Riding a horse that bucks at the canter is not just unsettling - it’s downright frightening!
And once it happens, it can create a vicious cycle of tension and anxiety for both you and your horse.
Before long, you’re both bracing at the thought of picking up the canter.
A Real-Life Example: Why This Gelding Bucked at the Canter
At one of my Confident Horse and Rider clinics, a rider brought her 8-year-old paint gelding because he was bucking in the canter.
She’d already taken him to three different trainers with no success.
Like many riders, she came looking for a solution - ideally a quick fix. Fair enough.
But the truth is, behaviour like this almost always requires us to go back to basics.
In a single session, we can often uncover:
- The cause of the bucking
- The steps to start changing it
- A way to make at least one small improvement
But real transformation happens with consistent work after the clinic.
Why Horses Buck in the Canter: Common Causes
In many cases, riders or trainers focus only on the symptom/behaviour - the bucking - rather than finding and addressing the root cause.
That’s why problems persist.
Some common causes of bucking at the canter include:
- Ill-fitting tack or physical discomfort
- Tension, crookedness, or imbalance in the rider
- Tension, crookedness, or imbalance in the horse
- Lack of clear communication between horse and rider
Let’s look at what happened in this case and how we figured it out.
Step 1: Assess the Horse From the Ground
When I’m working with a horse who has a training or behaviour issue, I always begin with groundwork.
It’s the best way to safely observe their physical and emotional state.
For this gelding, I started with lunging so I could assess how he moved on his own.
Here’s what I looked for:
1. Is the Horse Relaxed or Stressed?
The moment I sent him out on the lunge, he went into a fast, tense trot.
His focus was all over the place.
His owner confirmed this was how he behaved under saddle, too.
After several minutes of working with him calmly, his tension came down.
He began to walk and then trot on cue - and with softness.
I asked his owner how she’d feel riding that trot.
Her eyes lit up. “I’d love it,” she said.
That’s the power of helping the horse relax — it changes everything.
2. Is the Horse Balanced?
A balanced horse can transition into canter without bucking, rushing, or scrambling.
When I asked this gelding to canter:
- He picked up the wrong lead
- He quickly became disunited (front legs on one lead, hind legs on another)
These are classic signs of poor balance and incorrect bend.
For example, when on the left rein, this horse had a right bend — called counter bend.
That makes it nearly impossible to canter comfortably, especially with a rider whose body is set up for a left bend.
The horse and rider end up working against each other — both off balance and tense.
Bucking and tension during the canter transition often stem from imbalance, tightness, or miscommunication between horse and rider.
3. Does the Horse Respond to the Bend Cue?
When you’re riding correctly from your seat and leg, your horse should soften into the bend - especially from your lower leg or seat.
To test this from the ground, I stood beside the horse and gently pressed where the rider’s leg would go.
Instead of softening, he braced against the pressure.
This resistance means:
- He’s bracing against the rider under saddle, too
- His neck, back, and barrel are tight
- He can’t bend, balance, or move freely
No wonder he bucked when asked to canter.
Testing bend from the ground: if a horse braces here, he’ll likely brace under saddle too.
The Solution? Go Back to the Basics
"I can now be with my horse without being afraid. Thanks for your passion to help your fellow equestrians on this most wonderful but often challenging journey."
— Sarah B., California, USA
🟡 You can feel this way too - it all starts with helping your horse (and yourself) feel balanced and ready.
There was no quick fix here. But there was a clear path forward.
Before this horse was ready to canter under saddle again, he needed to be able to:
- Walk and trot calmly and in balance
- Respond softly to seat and leg cues for bend
- Make smooth, tension-free transitions
Only once he could do that consistently - first on the lunge, then under saddle - would he be ready to canter again.
And when he was ready, the focus would stay on helping him remain relaxed, supple, and connected.
Bucking Isn’t Disobedience - It’s Communication
When your horse bucks in the canter, he’s not being bad - he’s telling you something isn’t right.
Maybe he’s confused.
Maybe he’s uncomfortable.
Maybe he’s just trying to stay upright.
Whatever the reason, the answer isn’t to push harder.
It’s to pause, reassess, and go back to the foundation.
👉 Read this next: Why It’s Okay to Dismount If Your Horse Acts Up
You’re allowed to stop, regroup, and rebuild — and sometimes that’s the most confident thing you can do.
Want Help Rebuilding the Foundation?
If you’re dealing with bucking, tension, or fear at the canter - and you’re tired of guessing - there is help.
Through coaching, groundwork, and mindset support, I help mid-life horsewomen like you:
- Get clear on what’s really going wrong
- Rebuild their confidence
- Deepen their connection and strengthen their partnership with their horse
👉 Click here to learn about 1:1 coaching or my Horse Riding Confidence Club
You don’t have to fix this alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bucking is often a sign that something feels wrong to your horse.
It could be caused by pain, imbalance, confusion, or tension - either in your horse’s body, your riding position, or both.
Bucking isn’t defiance. It’s communication.
It depends. If you or your horse are tense, continuing may make things worse.
Sometimes, the best next step is to dismount, reassess, and go back to basics.
Start by assessing from the ground.
Look at your horse’s relaxation, balance, and response to cues.
Build softness and bend at the walk and trot first.
Don’t ask for canter again until your horse is ready - calm, balanced, and listening.
Yes — absolutely.
Groundwork helps you assess physical and emotional tension, improve your horse’s balance, and build trust.
It’s the foundation for safe, relaxed movement under saddle - especially at faster gaits like the canter.
Cantering Doesn’t Have to Feel Scary
Want to Canter Without Tension or Fear?
My How to Canter With Confidence masterclass helps you:
✅ Calm your nerves before and during the canter
✅ Understand what your horse needs to stay relaxed
✅ Ride the canter with clarity, balance, and confidence
🎥 Self-paced video training
🐴 Designed for adult riders
💬 No fluff. Just practical, proven techniques that work.
I used your tip for folks who fear certain transitions. We moved into a glorious, athletic, but not wild, ground-swallowing canter... over and over again!
Charlotte M., ON, Canada
