Ask The Trainer

I have a three year old mare who consistently bucks at the canter. I have rule out physical ailments as well as ill fitting tack.
I have been working a lot on whoa, walk, trot and canter transitions. After much practice she will now pick up the canter transition without bucking or cow kicking. I would like to start working her up to a full lap of the arena at the lope. Unfortunately after a few strides she wants to quit because she has become accustom to quitting shortly after the transition as I have not asked her for more yet. So now when I ask with my leg for her to keep going she totally rounds her back hops around then if I don't take my leg off in response to her threats kicks out at my outside leg or bucks and breaks stride back to a trot. What should I do? Ride it out and push her through it or go back to transitions?
Help me Will!!

There are a number of different approaches you could take to help your mare keep loping. When you transition from a trot to a lope do not ask in the same place in the arena each time. If you always ask in the same place, she will associate that place with loping. It is ok to use her anticipation to help you get her started but anticipation can go against you also. When she lopes she probably takes a similar number of strides before she slows down, there for she is always prepared to slow in the same place each time she goes by. She is comfortable to lope in that area because it is where she always lopes and she knows she is safe to lope there. She may not know that she is always safe to lope, so by asking in a different location it will help build her confidence and stop her anticipating a slow down.
As she starts to lope just ride her for a few strides and then start to push her with your body. Do not ask with leg but keep a loping motion in your body and expect her to maintain it for a few strides longer than the last time. It is important to start pushing her BEFORE she makes up her mind to stop. When you use your leg after she has stopped, it is too late to ask her to maintain her gait. If you use too much leg she will feel like she is being picked on because she was allowed to stop. If she does slow before you want, trot her a few strides then transition her back to a lope and be more prepared to push her the next time.
There is also the possibility that she just knows what she can get away with. When asking for a response from your horse do not ask if you are not prepared to make her do it. For example when you use your leg to keep her going she gets annoyed and acts up. If you do not see your cue through to the response, you asked for you have unknowingly rewarded her for refusing. If you get to the point where you are asking and she is refusing you need to do as much as it takes to get the desired response. Do not pick a fight unless you are willing to finish it also. If you start on this path and you are unable to get what you want it will become more difficult each time she is allowed to refuse. It is not about winning or losing but more about who is truly in control.

Will Clinging 2004 (c)

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