Imagine you are riding along in a nice, peaceful trot. But when you ask for canter, your horse shoots off like a cannon and goes around a circle like a crotch rocket motorcycle navigating a sharp turn! Your horse just keeps getting faster and faster as he falls more and more to the inside, and you wonder if he even might fall over. You are probably left wondering why your horse speeds up at the canter?
It’s All About Balance
The simple answer to this common problem is that the horse is not balanced enough to maintain a steady, upright canter. The rider can certainly help the horse to balance himself better, but the horse will need more strength as well.
But you might be wondering what strength and balance have to do with the fact that your horse always speeds up and shoots off into the canter like a rocket. Simply, to not fall over.
Why the Horse NEEDS to Speed Up at the Canter
Your horse actually needs to speed up at the canter because he is out of balance, to keep himself from literally falling over. This is especially true when the horse is falling in already on a circle. So why does speed help the horse to not fall over?
Imaging yourself riding a bicycle. Get a little bit of speed going and then turn onto a small circle. Stop pedaling and just coast as you keep the bicycle on a small circle. At first, you probably just coast along smoothly on the circle. But what happens once you start slowing down and start losing momentum? …And then you are so slow that you feel like you need to do something or else the bike will fall over.
What should you do in order to not fall over, and yet remain on the circle? You need to start pedaling again and speed up. As soon as you speed up, you are supported by the additional momentum and you won’t feel like the bike is going to tip over, even though the bike is still tilted inward on the circle.
You see, you need a certain amount of speed, or momentum, to keep the bike from falling over while it is tilting in on the circle.
The Same Goes for the Horse that Speeds Up at the Canter
Them same applies to the horse. A green, or unbalanced horse, is crooked. He’s not strong enough to stand his body upright like a seasoned, well-trained horse. So just like the bicycle, if your horse is falling in, especially when going around a turn or on a circle, he will literally fall over without enough momentum to carry him through it. Your horse will need to maintain a certain speed in order to feel balanced enough to comfortably continue on. That is why your horse speeds up. Your horse is trying to not fall over, literally.
But the good news is, as your horse becomes stronger and more balanced, he will be able to “stand up” and thus, slow his rhythm more and more with your help. Think about yourself on your bicycle. If you practiced enough to improve your balance, you could eventually make the circle really small and remain upright and not fall over. But without enough practice, (or strength for the horse), you have no other option but to “gun it” at full speed:
How to Improve Over Time
The first thing you need to do is simple. Just keep cantering! Yes, it will feel crazy and fast, but the horse just needs to keep doing it to gain a little bit more strength. Over time, it will get better and better.
Next you need to find out where your horse’s imbalances are and aim to help him in those specific areas. Some common imbalances are:
1. Falling in on one particular shoulder.
2. Falling out on one particular shoulder. (these first two could be inversely related by the horse falling in one direction and falling out the other direction. It’s the same shoulder impeding you in a different way each direction.)
3. Not enough engagement from the hind end which leads to falling onto the rider’s hands for balance.
4. Haunches swinging a particular way and therefore not stepping under. Most horses will have a stronger and a weaker hind leg.
Key Ingredients for Better Balance
- Forward, forward, forward. I know it’s hard to think forward when the horse is rushing off. But forward does not mean fast! It’s more about power.
- Straightness. Find parts of the horse that are popping out or blocking so that he can come through with his movement more forwardly.
- The half halt! Learn how to ride a great half halt here.
- Rider balance. Make sure you are balanced so that you are not creating any blockages or hinderances for your horse. He will often compensate in order to stay under your crooked body.
Fixing the Canter Will Take Time
The canter will improve with time and correct training, but it will not magically transform overnight. But merely knowing the reason why your horse is a mess and speeds up at the canter can surely help you understand the mechanics and set you off in the right direction toward improvement.
Keep Riding, Keep Refining
The Refined Rider
