A very very happy lesson report!

T

Thelwell_Girl

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Today was the best lesson I've had in a long time :)

Started off a bit slow... We had the yard helper's christmas sleepover last night at my house, so we were all pretty shattered!

I was given the choice of my beloved Bonnie or Pally today - I chose Pally :)

She is so so lovely! Really nicely forward when she gets going :rolleyes: Did have a few little bucks when she realised that yes, I was carrying a whip, and that yes, I would use it if I needed to!

Warmed her up nicely, and worked on getting a good rhythm going, as she tends to rush off, and gets quite strong. Once we were working a bit more calmly and softly, we had a canter. And WHAT a canter! She really takes you somewhere, and only needs a small amount of encouragement to go past the ride.

We did lots of transition work, and I know I need to work on my downwards transitions, particularly canter-trot... Any tips on making a smooth canter-trot transition?

In our canter, we focussed a lot on me not collapsing my inside, sitting deep and tall, and getting me using inside leg to outside rein, I think. I could really feel the difference when I kept more of a contact, she actually went into the corners, and kept up the pace. What I do need to work on is trying to stop my upper body moving so much, and keeping my hands still!

Instructor said my position was a lot better, and that my legs position was perfect! :D

I was also so so proud of my friend.. She was riding a horse she normally really struggles with, but she did so well, and the mare went perfectly. I really admire her :)
~
All in all, a very good lesson :) I feel like Ive got my confidence back!

As always, thank you for reading!

TG xx
 
Sounds good!

RE the canter-trot transition: a transition will only be as good as the pace that preceeds it. So focus on getting a nice balanced canter that is active but not rushing. Half halt about two strides before you ask for the change of pace, to encourage the horse to step under with their back legs, and to let them know that you're about to ask a question. This should be an aid from your legs as well as your hands and seat. When you ask for the transition itself, keep your legs wrapped around the horse.

A correct downwards transition can actually be more demanding for the horse than a correct upwards one, because they have to arrest their momentum. You therefore need to give plenty of warning and ask from a pace that is active but not rushing.

You also need to ask with your legs and seat as well as hands. If you 'pull' a horse down from canter to trot he will drop onto his forehand, trot in a ragged and unbalanced way, and you will get a poor transition. This is also the easy way out for a lazy horse! Think about pushing into the transition, not pulling.

A responsive and balanced horse should change pace from just a seat aid, but this is a bit much to expect from an RS horse and not-so-experienced rider. However, you can get ready for this by working on your seat - on keeping your bottom in the saddle and absorbing the horse's movement.

Hope that helps - sorry if too detailed :D
 
Sounds great! :D re. the canter-trot transition something I always have to remind myself is to keep your shoulders back during the transition and also look up and look where you're going. If you find yourself looking down and subsequently tipping forwards you'll all collapse down into trot instead of keeping moving forwards into trot if that makes sense. I'm rubbish at transitions involving canter both up and down (!) usually because I look down, tip forwards and generally collapse in a heap! :)
 
Woohoo good lessons are the best :P

The best piece of advice I have been given for downward transitions is: think UP with your shoulders & cheast as you ask for the transition this stops you collapsing and helps 'hold the horse up'
not literally but helps discourage the 'dive onto the forehand and fall over' manouver :)

I second all of Steorras advice about the quality of the canter etc

Another way of looking / thinking about it is you want the canter before hand to be a bit shorter and more bouncy (ie horse sitting up more with back end under) then ride forward and UP into the transition so don't think/ look down at all.
The whole use your leg which = accelerator to slow sounds counter-intuative but does work.

I try and think of my transitions like this as I have /had (hopefully) the bad habit of riding downward transitions into the ground... :)
 
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