Relax the canter

Yesterday I went to watch cross country at the Tonimbuk Horse Trials. I walked away with a glaring message "get your horse to relax in the canter".

I jump on Princess, do a warm up and ask for canter right. This is her good side. I can feel that she's walking a fine line between almost being relaxed, and wanting to bolt away from me. "Relaxed" does not mean long rein, with head drooping between the knees. In fact, I have her on a very short rein, but her body feels almost relaxed. Almost. I encourage her to bring her right leg more underneath itself. She yields. It feels nice. I ask. She yields. Softer still. I look up. We're cantering on a 10metre circle! Wow! Job done. Back to trot.

I ask for canter left. The bad side. Here, she feels on the "bolting" side of that fine line. But she's not too far from the fine line. I try and fiddle, but I'm not sure that I'm getting anywhere. She's not bolting off, so I can't be doing too much damage, but I'm obviously not doing that much good either. I go large and just try to maintain what I have. Then back to trot.