DR help- tense trot to canter trans

[FigJam]

So since we are being restricted to a winter of stressage... I would like to give it my best shot!

As most of you are aware, dressage is not Hopalong and I's natural strength/passion, so there is a lot to work on over the winter!

She has actually come back into schooling after her injury must softer and more relaxed than before her injury, which is great and I have actually come away really chuffed with quite a few of our schooling sessions recently.

However... we are still suffering from very tense trot to canter transitions- she is clever enough to realise that once you have cantered once, then come back to trot again, you are likely to canter again at some point.

So I can warm up with (fairly!) nice, soft, relaxed trot work but the minute we do any canter, the trot then becomes more rushed, she goes onto the wrong bend in the corner of the arena anticipating canter trans, nose in the air etc. If I try to pick up more of a contact, use my inside leg to try get her to bend the correct way, she just tries to run into canter again or the trot just gets more rushed/tense.

She also knows that what you do on one rein, happens on the other and the above happens.

Now obviously, I try to mix it up, get the trot relaxed again before doing more canter work, try not to repeat things exactly on each rein etc. I use the corners to do a small (8-10m) circle which gets her bending properly and softening again, transition back to walk etc. I also try my best not to get frustrated, stay calm/relaxed, but not sure my acting skills are always good enough... especially in a test situation...!

But in a test situation... it is very obvious to her that after one canter on one rein comes a change or rein and then canter again... yeee ha! So I'd quite like some advice on how best you lot would deal with this?!

I schooled for about an hour last night and in the last 15mins concentrated on trot-canter transitions, it was getting better, but I'm not sure this wasn't just because she was getting tired?! And to offest the better transitions, then the trot work was feeling more sluggish and needing more leg to keep going... so win some, lose some?!

We do lots of bending, circles, serpentines to help with softness/correct bend, but sadly prelim dressage tests don't always have lots of bending movements in them for me to get her back and soft again...!

Thanks all, some hot chocolate and shortbread on offer but you'll need to be quick...!

 

[Suziq77]

she is clever enough to realise that once you have cantered once, then come back to trot again, you are likely to canter again at some point.

So I can warm up with (fairly!) nice, soft, relaxed trot work but the minute we do any canter, the trot then becomes more rushed, she goes onto the wrong bend in the corner of the arena anticipating canter trans, nose in the air etc. If I try to pick up more of a contact, use my inside leg to try get her to bend the correct way, she just tries to run into canter again or the trot just gets more rushed/tense.

She also knows that what you do on one rein, happens on the other and the above happens.

OMG have you been riding my horse when I'm not there?!?!

I am currently trying to ignore this issue in the school and get her going forwards into canter quietly out on hacks, coming back to trot and going on again, popping small jumps and things. Not ideal when actually I want to get her out to winter dressage sooner rather than later but it was driving me mental working on it in the school and being tense really won't help her. Like you I can also get a nice soft trot again and she comes back very easily to walk.

My dressage instructor got on the other day and got exactly the same reaction (possibly more uptight as she is a stronger rider) so I think it is something I just need to work through in a relaxed manner repeating over and over and praising the good transitions out on hacks.

Looking forward to seeing what people advise....

 

[be positive]

Try the exercise I suggested to JustMe22 a few posts down,I dont want to type it out again It is really useful at getting them listening and not being able to anticipate.

 

[FigJam]

Suziq77- lol, apologies if I have?! Although I don't think so as working on it out hacking would definitely not help, since cantering on hacks involves setting hoof on grass then sitting up and holding, holding, holding! Any lightening of the seat or release of the reins and you have gallop! If/when you get her back to trot, she can perform the most stonking medium trot, however this then turns into "tranter" which is front legs trotting, back legs cantering, until you give in and either jig jog back to solid ground (tarmac/track) or give up and gallop.

We have a lesson next Friday which I'll be getting tips from my trainer on the issue, but have a test on Sunday and wondered if anyone had any ideas I could try before that.

 

[FigJam]

Try the exercise I suggested to JustMe22 a few posts down,I dont want to type it out again It is really useful at getting them listening and not being able to anticipate.

Thank you, that would probably work quite well as you are doing lots on a circle, but in the test we are doing on Sunday, you change the rein on the long diagonal, then canter in the corner at the end and she just knows what's coming, even after the very first time I did it. 2nd time we got the tension in the corner just before the transition, but subsequent times the tension then starts on the long diagonal, with no bend to help me get her softening.

Just to note- I try to only run through small sections of a test I'm learning at a time to prevent anticipation like this, usually one movement at a time, out of order etc, but feel I need to practice the movements somehow.

 

[be positive]

Something that may help,a list 1 judge taught me this as I always rode straight across the diagonal, stay on inside bend all the way across, change bend as you get to the corner and ask for canter within the next stride or two.
I now ride on a bend across all my diagonals and it makes so much difference, it is so difficult to ride truely straight that by keeping the bend the horse is more between hand and leg.
The only part of most tests that you cannot have any bend is on the centre line.

 

[saz5083]

Have you tried popping her into a baby shoulder-fore on the last couple of strides as your coming off the long diagonal (kinda asking for it just before the shoulder hits the track at the 3/4 marker)? Just asking for the bend and give through the rib-cage that teeny bit earlier can help. J 'throws' through his right shoulder on the right rein and I find this helps keep him soft and balanced through the transition.

 

[leflynn]

Thank you, that would probably work quite well as you are doing lots on a circle, but in the test we are doing on Sunday, you change the rein on the long diagonal, then canter in the corner at the end and she just knows what's coming, even after the very first time I did it. 2nd time we got the tension in the corner just before the transition, but subsequent times the tension then starts on the long diagonal, with no bend to help me get her softening.

Just to note- I try to only run through small sections of a test I'm learning at a time to prevent anticipation like this, usually one movement at a time, out of order etc, but feel I need to practice the movements somehow.

Have you any space to do a series of transistions up and down on a looooong diagonal/straight line (I use the jumping field but it's grass so might be bad!) so you can get it out of her mind that long diagonal/straight = change of pace at the end? Or even doing a lot of transitions on the diagonal both up and down in the school (depends on size of school I guess) or using a halt transition before the corner to get it out of her noddle that it's trot to canter?

Sorry rambling, but did laugh an awful lot and got funny looks from work colleagues @ 'tranter' I think we know it well too

 

[FigJam]

Something that may help,a list 1 judge taught me this as I always rode straight across the diagonal, stay on inside bend all the way across, change bend as you get to the corner and ask for canter within the next stride or two.
I now ride on a bend across all my diagonals and it makes so much difference, it is so difficult to ride truely straight that by keeping the bend the horse is more between hand and leg.
The only part of most tests that you cannot have any bend is on the centre line.

Hmmm... that sounds like an idea... will try do that tonight if wind dies down enough to let me ride!

Have you tried popping her into a baby shoulder-fore on the last couple of strides as your coming off the long diagonal (kinda asking for it just before the shoulder hits the track at the 3/4 marker)? Just asking for the bend and give through the rib-cage that teeny bit earlier can help. J 'throws' through his right shoulder on the right rein and I find this helps keep him soft and balanced through the transition.

Another thing I will try. The problem seems to be that last night, the more I askee for inside bend, the more she seemed to get excited about going into canter. I ended up doing the circle after the diagonal each time to get her softening/listening/not anticipating, but can't do that in test!

Have you any space to do a series of transistions up and down on a looooong diagonal/straight line (I use the jumping field but it's grass so might be bad!) so you can get it out of her mind that long diagonal/straight = change of pace at the end? Or even doing a lot of transitions on the diagonal both up and down in the school (depends on size of school I guess) or using a halt transition before the corner to get it out of her noddle that it's trot to canter?

Sorry rambling, but did laugh an awful lot and got funny looks from work colleagues @ 'tranter' I think we know it well too

It's only a 20x40 arena, but that's enough to do walk/trot transitions down I guess, good idea. I have also tried doing figures of 8 using the long diagonals in trot only with no canter and that goes fine, until you start canter work again, then it's back to tense again!

It's the same with FWLR... she can do a lovely stretch/march but then the minute I pick up my reins again, she tenses and (usually) tries to jog off in trot.

 

[saz5083]

Another one (as I think someone else actually suggested somewhere) is to come across the diagonal and halt at the 3/4 marker. If she's playing Mrs clever cloggs in the test she might hesitate at that point which would give you time to gather her together for the transition.

Also with the free walk, I find picking up the contact as evenly as possible and breathing out at the same time seems to stop himself from breaking (which used to be a huge issue of ours!)

And try to think two movements ahead, and give yourself plenty time to prepare! At prelim and nov there's lots of time between movements so no need to get flustered, if something goes wrong dont get hung up on it, forget about it and concentrate on getting the next bit right

 

[PooJay]

I have/had exactly the same problem, tried lots of things that kind of worked (loads of transitions up and down - but this doesn't help with the dressage test or their mental state) but what seemed to work best was a bit of counter flexion before the transition in trot - but then my girl isn't straight and struggles to lighten the left shoulder so on the right rein i was asking for a more pronounced counter flexion in the trot (and when i say counter flexion, it was more of a straightening effect rather than a true flex to the outside) and maintain that through the canter - obviously releasing and allowing self carriage when she comes naturally straight in her own balance.

Jaybo used to get herself in a right tizz about canter but it was just being unbalanced, the more balanced she's become the less tense she gets about the whole canter situation

Sometimes we still go into motorbike mode but it is getting rarer now she's getting more mature and confident.....i started off doing lots of transitions out and about in fields so she could become used to the feeling of cantering without corners which helped with her confidence in me...so if you can control enough to do some in the field i guess that would help?

 

[FigJam]

Another one (as I think someone else actually suggested somewhere) is to come across the diagonal and halt at the 3/4 marker. If she's playing Mrs clever cloggs in the test she might hesitate at that point which would give you time to gather her together for the transition.

Also with the free walk, I find picking up the contact as evenly as possible and breathing out at the same time seems to stop himself from breaking (which used to be a huge issue of ours!)

And try to think two movements ahead, and give yourself plenty time to prepare! At prelim and nov there's lots of time between movements so no need to get flustered, if something goes wrong dont get hung up on it, forget about it and concentrate on getting the next bit right

Thanks Saz, some more good things to try. I do try retake my reins gradually/evenly although never thought about breathing out- it's got to be worth a try!

I have/had exactly the same problem, tried lots of things that kind of worked (loads of transitions up and down - but this doesn't help with the dressage test or their mental state) but what seemed to work best was a bit of counter flexion before the transition in trot - but then my girl isn't straight and struggles to lighten the left shoulder so on the right rein i was asking for a more pronounced counter flexion in the trot (and when i say counter flexion, it was more of a straightening effect rather than a true flex to the outside) and maintain that through the canter - obviously releasing and allowing self carriage when she comes naturally straight in her own balance.

Jaybo used to get herself in a right tizz about canter but it was just being unbalanced, the more balanced she's become the less tense she gets about the whole canter situation

Sometimes we still go into motorbike mode but it is getting rarer now she's getting more mature and confident.....i started off doing lots of transitions out and about in fields so she could become used to the feeling of cantering without corners which helped with her confidence in me...so if you can control enough to do some in the field i guess that would help?

Thanks PooJay. I don't think it's a confidence thing (she is 20!), however it could well be lack of muscle/balance (along with the mental "yee ha" thoughts! ) as she is only just coming back into work (Sept was month 1 of schooling) from pretty much a year off, so still regaining all the right muscles. Maybe I am being impatient...! Will keep plugging away.

 

[PooJay]

Thanks Saz, some more good things to try. I do try retake my reins gradually/evenly although never thought about breathing out- it's got to be worth a try!



Thanks PooJay. I don't think it's a confidence thing (she is 20!), however it could well be lack of muscle/balance (along with the mental "yee ha" thoughts! ) as she is only just coming back into work (Sept was month 1 of schooling) from pretty much a year off, so still regaining all the right muscles. Maybe I am being impatient...! Will keep plugging away.

lol i just checked the photo's in your blog - hmmm confidence doesn't seem to be an issue!

 

[FigJam]

lol i just checked the photo's in your blog - hmmm confidence doesn't seem to be an issue!

Ha ha, no- lack of concentration and general noseyness around her are though! (some may say the rider also...! )

I think you could be right about the balance though- she's naturally pretty balanced and bendy, but maybe just not enough to get the nice, smooth, non-rushed transition quite yet having only been hacking 2 months and then schooling 1 month, so fingers crossed with a little trial and error using the above tips plus regaining the schooling muscles again, we'll get there.

 

[Olivio]

Nothing to add but I'm SSSOOO glad HH is feeling better! I bet she can't believe that you are forcing her to do something she doesn't like and you're not even giving her the pleasure of jumping afterwards - she probably thinks you're a bit stupid just now and is just trying to take matters into her own hands.....! Must catch up soon. Lx