Direct transitions help!

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Maia

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I have been working on direct transitions with my horse and he's really getting the hang of it, I think a little too well!

Homework was to establish halt trot halt/ trot halt trot transitions. Now my horse a) can be backwards thinking and b) resorts to backwards thinking when he's not entirely sure on what he is meant to do. When we started introducing these transitions default was to step back a few strides, I think partly because I was holding too much, and partly because he is a lazy turd and this was a question he wasn't entirely sure on. Spoke to instructor after a few sessions of (perfect, balanced, square!) trot halt transition, stand, pat, leg on - go backwards, leg on + growl trot, forward into trot. Instructor agreed that he needed to go forward straight away, no steps backwards, so this is what we've been working on - if he so much as thinks backwards - clout, growl, go and he is sent off in "extended" canter around the arena before nicely bring him back and asking again.

Are you still with me? OK, so here's the problem. He's clever and now confused! He will now do a perfectly square and balanced canter walk and canter halt transition, slowing and sitting in the canter for a few stride before the transition. He will canter - trot but its not nearly as balanced as when I ask for the sit for the transition he is anticipating (i think) walk or halt, so the canter - trot transitions he is running/falling into, or we get walk/halt if I don't allow this! Likewise, from the halt or walk I am getting a lovely canter transition back which then produces a lovely canter... but the trot isn't happening unless I let him fall into it. If I insist on the trot from the halt I will get a few backwards steps 50% of the time. I've spoken to trainer and have booked a lesson for Sunday but the advice is he must go forward and he must work forward into an even and accepting rein contact, not use the sloppy trot or backwards steps as an evasion to wriggle out of my outside rein contact... but if I don't allow this I end up with the canter!

HELP!?!?!
 
Mmmm I am not too sure, but I would tend to avoid anything that makes him step back, work on something else and go back to the problem areas in a few weeks' time.

Are you sure his canter/walk or canter/halt transitions are good and he is not falling on the forehand? It's a bit odd that he can do this but not canter/trot which is requires less collection and balance to get right. If he walks in the downward transition when you want him to trot, just put your leg on again quickly and correct him - I would be tempted to send him back up to canter and try again for trot, but if this confuses him go to trot, then back to canter than back down to trot and repeat. Keep your aids clear and use your voice if that helps. ALso might be worth trying a tad counterflexion right before you ask for the downwards trot transition and make sure that you land into trot with a strong seat but soft hands so he has somewhere to go.
 
Yes - I've had 3 different people look at them in the last few days for that very concern to confirm or question what I was feeling and they are all amazed at how light, collected and balanced the canter - walk, canter - halt transitions are!!! (I, myself, am totally confused by it!). Definitely not downhill and you can feel the sit in a way that I know the lightest of "go" aids and we'll pop back up into canter. The halts are square, round and his hind is under with forehand soft... most odd (and I bet when I actually want it I won't get it!). It's not a case of can't more, nahhh, don't feel like it especially if I can't evade so I'll canter or stand still as its easier!

I should say I've been doing lots of transitions within the pace in both trot and canter and these are fine. It's the quality of the transition and subsequent trot though when asking for halt trot (doesn't seem to happen!) or canter trot... its just, eughhh! Flat, OTF, not in my outside hand... I am sure this is all some sneaky evasion to the outside contact actually as I can get canter transition with a slight (as in almost invisible) check and lift of the outside rein and lightning of the seat... Instructor rode him 10 days ago (when he set us this "homework" of halt-trot-halt work) and said it is that now he has learnt how to canter properly he finds it easier than trot but he can do it and to stick at it in that direct transitions will help with the throughness, sit and anticiptaing the leg/stop the backwards thinking.

I've been insisting that stepping back is a no-no (and I think inadvertently taught the halt canter! How I've managed it the other way round I don't know?!?!) and likewise have played with the back up again if I get walk when I asked for trot but he just gives me canter... Do I sacrifice a rubbish trot transition and first 10 or so stride of trotwork in insisting on it, especially as he uses this as an evasion to the outside rein, or perserve with not allowing the evasion but not necessarily getting the trot?

Sorry, I'm going around in circles here!

Will try with the counter flexion though... And using the voice, durr! That would be the obvious thing to try too!
 
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