Help with Canter

Maybe I should explain how I tried to cue.

Okay so I went into sitting trot. Half halted on the outside rein and with seat, then kept inside leg on girth and outside leg I slid really far back and put pressure on. I did throw away my lovely contact because that's my bad but anyway.. he got faster and faster and faster instead of going into canter. I slowed him down and tried again.. he ran into it. He's a schooled horse... I've cantered him before but this was about... a good month and a half ago.

That's how my Lease owner is teaching me to cue with Titan. Sometimes he rushes into it, but like muppet girl said, we just shut down to a walk and try again. You may simply just need more contact instead of throwing it away, as he may be taking advantage of that loose reign to do whatever he wants.

That's a good point.

I have another question. I know the outside leg cues the canter, but is that more a squeeze with both legs or just the one with a supporting inside leg?

Yes, hold him, don't pull on him or throw the reins at him, you want him 'contained' so you can get the lope, by throwing contact away at the beginning is to essentially allow all his energy to rush out the front door, essentially him trotting all fast and strung out. Before you lope, have him gathered and soft on your hands and legs, hold him while walking a few strides, squeeze your leg and ask, keep holding and squeezing until he lopes.....then release, that release gives him incentive to lope when asked:)

I use my outside leg to push/squeeze that hip to the inside to get the correct leg, and I hold my inside leg on the girth to keep him forward and between my legs, because sometimes pushing the hip in and over while not holding with the inside leg creates and opening and the horse goes sideways instead of forward. Some horses you have to open the inside leg (young horses) to 'open the door' as such, but a schooled horse should pick up that lope cue without the inside leg opening right up. I prefer to hold my inside leg on so that the only door that's open is 'forward'.

Awsome, alright thank you for the help! Hopefully this week goes by a little smoother!

Don't throw away your contact. Really think about holding him and "bottling" the energy so he will switch gears instead on letting him blow his energy out at the canter. The hold thing is pretty hard to explain, I'll try my best. Lol. Essentially its the in between of having your reins looped and pulling. Think about if someone holds your hand. If your walking shoulder to shoulder your arms are going to be kind of floppy. Take a step out, now there is some tension but neither of you are pulling on each other. Another step and its going to feel more like pulling. Holding is more like that natural in between when your holding hands. Best I got for you.... Lol!
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Oh okay... so in other words having contact not yanking them backwards. Makes sense :)

I know about the contact... haha I just get so overwhelmed that I automatically chicken wing and throw my hands forward. I think it's from riding greener horses....... cause I did not do that with my own horse when we cantered.

I appreciate all your help :) Will update next week, and HOPEFULLY have vids/pics.

Yaaaay good luck. : D

If it's any consulation to you , Sky, I am currently having a similar issue with Z. I seem to have slid backward in my riding skilla (in some areas) like on the canter departs and end up with a horse that is tense and wants to trot off at a zoom. So, I know the frustration. This will tops on my list when I finally get a lesson on Easter Sunday when my trainer comes up from Calif.

I make all the mistakes mentioned, except throwing away the contact. Rather, I tend to take up too much contact and overwork the "get some bend" , which makes Z all fussy.