Transistions

[laceyfreckle]

my connemara x loan pony is lazy when being schooled. He needs a fair amount of leg unless he realises you actually want and are going to get him to work lol. if you back up the leg with a schooling whip/crop it helps.

Anyway when going up transitions he can be very lazy and will quite often need to be 'told' rather then 'asked' to go up. anyway when he does he has a habit of what feels like lifting his front end up a lot and heaving himself into the trot or canter. Doesn't feel like a rear more like he sits back a little on his haunches to propel himself forwards. i have got used to him doing it now (sometimes accompanied by a headshake because he's peeved) but just wondering what/why he's actually doing it and how to prevent it so much. I do try and push his paces on to be more forward but it is easier done then said with him lol. Sometimes he seems a little confused about what aids mean what. (has always been a jumping pony rather then being schooled on the flat much)

[LMayhewtx]

It sounds like your pony is rebalancing himself so he can do the upward transition with a little hop. Hopefully there is someone more knowledgeable who can comment in more detail. I do know in some cases - like walk to canter - the horse does move upwards before going forwards to lift himself into the gait. In walk to canter, at least, this is ideal because it means the horse is working off his hind end, whereas a horse that runs into canter will end up getting strung out and on the forehand.

[coss]

it sounds like you need to prepare of the transitions more. the more impulsion you have (especially trot to canter) the better as your horse will be more engaged behind and not have to sit back to get the transtition. the more the horse steps under in walk the less they have to hop into trot. i would practise getting a more active walk, i would also do turn about the forehand (starting with one step and progressing to a 180 degree turn) and once you can turn 180 degrees then straighten after the turn and go up to trot. the back end will be more engaged and stepping under so that your horse doesn't have to sit back. the more active and stepping under the less your horse has to sit back.
However as LMayhewtx says in more direct transitions you are more likely to get that bounce. i would do a lot of transitions (as in 15 steps walk - 15 steps trot - 15 steps walk - 15 steps trot) and possibly do some transitions within paces (medium and collected steps added in) so that your horse in more engaged and thinks more forwards.

[laceyfreckle]

It sounds like your pony is rebalancing himself so he can do the upward transition with a little hop. Hopefully there is someone more knowledgeable who can comment in more detail. I do know in some cases - like walk to canter - the horse does move upwards before going forwards to lift himself into the gait. In walk to canter, at least, this is ideal because it means the horse is working off his hind end, whereas a horse that runs into canter will end up getting strung out and on the forehand.

yes it is exactly like a walk to canter transition what he does.

[laceyfreckle]

it sounds like you need to prepare of the transitions more. the more impulsion you have (especially trot to canter) the better as your horse will be more engaged behind and not have to sit back to get the transtition. the more the horse steps under in walk the less they have to hop into trot. i would practise getting a more active walk, i would also do turn about the forehand (starting with one step and progressing to a 180 degree turn) and once you can turn 180 degrees then straighten after the turn and go up to trot. the back end will be more engaged and stepping under so that your horse doesn't have to sit back. the more active and stepping under the less your horse has to sit back.
However as LMayhewtx says in more direct transitions you are more likely to get that bounce. i would do a lot of transitions (as in 15 steps walk - 15 steps trot - 15 steps walk - 15 steps trot) and possibly do some transitions within paces (medium and collected steps added in) so that your horse in more engaged and thinks more forwards.

thank you coss...will try and practise some of that. saying that it is hard to get a active pace out of him! he is very lazy. also i don't think he has done much schooling and only really knows kick to go and pull/drop reins to stop somethign we are also working on (i don't really 'do' kicking, prefer to ride quiet'. turn on the forehand could be interesting as he doesn't really know the different aids. i will try and teach him turn on the forehand from the ground first you never know it might get hi8m to 'switch on' if it because he's bored. also medium and collected will be hard going as everything he does is fairly collected apart from hacking out. his canter and trot can be as slow as his walk. he also drops out of pace quickly unless you constantly 'nag' again something else i'm working on. i am currently only schooling for about 30-45 mins as he finds it boring and difficult although his girth is sweaty even after just this amount of time. in a positive though he does 'try' to work in outline especially if 'pushed with your leg aids' into one and he does use his hindquarters to work from. i keep him on quite a loose rein to encourage him forwards and so he can balance easier.

[laceyfreckle]

it sounds like you need to prepare of the transitions more. the more impulsion you have (especially trot to canter) the better as your horse will be more engaged behind and not have to sit back to get the transtition. the more the horse steps under in walk the less they have to hop into trot. i would practise getting a more active walk, i would also do turn about the forehand (starting with one step and progressing to a 180 degree turn) and once you can turn 180 degrees then straighten after the turn and go up to trot. the back end will be more engaged and stepping under so that your horse doesn't have to sit back. the more active and stepping under the less your horse has to sit back.
However as LMayhewtx says in more direct transitions you are more likely to get that bounce. i would do a lot of transitions (as in 15 steps walk - 15 steps trot - 15 steps walk - 15 steps trot) and possibly do some transitions within paces (medium and collected steps added in) so that your horse in more engaged and thinks more forwards.

thank you coss...will try and practise some of that. saying that it is hard to get a active pace out of him! he is very lazy. also i don't think he has done much schooling and only really knows kick to go and pull/drop reins to stop somethign we are also working on (i don't really 'do' kicking, prefer to ride quiet'. turn on the forehand could be interesting as he doesn't really know the different aids. i will try and teach him turn on the forehand from the ground first you never know it might get hi8m to 'switch on' if it because he's bored. also medium and collected will be hard going as everything he does is fairly collected apart from hacking out. his canter and trot can be as slow as his walk. he also drops out of pace quickly unless you constantly 'nag' again something else i'm working on. i am currently only schooling for about 30-45 mins as he finds it boring and difficult although his girth is sweaty even after just this amount of time. in a positive though he does 'try' to work in outline especially if 'pushed with your leg aids' into one and he does use his hindquarters to work from. i keep him on quite a loose rein to encourage him forwards and so he can balance easier.

i am at the moment doing a lot of upwards and downward transitions as you said few strides of walk, few strider so trot, few stride of canter etc etc.

[Fanshawe]

I'd agree with the lots of transitions bit. Would also say forget about the outline. Not worth anything until you have the impulsion. Just keep a steady contact.

The other thing you might want to try I've used on any horse from cobs to thoroughbreds and it works a treat but takes a little bit of concentration! lol

Within the gait use the inside leg to ask for impulsion. Apply it every third stride initially as in leg, two, three, leg, two, three. If after three attempts at this he doesn't respond then give him a tap with the whip at the same time as applying the leg. Keep applying the leg every third stride. When he is moving forward better then increase the gap to every fifth stride- leg, two, three, four, five. Work on this until you have him listening.

Then when you want to change gait you do a small twinkle (very mild half halt) on both reins. Then ask with both legs. As soon as he is in trot apply the inside leg again (this ensures he knows you mean working trot and not collected) and go back to applying inside leg every third or fith stride depending on his impulsion. Don't worry if the first few times it's not much different. Eventually he will understand that the twinkle is the warning of a gait change and he will be better prepared and therefore it will be easier for him.

I hope all that makes sense! Any questions just pm me. Oh and extended trot (well slightly at least!) is a good way to keep him thinking forward. Just apply your inside leg as the outside fore goes forward and the outside leg as the inside fore goes forward. Just think of an instructor there shouting IN, OUT,IN OUT! lol Only ask for a few strides at first and give him lots of praise when he does well and also when he repsonds to your leg. Good luck!

[laceyfreckle]

thank you fanshawe....a friend watched me today and he is definitelt trying to plunge into canter from walk rather then walk - trot. i think he has been confused with the 'normal' aids so i will try with what you've written to see if it helps him.