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Fast Trot, Lazy Canter?

2K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  rissaxbmth 
#1 ·
My gelding is VERY lazy. If I carry a crop or wear spurs (just blunt dressage spurs) then he gets WAY too fast. I want him forward but not rushing his trot or canter. My problem is though, he has too much of a fast trot but he breaks his canter into a fast trot. How can I get him to go into a nice trot but not such a lazy canter? I try to keep my leg but he'll canter a few strides, break into a trot, go back into a lazy canter, go back to his rushed trot, etc..etc..
 
#2 ·
Work on transitions. Lots of them. Walk to trot, trot to walk and once that is down and your transitions are smooth and his trot is not fast then you can work on trot to canter and canter to trot. Never let him rush to the canter or run out of the trot. If he does stop back up and do it again. Repeat repeat repeat. As for the lazy canter a lot of times its the riders fault, maybe your leg is not strong enough but there is no pictures nor video so it's hard to say. I'm not a trainer nor do I claim to be so maybe someone else on here could give you better advise.
 
#5 ·
I'm not sure about this, but he may be unbalanced. I've found horses that don't know what to do with themselves at the trot will just fling their feet around and try to run away from the trot (sounds weird, but I've seen it happen.) A couple greenies I've seen will run as fast as they can for the first five minutes of the lesson, then once they realize where to place their feet they calm down. The lazy canter might have something to do with this, especially if he's breaking a lot.
If he's unbalanced, transitions, bending, and circling at all gaits will help a lot.
 
#6 ·
I am not sure a completely understood the situation. If he is running so fast that the only thing he can do is "fall" into a canter, then it's a balance issue.

At the canter, you need to push him way up, like maybe scoot him into almost a gallop, than offer to let him find his natural canter rythm. When he gets too slow, scoot him up bigtime and coast, coast down to natural . Do keep in mind that you seek his Natural canter speed, but that doesnt' mean he goes so slow that he is dragging his feet and compromising his balance.

When you are trotting and he goes too fast, Dont' brace against his mouth. Slow down YOUR posting rythm, even it means your butt bumps the saddle in all the wrong timing. The horse won't like that but he will eventually slow down to MATCH your posting rythm. YOu fix the rythm, count it out in your head, or out loud.

Do lots of transitions, and don't forget backing the horse up, too.

And, every once in awhile, take a walk break where you ride on the buckle.
 
#7 ·
Its not that hes going so fast he has to fall into the canter. When I push him into the canter he breaks his canter and goes back into his rushed trot. Its a lazy canter and if I don't keep an eye on him he goes in the trot.

When he trots with me its VERY fast, on the lunge line and free lunging his trot is very nice and slow.
 
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