
Maintain proper alignment - ear, shoulder, hip and heel. A LOT of riders tend to tip forward in the canter!!!
Keep your hands down and a straight line from elbow to mouth so that you can maintain contact and follow the motion of the horses’ head.
The lower back and hip angle must move to absorb the motion of the horse.
The seat of the rider follows a “swishing” motion and slides from the back to the front of the saddle each stride.
Keep your legs long and don’t grip with your knees - gripping with the inner thigh will tip you forward and lock the hip preventing the rider from following the motion of the canter!

Dealing with fear of the Canter!!
Work on trotting really fast - like trotting the speed of the canter so that picking up the canter is not such a big increase in speed - this will give you and your horse confidence to go faster!
Find a horse that is good to canter on the lunge line and have someone lunge you so that you can focus on your body and find your canter seat
Break it down and ask for help - if your horse gets tense and nervous in the canter, have someone brave canter your horse first!
Happy cantering!!! Let me know in the comments if these tips are helpful and be sure to check out the video on YouTube!!

Видео The Canter -Everything to Help you with Your Canter! канала Amelia Newcomb Dressage