QUESTION;

I bought a 5 year old irish cob from a dealer and have taken him back to basics with groundwork and walk/trot transitions both in a field and out hacking using a professional trainer. (He proved to be quite a nervous horse and we decided to build his confidence with us rather than push him with high expectations).

Before he starts his second winter with us, how far should I take his training to be at maximum learning before a reduction in full work? Should we finish the year just in trot or move to canter as a taster of what is to come?

ANSWER;

It sounds as though you have been both careful and sensible in taking your cob back to basics.  On paper it would seem reasonable to be cantering him after a year of training but there are other aspects to consider.

It is most important to assess how balanced your horse is during the walk to trot transitions and whether he is able to hold a regular rhythm whilst trotting.  Also how is the engagement and balance during the transitions from trot to walk?  If he is working softly through the spine with some engagement and good balance then he is probably ready to start cantering.  In which case it is a good idea to introduce the third pace before you turn him away for the winter.

If you have the experience and the facility to lunge him you could start the canter transition on the lunge when he doesn’t have the weight of a rider to contend with. But be careful, don’t let him rush and only ask for a circle or two at the most.  Lunging a young horse incorrectly can be very damaging and not helpful.

If you are riding him, then choose a flat area with good ground and ride a very large circle.  From walk ask for a slow, balanced trot with the correct bend and prepare as if you are going to make a transition back to walk.  Instead of making that downward transition, ask him to canter without trotting any faster.  He cannot pick up canter out of a running trot. I teach my young horses to respond to the word “canter”, you can then use this to start with so that he understands the normal aids.

If you are sitting correctly, inside leg straight down, outside leg back from the knee, hips and shoulders on the axis of the circle and if you have a contact on the outside rein, then he should lead with the correct inside foreleg but at this stage I would not be too demanding about that.  Remember that the horse pushes off into canter with the outside hind leg so this must be active and his hind quarters should not swing out.  If you are requiring the right leading leg it sometimes helps to turn a small walk circle on the right rein, before asking for the transition and visa versa.

Don’t over do the cantering and try to make it an enjoyable experience for him so that you can both look forward to furthering his education after his winter break.

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