The canter is faster than the walk and trot, you will directly feel the speed and the shakes from the horse and the horse moves their head up and down.
Although the faster speed and rocking motion can be intimidating to the novice rider at first, it is a feel-good way to ride the horse once got use to
You can have much more dynamic riding experience when you mastered the canter.
The canter is a "three-beat gait" with the horse placing one leg, then two together (a diagonal pair) and then the remaining leg on the ground.
Unlike the trot diagonals, the horse will "lead" with one front leg, that is one front leg is thrown further forward by the horse than the other.
The correct lead is when the horse throws the leg nearest the centre of the ring further forward than the leg nearest the outside of the ring.
The image below illustrates the gaits of the canter. (left-lead)
The canter's three-beat gait's as follows; right hind leg, left hind leg and right foreleg at the same time, left foreleg and followed by the "suspension" phase, which is when all four legs are off the ground.
The faster the horse is moving, the longer is the time of the phase of suspension and it become a four-beat gait; right hind leg, left hind leg, right foreleg then left foreleg.
Illustration below shows the leg movement of the right-lead horse.
Again, this is a three-beat gait; left hind leg, right hind leg and left foreleg then left foreleg, followed by the suspension phase.
This will be a four-beat gait when it speeded up: footfalls followed by the left hind leg, right hind leg, left foreleg then right foreleg.
This is called diagonal canter. (gallop)
Illustration below explains the movement of legs in diagonal gallop.
As you can see, each leg moves in diagonal order.
This is the correct leg movement for the horses but there is another movement called the rotary gallop.
Although deer and dogs naturally run in this way, it is not ideal for the horses.
Image below illustrate the rotary gallop movement (right-lead)
In the right-lead rotary gallop, the movement follows as: (1)right hind leg→(2)left hind leg→(3)left foreleg→(4)right foreleg
Although this is less common for horses, it is used in the horse racing.
Some racehorses use the rotary gallop to depart. It is quicker and easier way to depart from a narrow gate, however, it requires more energy.
Therefore the horses switch their gaits to diagonal gallop soon after the departure.
（Horse racing depart: Some horses depart with the rotary gallop and some with
diagonal gallop）
It is natural to be left-lead when you are on the anticlockwise circle and visa versa.
If the horse turn with the wrong lead, it will be harder to curve and it is easily noticeable with it's unnatural rhythm.
When you send correct aids, most of the hoses will depart with the correct lead but some may not. If that's happened, you can slow down to walk and then start with the correct lead again.
Averaging the canter speed is about 340m per minute. However this may vary depending on the activities. For example, it will be 350m/m in the show jumping and go up to 550m/m in the cross-country.
The gallop is a faster, 4 beat variations of the same gait and the speed will go up to 1000m/m (60km/h).
Common problems in canter depart are:
- the horse won't depart
- the horse trot instead of the canter
The first step towards successful canter depart is to send an appropriate aids.
You can start practicing the canter in the circle at first so that you control the speed and rhythm easily.
Here are some tips for canter depart:
【Rider's posture】
Relax and ensure you are in the good position otherwise you cannot send correct aids to the horse. If your body is tense, you tend to lean forwards keep straighten your back to avoid this.
Keep your reins in the desired position too. If they are too loose, the horse may go trot.
【Horse's posture】
A good posture is important for the horse as well as the riders.
If you move onto canter from walking, you need to let the horse walk with a good rhythm and energy.
It will be helpful to sit little heavier inside seat bone and pull the reins slightly. Keep your posture and then squeeze with the legs.
Imagine your horse's body as a spring: in order to start in a good speed, it should be squeezed once and the released.
Don't stop the energy with the bit; use the rebounding energy to move the horse forward.
【Sending a riding aid to depart】
Send aids when you are ready. Pull your outside leg to back slightly and squeeze gently with your inside leg. Also ensure to your good balanced position.
Why do you need to pull the outside leg to depart?
For example, you will pull your outside right leg if you are on the left-lead horse.
In this case, which horse's leg moves first?
Yes, right hind leg!
Pulling your right leg backward means sending an aid to the right hind leg
【Keep moving in the canter】
Once you master canter depart, next step is to keep running in the canter. Some may find it difficult to keep the speed in the canter. If that's the case, you may have problems below:
Pulling the reins too tightly, which stops the horse
If you are balancing on the reigns, you may be pulling them too tightly. As we mentioned in the previous trot chapter, you must balance on your seat bones, not on your wrists. The reins shouldn't be too tight but shouldn't be too loose neither.
Lack of riding aids
If you are not relaxed enough, you cannot use your legs as effectively as you would like to send aids. If you find it difficult to send riding aids, focus on relaxing your legs. You need to use different strength and timing depending on horse to horse.
If the horse is aggressive and responsive, it might be too much if you send riding aids continuously. However, it will go down to walk if it is too late. So you should send appropriate riding aids just before feeling the horse is slowing down. If the horse is not responsive, you can send a riding aid on each step.
We continue talking about
the canter on the next chapter too.
Stay tuned!
