AN OUTLINE TROUGH TRANSITIONS -- HELP

[Frazer]

I have a 9 year old tb, very good! Jumps etc... Works in a good outline and enages her hindquatres very well! Good dressage horse really but im into jumping. She will work on an outline. She hasn't been in work long as having about 2 years off because of injury jumping. I cant get her to stay on her outline trough transitsions. I have tried nearly everthing in my knowledge, i dont ask her anything differennt just apply some leg aids. Today i put some draw reins on her for a 10 mins warmup and they did very well in walk and trot but going into canter she just flung her head about like normal. Does anyone know how to sort this out? Or anyone else have this problem. Will it look bad in riding classes.
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I have posted this in the competion rider forum but hardly anything come back , thanks to everyone who replied
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[serena2005]

i had the same probalem with my TBX mare a few years ago, but she was still learning and it came with persistance. i found that collecting her up more before i ask for an up wards or down wards transistions she learnt to balance her self much better which meant she stayed in an outline better, but it did take ages and i was having 2 lessons a week.

i do use draw reins as a training aid but try and use them as little as possible as they do more damage than good in the long run.

when you ask for a transistion give her a half halt with the out side hand, to begin with do it lightly, if you get no response then give her a strong half halt, try and sit a little deeper into the saddle and (as my instructor says) drive them up, so they go from their backend and dont fall into the transition, therefore not working in an outline.

if iv confused you please say, and this is just my own experiences so please no one have a go if you dont agree.!

 

[Claireg9]

Yep i have these problems, except my horse is very highly strung too!
If i gather her up, she goes choppy and short strides which naturally brings her head up and makes her track up even less!
Its so frustrating! I have had some success in walk to trott... once in an outline and feeling quite elastic, ask for trott, but try keeping your hands wide apart, i say this alot but it is one method that has worked wonders for me.. anyway this prevents you from pulling back but keeps an even contact and allows them to feel free enough to trott, she keeps her head down most of the time but will occassionally fall onto the forehand, but thats to do with me my leg and hands arent quite strong enough all the time and my instructor has much better results than me. But hey thats why im having lessons with her as ive got to a stage where i can not get anyfurther, i have run out of ideas.
Each time they go hollow and mess about ask them to stop almost before they've started, eventually they get the idea, but i do have this argument every time i ride still! Canter is a totally different ball game that she has got no where near close to mastering yet, whether it starts well or badly the canter after is always rubbish!
grrrr
That said id do anything to ride at the moment as my little girl is having a two week break due to a suspected back injury

Good luck i hope you work it out x

 

[AmyMay]

One of the most common problems with cantering is that we can tend to strangle the horse in an effort to 'keep' them on the bit.

Try doing the decrease / increase circle excercise - ask the horse to spiral in and then leg yield out - soften inside hand and canter. It's a really good technique.

She may fling her head up through habit - but hopefully will start to soften. And transitions are the key and walk to canter is especially useful.