Training to lope??

[ShesWhiskyInaTeacup]

Hi all, I want to get more into the timed event side of the mini world, we have the in-hand stuff down great, but running into issues with speeds faster then a road trot in my hyperbike. Our first comes course ever a few years ago and my mini happily went into a canter all on her own, but now she just starts bucking after a few strides. I've ruled out pain, misalignment and all the usual suspects, I also have the bucking straps. I can't tell if it's an "excited" buck, or an "I don't want to do this" buck. She lopes/canters/gallops just fine on the lunge line.

How does one train that it's ok to lope/canter in a cart?
Coming from a large horse background, I immediately think to lunge, but can someone safely lunge with a cart attached?

Any ideas would be appreciated!

 

[LostandFound]

I don't drive so I'm not much help, but I have seen trainers lunge with a training travois, which might be a good option.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I would never lunge with a cart attached. Recipe for disaster.
How much of a buck? Bucking and not stopping? A couple of crowhops?
Would a cue of the whip bring her back to paying attention?
It is odd that she does not want to canter/lope; perhaps because she was corrected when loping on her own, and now she is confused.

 

[Dragon Hill]

Can you set up a situation where she would like to canter and just allow her to go into a canter? If she doesn't buck when it's her idea to canter, then at least you'd know it's not the canter. If she does buck, I think going to a travois would be the safest way to work it out.

 

[Suzy Q]

A lot of horses are "trained" to never canter in harness. I think that's a terrible idea, what happens when they get a little spooked, break into a canter, and then get more scared because they've never felt the cart or the harness in a canter before? Recipe for disaster! Anywho, she might be bucking for any of a number of reasons. Break it down into tiny steps. You said she canters ok on the lunge - does she respond quickly and quietly to a command on the lunge? Does she pick up the correct lead, and canter balanced and rhythmically? If not, work on that. Does she move forward in harness from your voice commands only, or do you need to use your whip? Are her transitions prompt and athletic? If not, work on that. Then, work on getting ONE stride of canter. Go into a working trot, forward but not fast. Use the verbal cue you use on the lunge for cantering. As soon as she gives you ONE stride, praise her verbally, come back down to a trot, and then end your session. Make it a huge jackpot! Make a big fuss over her, as immediately as possible. It will help if she is in a bigger arena, so she feels able to go forward easily. If she is still struggling, you can also put her right behind another horse (ridden or driven), and have that horse canter. Sometimes the herd mentality can help them break that barrier. If she is safe enough to drive outside the arena, going up a gentle hill will also sometimes help. Good luck!

 

[ShesWhiskyInaTeacup]

Thank you all for the great ideas!

 

[Standards Equine]

@ShesWhiskyInaTeacup how are things going with canter training? A great subject and one I wonder about quite a lot with rail-class driving training. I'm working on CDE with my littles. And while both will only be entering in training level (walk-trot) we frequently school canter in the carts. I was taught at a clinic early spring that canters should be introduced early in the driving training for exactly the reasons @Suzy Q outlined.
I was thinking about the travois and lunging/ground driving. Mine pulled a tire on a rim with a single tree for quite a while before being put to a proper vehicle. Indeed they cantered pulling that tire around. I'm wondering if that could be an option for you.
Either way, I'm very curious how you've made out.

 

[ShesWhiskyInaTeacup]

Great! I started by long lining her at a canter, then started looking up a small hill.

 

[Standards Equine]

HOORAY!!! I couldn't play the video on my computer, unfortunately, not sure why... but I'm so excited that you're having success. Keep up the awesomeness!