Walk to canter

[Sarah]

hello!

I am trying to get Tango to do walk to canter transitions. Sometimes it works well and she sets off in a lovely slow steady canter, but other times she will do a couple of rushed trot strides then break into a nice canter. The quality of the canter is much better than we get from a trot to canter transition (which tends to be trot, rushed trot charge then canter charge then steady into a more sensible canter).

As we are just starting to do this, is it acceptable to have the couple of rushed trot steps in the middle, or should I be trying to make sure that she steps straight into the canter. Or will this just sort itself out with time when she sees what i am trying to ask her to do?

bye!

[Sue Carnell]

Heather is away in Wales until Saturday, so I'll try to answer questions for her. She may get to a PC tonight and give her own reply, but just in case. It's probably not a good idea to let Tango fall into canter from a rushed trot. It would be better to bring her back to walk and try again. If she understands voice aids for canter use them too. It could help to teach her walk to canter out on a hack, or maybe put a pole on a corner of the school and ask for the canter as she steps to go over it, or perhaps even start on the lunge. As you do often get good transitions from walk to canter, you must be on the right track, so better to go for a quality transition and calmly bring her back to walk to set yourself up again, if it goes wrong, than accept a rushed trot and a racing on the forehand canter.

Sue
sue@eclipse.co.uk

[Heather]

Nt gone yet, folks, tomorrow very early! Actually Sue, we will shortly get the chance to help out with Tango's canter in person, because Sarah is bringing her on the next seminar!


Heather

[Sarah]

hello!

Thanks Sue and Heather.

Hmm, looks like i should give trying to get this right a rest and let you two help me in a few days time.

See you soon.

bye!