Canter Walk transitions

[Jezzerbell]

Hi new to the forum and just wondering if peeps can help me with canter walk transitions. Horse is currently working novice but only has about 8 pts left, has done handful of elem so far. Have started canter walk transitions with instructor and can achieve them with a few trot steps inbetween. Will this progress to a direct transition or any ideas how I can help the spotty one become more direct? Also at elem is it acceptable to have 2/3 trot steps thought I read this somewhere ?

 

[kerilli]

i think a couple of trot strides are okay but obv not ideal.
i had a real 'lightbulb moment' about these years ago. until you can get the canter engaged and SLOW enough (i.e. walk speed more or less) before you ask for the transition, the horse will always want to go forward more because of its balance/weight going forward - hope i'm explaining this okay.
the first time i realised this and got the canter at walk speed, then asked for the transition, the horse found it easy to just walk.
a good exercise i was taught was 10m canter circle at end of school with transition on centre line facing end of school, change bend, 10m canter circle again. the fact that the horse is facing the end of the school helps back it off more.
hope those help.

 

[Jezzerbell]

Thanks for that will try it out this afternoon - if its not tipping down with rain by then! Have been slowing the canter but think I probably need to get it even slower so will give it a go. Cheers

 

[jenh166]

[ QUOTE ]
a good exercise i was taught was 10m canter circle at end of school with transition on centre line facing end of school, change bend, 10m canter circle again. the fact that the horse is facing the end of the school helps back it off more.
hope those help.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's exactly what I was going to suggest! Or if changing the rein each time is a bit difficult, can do a collected slow canter on 20m circle then turn up centre line and do transition. then just slowly re-establish another collected canter and repeat. The actual movement of turning gets their back end even more underneath them and really helps. I am riding a stubborn connemara at elementary at the mo and he learnt this really quickly!