Develop the Canter Lengthening/ Medium Canter

Are you just learning how to lengthen the Canter? Do you want to know how to teach your horse to really develop his stride in the medium canter? This video takes you step by step through how to do that!

#CanterLengthening #MediumCanter #DevelopTheCanter

(FULL VIDEO DESCRIPTION BELOW LINKS)

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How to ride Medium Canter/Canter Lengthenings

After covering this topic for the trot last week, we’re naturally going to stride straight into the canter this week!

Here’s a link to the trot video in case you missed it!

The canter lengthening first appears in 1st level, and then medium canter is asked from 2nd Level to Grand Prix. The big difference between lengthening & medium canter is that medium maintains collection, but in canter lengthening, you want to show a lengthening of the stride.

The trickiest thing is the transition into and out of the medium canter but here are some tips to help you get your horse thinking about developing their canter, and help you get those all-important points this show season!

Firstly, give your horse a nice long warm-up before you start working on medium canter work.
Start on a 20m circle and pick up the canter establishing contact, tempo, and frame on an accurate circle.

Using your calf, start asking the horse for a bigger canter just for a few strides, before bringing them back again with a half-halt-give repetition.
Repeat this process and do the same in the opposite direction. 

Note! Always ask for your increase or decrease on the uphill part of the canter! 

Also important to note is the significance of your seat trajectory. Your seat moves in a circular motion as the horse’s back goes up, level and downhill with the motion of the canter. 

For collected canter, we make a circle motion, but to lengthen the canter and make the strides bigger, we swish the saddle in a longer oval from back to front of the saddle

We’re not driving from the hips for longer stride, but using your leg, pressing from the calf and swinging the hips. 

Once you are comfortable with this on the circle, you can try it on the long side. Here’s the steps to really develop the medium canter along the rail:
- Ride a really good corner. 
- Get the bend off the leg and then take the time to ride them straight and uphill. 
- Push on and ride a slower and bigger medium canter along the rail. 
- Use a small circle to bring them back from the medium canter strides
- Then go back to the rail and repeat
- You’ll eventually get to the point that the circle is not necessary and a little shoulder-fore and half-halt will bring them back to the collection. 
- Don’t over-drill this exercise as it takes a lot of building up. Shorts bursts of quality work will lead to more improvement!

Watch the video where I demonstrate this on Mercurio. He has some lovely clearly demonstrable stride lengthening but as you'll see in the video, the correct setup is important to nail the development of the gait. Have a look and let me know in the comments if you find it helpful! 
 
Thanks for watching!

[bethjenkins]

Using the mane as your indicator! Makes it so much easier to gauge then just "feel it". Great video! Thank you!

[julieanthony]

Hi from England. You make the training exercises so easy to understand I’m hooked on your videos

[deborahstuck]

Since half halt is seat then leg then hand, when you are saying half what muscles/action are you using?

[Miss-Laine]

What if they brake into the trot? My horse will do only one circle or two and then she breaks. Do I immediately ask for canter or trot for a bit and then ask?

[waynestaudt]

Can U do this with a 5 year old or is this for more advanced horses.

[beeventurus]

Again late to this party but so so useful

[joelbailey]

Thanks Amelia. Enjoyed video. Great learning instruction for me.

[LeeBertgess]

What timing! I'm just doing Mach 3 in first level. Need to refine it!

[ashgre]

I was just working on this with my coach last night! I'm showing First Level this year with my QH Paint! I'm super excited!

[zeynebozkan]

Hi Amelia. What’s the reason for the double bridle bit?

[sophie]

Loved the video but especially about using the mane as an indicator. What do you use as an indicator on a horse with a roached mane as is breed standard for Norwegian fjords?

[elizabethtitan]

So helpful! I’m in Mauritius and we are aiming to start second level this season.

[kerryobrien]

We're just at training level, and working this more at the trot, but the whole concept is great. We're doing so much better since completing the Training Scale Masterclass last year so really looking forward to a couple of schooling shows (all there is here) this summer. Along with Working EQ clinic! Yay!

[xaysha]

What do you do if a horse just runs and gets super strong in the canter lengthening?

[sophie]

At 6 minutes and 57 seconds into the video, you said ". . . collect and then leg uphill LEAN UP forward bigger, forward, bigger, forward...' What do you mean by that 'Lean up' part"

[vickiosgood]

Hi Amelia and team. Another great video. Thanku. You mentioned shoulder fore a few times. I have been wondering could you please explain shoulder fore or if you have a video I am unable to find it. Why and how do you use it, what is the difference to shoulder in? I am a visual learner so hope there’s a video. Thanku, you are a gem! Vick from Oz.

[kl]

Heyy Amelia! Thanks so much for this video!
How do I not bounce in sitting trot?? ♥️♥️♥️

[deniseclark]

This was very helpful as I am working on first level. Thank you

[jackdiodato]

Really nice video. You taught the lesson well. I enjoyed it.

[rkrfarm]

Love this video, and I can't wait to use the mane. First Level here we come! Thank you!