transitions-help please

[fionahogg]

Hi Heather

Sorry to be a pain but I am having some difficulty with my canter-trot transitions. My horses canter is usually quite short and tense and so when it comes to a transition he usually breaks, leans on the hand, overbends etc and it takes me about 10-15 secs to get him back again and usually tension begins to build up from there. I have the feeling that the transition is more of a backwards movement (if u know what i mean) and as if i am putting too much effort into it, using too much rein etc. I have tried repeating them but my horse tenses up and tells me where to go!!!!!
Any suggestions welcome as this prob is ruining otherwise very nice work from my horse.
(P.S i usually ride off his back when first in canter, another thing out on a hack his canter is nice, long stride etc etc.)

[Heather]

HI Fiona,

How old is your horse? I presume you are talking downward transitions here? My younger horse Dougal used to lean dreadfully on the hand in a downward transition from canter to trot, but he had a rather long, fairly flat canter which contributed greatly to it. Through much work on transitions, yes, despite quite a lot of tension, and a tendency to really bore down against the hand (to which we responded by raising the hands, and therefore lifting the bit slightly upwards in the mouth, making it more difficult for him to lean)his canter is now actually his best pace! It is beautifully light, uphill, and his downward transitions aree getting better by the week.

Persevere, usually it will come OK in the end.


Heather