Timing is something we all understand.  When it is working for us, it feels good.  If it's a little off, things tend to feel rushed or stressed. I think our horses feel the same mixed bag of emotions and tension when the timing is off.  In fact, bad timing often is the very thing that causes a 'hop, skip, and jump' into the canter.

So, if timing the ask of your canter transitions is so important, why can it often feel so hard?!  And why, is it that what some people say is 'easy' to feel, seems like a mystery to most riders?

Excess Tension

The first suggestion I am going to give you when it comes to timing your canter aids is to give your physical body a quick scan.  There is one reoccurring theme I see with novice riders, the world over when it comes to the canter.  Really; this one issue really trips so many riders up!

When they begin to think about canter, they allow excess tension to creep into their body as they overthink the upcoming transition. 

It can be subtle or it can be more obvious, depending on the situation and the rider.  However, it is very often there and present.  My suggestion for you when beginning to prepare your transition into the canter is to pay attention to your body.

Tension is neither good nor bad.  It just is.  And, in fact, it is essential to keep you upright on the horse!  It is when there is too much tension present for the task at hand, that the challenges show up.

One way to tell if this is happening to you is when your horse seems to either understand English (so when someone tells you to canter, he changes what he's doing). Or if he seems to read your mind. It's probably neither.  He's simply responding to you...

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