Standardbreds + Cantering

[concise]

Okie dokes, so. My horse was a pacer on the track for about two years, where they forebode cantering. Now that he's my little pleasure horse, we need to work on that. I have some idea of where to start...but not much. What we've done so far: Having his land in a canter from a small crossrail jump, or simply asking for the canter in corners, where

Comments

[fishwithfeet]

I would use the corner to ask for the canter and if he didn't pick up, or picked up the incorrect lead we'd slow down, circle back to the corner and I'd ask again. I'd say "can-TER", use the leg aid, but keep him (sort of) collected so he wouldn't just stretch out into a ground pounding trot or pace.
For the most part this seemed to work and eventually he learned that cantering was a Good Thing. Always praise.
Once we got that figured out we worked on collection and balance. Honestly, I would be happy with him if we made it once around our "ring" which was little more than a dirt track in the paddock and far from level, so he had a lot of factors working against him.

I cannot stress enough the idea of keeping collection so he won't go flailing all over the place. He won't be very balanced so you need to help him be balanced until he builds up the correct muscles to allow him to canter. But at the same time he needs the impulsion from behind so you need to keep your leg on him (this is me just remembering how I would help my STB into a canter) and sit up. I found that it sometimes helped if I raised my inside rein a bit to prevent him from dropping his shoulder as we made the turn.

Edited (again) to fix some things and add more thoughts.

[concise]

When I put my leg on him to encourage to keep the canter, he TURBOs his hind legs and takes off into a hand gallop. I barely even squeeze to encourage, because he is so sensitive to leg, but he still takes off.

[fishwithfeet]

Maybe use the hand gallop to your advantage then. Squeeze and release on the reins and sit up to encourage him to slow down. Half halts are your friend. How much contact do you have with his mouth?

[concise]

Steady contact, if I was to have minimal contact...he takes advantage and takes off. We were working on collection about two weeks before we began canter work, and he's a pro. He just becomes really stubborn at the canter with collection.