This question gets asked a lot. LOL. This is my standard answer to it, I was taught by a grand prix dressage rider. I don't know your or your horses levels of fitness, so I have kept it basic ;-)
To get your horse "collected" your horse must be truly working on the bit and engaging their hind quarters without false aids. If you pull your horses head in with your hands (I'm not a fan of sea-sawing on a horses mouth or the pulse) when you release the pressure then the horses head pokes back up and out.
You need to drive a horse forward with your seat and legs and maintain a contact on the reins. Think of a tube of cream, if you squeeze without the lid on it will squirt out, if you put the lid on then it will move to the top of the tube and fill the area. But if you close the lid really tight and then squeeze the tube it will explode.
You horse is the same, if you don't hold some contact with your reins then when you squeeze she will just go quicker. If you pull her head in and kick hard then his energy will explode out in some way. You need to maintain contact with the reins and apply your seat and legs, get that hind quarter working hard and she will figure out it is much nicer to accept the bit.
With the above I would also assume your horse has a certain level of fitness, it would be very hard for a horse who does not have enough muscle to maintain that position. Think of it like going to the gym for the first time in a year, she will be sore. Do small amounts each ride and build it up.
You can lunge with side reins, but the same applies, start with short sessions and SLOWLY build her up, also start with the side reins quite loose and slowly tighten them until you have her vertical, no more. You also need to lunge in a good working trot so they engage and work properly. The side reins are especially good if you don't feel you have steady hands, you don't want to be jagging at her mouth each stride. They are a tool and if used correctly can be kinder than a rider with hard hands.
Just remember the horses hind legs must be working as hard if not harder than the front. Your horse can be round but not be on the bit, you really want your horse on the bit. So this is not about getting your horses head in, it is about making his hind quarters work hard enough. When you get it right your horse will be soft on the reins.
Take it all slowly, if you don't lay a good foundation, then the house will fall down. You need to have your horse supple and responsive. As to how long it will take, it will depend on her level of fitness and the amount of work you put into her.
Some horses cannot achieve "round" so really having their head vertical can still be on the bit, as long as that hind quarter is working hard enough. You ride with your seat not your hands, when your legs are sore you will be doing it correctly, you will need to condition yourself, just like you will your horses muscles.
Watch a horse lunging with side reins on, they are just tight enough to have the head just before vertical (as above, do it slow). While you lunge, the horse learns to keep her head in just before the bit contact or she is fighting himself. So the same applies to your hands, hold a steady contact, don't pull or saw, if she wants to fight the bit she is pulling on herself. But you need to have good steady hands.
Without leg pressure the horse would naturally want to stop. So you need to maintain enough pressure with you legs and seat to drive her forward into a working trot that engages the hind quarters. You WILL feel the difference when she is working correctly and your smile will be huge ;-) She will be light on the contact and will be working forward from behind.
If you don't have an instructor already, you will get great benefits from one. They are great at encouraging you to keep working hard. I have an instructor and she has one.. and so on. Sometimes I can only get to a lesson once every 2 months. She sees things from the ground that I don't see and picks up any small little things that can develop into bad habits.
In the beginning you have a lot going on at the same time and it is easy to concentrate on one thing and then another thing slips. LOL. You need to keep riding with your legs and not your hands. As you get tired your seat becomes lazy ;-) It just takes practice to get all the balls juggling at once.
It will take time so be patient, only attempt to collect her for a minute or two. When she does it, reward her by stopping and a big rub. Set yourself up for success and always end on a good note, you might get 10 seconds more the next day ;-) You can also try for 3 or 4, 30 second periods, as you will both need to build fitness.
Work him in 20 meter circles when you're cantering so he has nowhere to really go. Do some half halts and really use your seat to slow him down (sit tall in the saddle with your chest and chin high!). The deeper you sit, the slower he'll go. The slower he'll go, the easier time you'll have collecting him (But don't forget, at the same time, to keep him forward enough that his impulsion is coming from his hind legs... Having him start the canter from a completely stopped or walking position will help him push off with his hind legs and use them more, or sometimes backing him up right before going into the canter). Also, to help with collection, instead of just pulling your horse's nose in (which we all do sometimes!), try pushing him INTO collection... Ask him for forward as you try to collect. It's not really an easy concept to explain, it'd help to have a lesson or two with someone who can point out all the small things!
In addition to what the other answerers said. I have a horse who does not like contact or shortening his stride. If you jump, gymanastics are great because they force him to shorten his stride in order to pick up his feet. However, my personal facorite is the cat whisker canter poles. Put one pole down and two more on each side at an angle like cat whiskers. This will help with your aids so that when you go back to reg. poles you can keep him going, have him focus on turning and picking up his feet rather than speeding up, and he cant really turn that tight that quickly. Start with trotting it to work on your aids maybe 3 rotations at a time. If it helps with your aids enough, you might be able to just canter the reg. canter poles.
Ok, This is a processed thing. You cant just go out and make your horse collect when cantering. You need to work with him on collecting when stopped, then once theyre doing good with that then walk, Trot, Then canter. If your horse already knows how to collect at stand, walk, trot then you have it made.
To make them collect heres the steps: When stopped do a see saw motion with your hands. If your horse trys to back up then keep a little bit of leg on him. When your horse drops his head, release. Then do it again and keep it a little longer. Keep on doing that until you see saw and instantly he drops his head and holds it (you need to tell him to hold it though). You can then try it at a walk. After asking him to collect with see sawing then just keep the pressure on. When going around a left turn (same with the right but left is just an example) use your left hand to steer and keep your right hand lower then the left and kind of 'bump' him. Same concept with the trot. By the time your cantering he should have it down pretty well. When cantering in a circle keep the pressure on both reins then put more pressure on the left rein (or right, depending on the way your going) so he knows which way to go.
It's easiest to get your canter on the corners kicked with both legs and open your outside reign, it helps to say canter or kiss or cluck your tongue. Sit on your but and ride the canter once u have it check your lead and if ur on the wrong lead trot it out wait for your corner and pick it up again.
The same way you collect any gait: you increase the engagement of the hindquarters without increasing your speed, so that the horse's energy becomes expressed in more elevation, suspension and cadence.
First you should try to slow him down. Very gently pull on the reins, then sit back in your seat a bit. If that doesn't work, then try do gently squeeze with your legs.
You can also try to get him to do a fast trot then he'll probably try to speed up gradually. Try to keep him at a nice speed.
Comments
This question gets asked a lot. LOL. This is my standard answer to it, I was taught by a grand prix dressage rider. I don't know your or your horses levels of fitness, so I have kept it basic ;-)
To get your horse "collected" your horse must be truly working on the bit and engaging their hind quarters without false aids. If you pull your horses head in with your hands (I'm not a fan of sea-sawing on a horses mouth or the pulse) when you release the pressure then the horses head pokes back up and out.
You need to drive a horse forward with your seat and legs and maintain a contact on the reins. Think of a tube of cream, if you squeeze without the lid on it will squirt out, if you put the lid on then it will move to the top of the tube and fill the area. But if you close the lid really tight and then squeeze the tube it will explode.
You horse is the same, if you don't hold some contact with your reins then when you squeeze she will just go quicker. If you pull her head in and kick hard then his energy will explode out in some way. You need to maintain contact with the reins and apply your seat and legs, get that hind quarter working hard and she will figure out it is much nicer to accept the bit.
With the above I would also assume your horse has a certain level of fitness, it would be very hard for a horse who does not have enough muscle to maintain that position. Think of it like going to the gym for the first time in a year, she will be sore. Do small amounts each ride and build it up.
You can lunge with side reins, but the same applies, start with short sessions and SLOWLY build her up, also start with the side reins quite loose and slowly tighten them until you have her vertical, no more. You also need to lunge in a good working trot so they engage and work properly. The side reins are especially good if you don't feel you have steady hands, you don't want to be jagging at her mouth each stride. They are a tool and if used correctly can be kinder than a rider with hard hands.
Just remember the horses hind legs must be working as hard if not harder than the front. Your horse can be round but not be on the bit, you really want your horse on the bit. So this is not about getting your horses head in, it is about making his hind quarters work hard enough. When you get it right your horse will be soft on the reins.
Take it all slowly, if you don't lay a good foundation, then the house will fall down. You need to have your horse supple and responsive. As to how long it will take, it will depend on her level of fitness and the amount of work you put into her.
Some horses cannot achieve "round" so really having their head vertical can still be on the bit, as long as that hind quarter is working hard enough. You ride with your seat not your hands, when your legs are sore you will be doing it correctly, you will need to condition yourself, just like you will your horses muscles.
Watch a horse lunging with side reins on, they are just tight enough to have the head just before vertical (as above, do it slow). While you lunge, the horse learns to keep her head in just before the bit contact or she is fighting himself. So the same applies to your hands, hold a steady contact, don't pull or saw, if she wants to fight the bit she is pulling on herself. But you need to have good steady hands.
Without leg pressure the horse would naturally want to stop. So you need to maintain enough pressure with you legs and seat to drive her forward into a working trot that engages the hind quarters. You WILL feel the difference when she is working correctly and your smile will be huge ;-) She will be light on the contact and will be working forward from behind.
If you don't have an instructor already, you will get great benefits from one. They are great at encouraging you to keep working hard. I have an instructor and she has one.. and so on. Sometimes I can only get to a lesson once every 2 months. She sees things from the ground that I don't see and picks up any small little things that can develop into bad habits.
In the beginning you have a lot going on at the same time and it is easy to concentrate on one thing and then another thing slips. LOL. You need to keep riding with your legs and not your hands. As you get tired your seat becomes lazy ;-) It just takes practice to get all the balls juggling at once.
It will take time so be patient, only attempt to collect her for a minute or two. When she does it, reward her by stopping and a big rub. Set yourself up for success and always end on a good note, you might get 10 seconds more the next day ;-) You can also try for 3 or 4, 30 second periods, as you will both need to build fitness.
Good luck with your horse ;-)
Work him in 20 meter circles when you're cantering so he has nowhere to really go. Do some half halts and really use your seat to slow him down (sit tall in the saddle with your chest and chin high!). The deeper you sit, the slower he'll go. The slower he'll go, the easier time you'll have collecting him (But don't forget, at the same time, to keep him forward enough that his impulsion is coming from his hind legs... Having him start the canter from a completely stopped or walking position will help him push off with his hind legs and use them more, or sometimes backing him up right before going into the canter). Also, to help with collection, instead of just pulling your horse's nose in (which we all do sometimes!), try pushing him INTO collection... Ask him for forward as you try to collect. It's not really an easy concept to explain, it'd help to have a lesson or two with someone who can point out all the small things!
In addition to what the other answerers said. I have a horse who does not like contact or shortening his stride. If you jump, gymanastics are great because they force him to shorten his stride in order to pick up his feet. However, my personal facorite is the cat whisker canter poles. Put one pole down and two more on each side at an angle like cat whiskers. This will help with your aids so that when you go back to reg. poles you can keep him going, have him focus on turning and picking up his feet rather than speeding up, and he cant really turn that tight that quickly. Start with trotting it to work on your aids maybe 3 rotations at a time. If it helps with your aids enough, you might be able to just canter the reg. canter poles.
Ok, This is a processed thing. You cant just go out and make your horse collect when cantering. You need to work with him on collecting when stopped, then once theyre doing good with that then walk, Trot, Then canter. If your horse already knows how to collect at stand, walk, trot then you have it made.
To make them collect heres the steps: When stopped do a see saw motion with your hands. If your horse trys to back up then keep a little bit of leg on him. When your horse drops his head, release. Then do it again and keep it a little longer. Keep on doing that until you see saw and instantly he drops his head and holds it (you need to tell him to hold it though). You can then try it at a walk. After asking him to collect with see sawing then just keep the pressure on. When going around a left turn (same with the right but left is just an example) use your left hand to steer and keep your right hand lower then the left and kind of 'bump' him. Same concept with the trot. By the time your cantering he should have it down pretty well. When cantering in a circle keep the pressure on both reins then put more pressure on the left rein (or right, depending on the way your going) so he knows which way to go.
Good luck, Hope this helps!
It's easiest to get your canter on the corners kicked with both legs and open your outside reign, it helps to say canter or kiss or cluck your tongue. Sit on your but and ride the canter once u have it check your lead and if ur on the wrong lead trot it out wait for your corner and pick it up again.
The same way you collect any gait: you increase the engagement of the hindquarters without increasing your speed, so that the horse's energy becomes expressed in more elevation, suspension and cadence.
Half-Halt him. Squeeze with your legs so that he keeps cantering, but also give a little squeeze on the reins.
First you should try to slow him down. Very gently pull on the reins, then sit back in your seat a bit. If that doesn't work, then try do gently squeeze with your legs.
You can also try to get him to do a fast trot then he'll probably try to speed up gradually. Try to keep him at a nice speed.
Hope I helped!