Back up the bus for a minute –

Before you blame the horse for not cantering, make sure that
You aren’t doing anything wrong – Are you asking properly?

If you are out of balance,
lack confidence or kicking and pulling – clashing your aids your horse may be confused and not want to do it.

That the horse is not hurt in any way. – if your horse is in pain somewhere – saddle, stone, bit it may be enough that the horse may not want to canter.
. The area you are in is too small. A small circle, arena or bad footing may not allow the horse to canter.

If those things seem to be in order…

Finding it difficult to canter? Without forward energy, the horse has no ‘gas’ to propel him into a gait that calls for greater physical effort than the walk or trot. Remember – *forward* does not mean faster.

Here’s my tip – put up a small jump in the corner of the area you’re working in. That may help your horse pop up into the canter. The addition of a small jump may help the horse *jump* up into a canter rather than run flat to the canter.
Let us know how you did!

The horse should not ‘run’ into the canter. When your “green” horse rushes into the canter it usually means they are not strong enough to PUSH and lift themselves into the new gait.

You can help strengthen your horse by doing other exercises like, walking up/down hills, walking over poles.

Your canter aid needs to be clear as well. Inside leg on the girth and outside leg behind the girth. This makes it clear to the horse that something new is happening.

The rider stretches the leg down along the horse’s barrel then ‘lifts’ with the lower part of the leg as the horse’s back rounds and lifts. This doesn’t mean bringing your heels up. This means thinking of bringing your horse’s barrel up to meet your seat.

Stretching your inside leg down and around the horse’s barrel helps the rider sit deep in the saddle and not fall forward or back with the upper body.

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Related article: Why are canter leads important