Aids and Bend for the
Canter
By
Darcie Litwicki
The canter gait is arguably the most difficult gait for horse and rider to master under
saddle. If you have ever ridden a good canter, it is also arguably the most comfortable
gait under saddle. There is something so exhilarating and freeing about riding a smooth
canter. As a young girl, I took cantering for granted and did not fully appreciate the
feeling of it. All I knew was that I really liked doing it! Now with more experience and
knowledge, I find that it can be very easy to over think it. At a clinic recently, one of my
clients expressed concerns about making mistakes with the canter aids. Her worry was so
intense that she had made a choice not to canter. With all the confusing information out
there about cantering, for some, the joy of simply doing it has gone by the wayside. I
know too that I have had many challenges with teaching canter under saddle to young
horses and new riders alike. These challenges made me really think about how to break it
down, make it clear, and keep the fun in it. I will share these ideas with you in this
month’s article. So, sit up straight, but keep relaxed, and let’s get going!
If you are new to cantering or are apprehensive about it, one of the best ways to get
started with cantering is to understand the gait itself. It is a three beat gait. For example,
the left rear leg pushes off the ground (this leg will determine the canter lead), next the
right rear leg and front left leg move together (a diagonal movement), then the right front
leg moves forward (this becomes the right hand lead), finally, there is a brief moment of
suspension in which all four legs are off the ground and then the whole sequence starts
again. The effect of these three beats gives the canter a “rocking chair” feel. For the left
lead, the sequence is opposite.
It is important that a rider master the walk and trot under saddle before moving on to the
canter. These slower gaits will give a person the opportunity to understand riding aids
and speed transitions along with control of the horse. Another important pre-requisite is
that your horse is “forward” thinking. This means that your horse will willingly and
easily go forward at your request. The canter will be much more difficult if your horse
balks or will not respond to your aids to go forward. Sometimes the rider can inhibit
forward motion too. If the rider is apprehensive about going faster they will transfer this
to their horse through their body language. Some common problems are that the rider
will hold the reins too tightly which impedes forward motion or they may tighten up
throughout their body due to fear or lack of confidence. If your horse needs help going
forward, back up and do the “go forward” lesson until he responds readily every time you
ask. (Download this lesson for free from my web-site at: www.changedhorse.com) If
the problem is the rider, it is important to go back and get more comfortable by doing
speed transitions at the walk and trot. For instance, you could practice slow walk to fast
walk to medium walk then add walk to trot transitions and go from various walk speeds
to extended trot, to jog, to medium trot, back to walk and so forth. Mix up the transition
speeds every several strides. Once you are comfortable with this, try the canter.
At times, it is best to just simply get your horse into a canter for several strides just to feel
the motion and overcome the apprehension. If you are just cantering in a straight line, it
does not really matter which lead you are on. By taking the pressure off to pick up the
correct lead, you can feel free to just experience the speed and feel of the gait. I often
have people who are cantering for the first time try this. There are some safety guidelines
you should be aware of though. One is to do this in a safe enclosure such as an arena or
fenced area that both you and your horse are comfortable with. Ensure that your girth is
tight enough so your saddle will not slip. Maintain contact with your reins but do not
restrain your horse from moving his head and going forward. It is also a good idea to
hold onto a pommel strap or saddle horn at first too. Start moving in a good “forward”
thinking sitting trot. When you are ready, ask for more speed. Use however much leg or
heel pressure you need to get to the canter speed. Every horse will vary with this. Some
horses will need more urging than others initially. This is where a good “go forward”
system comes in handy. Allow your horse to canter for several strides and then slow
them back down to the trot and then the walk with light rein aids and a voice command if
needed. Try again a few more times until you feel good about riding this gait. I also
recommend that you have someone who is experienced with horses out there with you
when you do this for the first time. Try to relax and enjoy this exercise.
For those who are experienced with the feel of cantering and are ready to pick up their
leads and apply correct aids, this next part is for you! If cantering through turns or on a
circle, it is important to ultimately set you and your horse up for success by applying
correct aids and ensuring that your horse has a good bend in his body for balance and
easy canter departures. We will now go through the aids and an exercise to help correct
problems with picking up leads. Try the riding aids while just sitting still on your horse
to ensure that you understand them. Note: Inside means the side that is on the inside of
the enclosure and outside means the side that is along the rail or fence line. For example:
When tracking in the arena to the right, the inside is the right side.
RIDING AIDS
1. Start with a good bend. The horse will pick up the lead in the direction he is
bending into. He will be bent in his body and flexed at the poll.
a. When flexed at the pole you should just be able to just barely see his
inside eye and nostril.
b. The inside eye and nostril are on the inside of the direction you will be
traveling. If going to the right, you will see his right eye and nostril.
2.
The aid for flexing the pole is applied by putting a light pressure on your inside
rein. Do this by holding the reins with light contact and move your inside hand
and wrist as though turning the key in a car’s ignition. Use the outside rein to
support your horse’s head and neck by keeping him from over-bending.
3. Next, you will shift your weight onto the inside seat bone.
4. Your legs will be positioned with the inside leg at the girth and the outside leg
behind the girth.
5. Your outside leg will be used to signal the outside rear leg of the horse to step first
(this will help determine his inside lead). Your outside leg will tap the horse as
much as needed to move into the canter. Your inside leg at the girth will
encourage the horse to keep some bend in his barrel. *If you have both of your
legs in the same position it will only cause the horse to speed up and not
necessarily pick up the correct lead.
Now that you have practiced the riding aids here is a scenario for how you and your horse
should look while moving along the rail to the left.
* Pick up the trot with good forward energy. Sit the trot before the canter transition.
* Make light contact with your reins.
* Turn your left hand and wrist as though starting your car’s ignition.
* Your horse should have a bend at this poll where you can just see his left eye &
nostril.
* Your left (inside) leg should be at the girth.
* Your right (outside) leg should be behind the girth.
Once in the proper position at the trot with correctly applied aids, do the following to
move into the canter. *Example is tracking to the left.
* Sit up straight in the saddle but do not tense your upper body. Do not lean.
* Open and loosen your hips as though they are hinged.
* Allow your horse to move his head by keeping your arms soft. Don’t restrain!
* Look where you are going and look out between the horse’s ears.
* Begin asking for more speed by tapping your right (outside) leg behind the girth.
* Squeeze with your left leg at the girth to encourage a bend in your horse’s body.
Just as the horse moves into the canter.
* Push your inside seat bone up and slightly forward towards your horse’s ear.
* Allow your hips to swing with the motion.
* Keep your upper body quiet.
* Look where you are going.
* Tap with your outside leg as needed to keep the momentum.
* Don’t restrain your horse’s head.
* Your horse’s left front leg should be extending forward farther than the other.
(You can glance down briefly to check or feel your inner hip reaching forward
more than your outer one).
* Enjoy the ride!
Sometimes a horse and/or rider will pick up one lead easily but have trouble with the
other. Most of the time, the problem is with the right lead. The following exercise can
help you work through that issue by putting more bend in the barrel of your horse which
sets him up better to pick up leads.
Barrel Bend Exercise
While in the trot, move into a slightly smaller circle. As detailed before, bend your
horse’s poll to the inside, place your legs with your inside leg at the girth and your
outside leg behind the cinch. We will now apply a leg yield to ask your horse to bend
around your inner leg. Apply pressure with the right leg at the girth, shift your weight to
your outside seat bone and look in the direction you want your horse to go. To keep
forward momentum you can use your outside leg behind the girth. This exercise will
cause him to move his hip to the inside and will push his barrel to the outside which sets
him in a better position to pick up his lead. Move him into the canter.
Be patient and if he does not get it, stop, relax, and try again. You can also break it down
further by having him do this at a walk until you are both comfortable with it, then move
to the trot, and finally to the canter.
There are many methods to get horses to pick up their leads at the canter. If you have a
method that is working for you and your horse, in my opinion, there is no need to change
it as long as you feel safe, your horse is balanced, and you get the right results. I have
found the above methods safe and easy for people and horses to understand. I have seen
many methods where horses are set up in an unbalanced manner and then thrown or
pulled into their leads which can cause balance problems and injuries. Understanding
how your horse moves naturally by moving into the direction of his bend and how he best
balances with a rider, is the key to natural horsemanship. Take the time to learn the beats
of the gait and once you are riding the canter, pay attention to your horse’s cadence and
foot falls so you can “feel” the gait as opposed to just hoping it is right. You will be glad
you did. Enjoy your horse!
Darcie Litwicki is a CHA Certified Riding Instructor (Western and English- flat work), horse trainer,
clinician, and certified K-8 Teacher located in Vail, Arizona. She has a life-time of horse experience,
competed for three years in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association and in 2005 completed a one
year horse training apprenticeship with Steve Sikora who is a John Lyon’s Certified Select Trainer. Darcie
is available for private training, working with problem horses, teaching private or small group lessons,
performing clinics and/or demonstrations. Feel free to contact her with riding or training questions or to
schedule lessons, clinics, or demonstrations at (520) 370-8093; [email protected]; or by web-site at:
www.changedhorse.com