Can anyone tell me as to how much cantering is done in the stage 1. With the type of horses used I am really nervous that I will not be able to get them to move to canter as they will be the typical school horse. Will you be marked down if the horse refuses to listen to your aids and would'nt canter ??. I'm so determined (and worried !!) about this that I would'nt take my exam until next June as I'm goingn to practise until I have this right.

I had the exact same fear. I have this terrible tendency to lose my stirrups if I have to start kicking at canter. The break into canter was the only thing I was nervous about. Though I have to say the horses where I did my stage 1 were beautifully schooled and broke into canter at the push of the button. When I did my stage two in a different place the horses were of equally good quality.
Any horse I rode in an exam was very well schooled and never sluggish.
Good Luck!