Help with canter transition!

[Lippyx]

Hi all.

I need help with my canter transitions. I know its me, rather than my horse, as he does it fine with other people. I cannot seem to keep my leg on when asking, and feel like I am just bouncing all over the place.
I have no idea why this has started to happen. In the end he gets the hump and plants his feet in protest, and I don't blame him!!

I am having lessons again (had stopped for a while) and hope this may help, but its really doing my head in! It wasn't that long ago I couldn't canter due to confidence issues, and now I want to canter, but can't!!

I currently ride my boy in a dressage saddle (Wintec 500) but wondering, as he is only 14.3hh with a not so deep girth, that maybe the buckles of the dressage girth are affecting my aids... I have quite long legs too!

 

[windand rain]

One of the reasons for failed canter transitions is the rider keeps rising to the trot while giving the aid to canter you need to sit up tall, sit trot and ask gently but firmly for the upward transition. To get the correct lead set him up for quarters in so your outside leg is behind the girth inside leg on the girth

 

[Lippyx]

One of the reasons for failed canter transitions is the rider keeps rising to the trot while giving the aid to canter you need to sit up tall, sit trot and ask gently but firmly for the upward transition. To get the correct lead set him up for quarters in so your outside leg is behind the girth inside leg on the girth

That's just it, I know I should sit trot for a few strides, but I feel like I am bouncing all over the place, and then I get unbalanced and then my horse gets annoyed and it all goes to pot. I know I should prepare, but I am wondering if I am over preparing, instead of letting it just happen?

 

[JFTDWS]

What are you doing with your hands? If he's planting I wonder if you're balancing on them and blocking him? Have you tried hooking fingers through a neckstrap to keep them still?

Equally though, some horses won't strike off without a little supportive contact so don't chuck the rein away entirely!

 

[Lippyx]

What are you doing with your hands? If he's planting I wonder if you're balancing on them and blocking him? Have you tried hooking fingers through a neckstrap to keep them still?

Equally though, some horses won't strike off without a little supportive contact so don't chuck the rein away entirely!

I know. I thought at first maybe I was chucking the reins away (he is only a baby, and does need the rider as a support sometimes) so I really try to keep the contact. I feel myself tip forwards too. I just don't understand why this has started to happen? I've never normally had this sort of problem?? Its so frustrating!

 

[JFTDWS]

I know. I thought at first maybe I was chucking the reins away (he is only a baby, and does need the rider as a support sometimes) so I really try to keep the contact. I feel myself tip forwards too. I just don't understand why this has started to happen? I've never normally had this sort of problem?? Its so frustrating!

Have you tried asking in a half seat? How established are his canter departs? Does he run into them or pick them up nicely? Any chance of trying it from walk? I sometimes get people who have canter strike off issues to pick up canter from walk instead of trot to stop the flappy-running syndrome on Fergs but he's a bit more established - it doesn't work so well with real babies

 

[hayley.t]

Nothing to add really but just wanted to say that I have the exact same problem, I was working through it but I haven't ridden for 10 weeks since a car accident and now I'm really worried that I'll be back at the beginning. I changed instructors and was really working on my sitting trot as he said it is imperative to a good canter transition. I used to shy away fromsisitting trot as my pony is very bouncy but he made me realise that I had to address it and we were improving.

 

[NikNak1]

We have had similar problems with my horse hollowing in canter transitions. My instructor has got me practicing my sitting trott just on a circle without asking for a canter transition, the theory being if my sitting trott is better the canter transition will be. So far seems to be helping and my sitting trott is definitely getting better!

 

[Lippyx]

Have you tried asking in a half seat? How established are his canter departs? Does he run into them or pick them up nicely? Any chance of trying it from walk? I sometimes get people who have canter strike off issues to pick up canter from walk instead of trot to stop the flappy-running syndrome on Fergs but he's a bit more established - it doesn't work so well with real babies

He is very baby with his transitions. He does need to work more from behind, which obviously doesn't help, but other people seem to get him to strike off pretty well, it seems just me!! I am trying to ride more without my stirrups, as although my legs are quite long, they seem more stable when they aren't in stirrups and I'm not twisting at the knee (another issue I have!)

Not sure he would canter from walk just yet, but I agree with why it would be a good idea to do so.

 

[JFTDWS]

He is very baby with his transitions. He does need to work more from behind, which obviously doesn't help, but other people seem to get him to strike off pretty well, it seems just me!! I am trying to ride more without my stirrups, as although my legs are quite long, they seem more stable when they aren't in stirrups and I'm not twisting at the knee (another issue I have!)

Not sure he would canter from walk just yet, but I agree with why it would be a good idea to do so.

Have you tried on anything else to see if you've just picked up a bad habit?

If he's still green in the transition, it could be a minor balance issue - you leaning forward / back or something slightly which is just enough for him to be put off. Without seeing, it's pretty hard to judge, but next time, I'd just try and get a really pushy trot (not fast but powerful) on a circle, ride into the corner coming out of the circle, hook your fingers in a neckstrap with a soft contact and try not to flap. If it doesn't work, just steady up and repeat, focussing on sitting square (or trying in a half seat) and squeezing with your legs.

Failing that, lessons / film yourself / stick a pole out and ask over that.

 

[windand rain]

Perhaps it would be a good idea then to learn to ride in walk and trot without stirrups and forget canter until you have your balance and have him in a forward balanced trot. Once you have a forward balanced trot simply sitting and asking will pop him up and into canter. A pole is a good idea too.
Maybe you are asking too much of him and yourself and going for a hack with friends who canter may help you bring him to the point of balanced trot so once everything else canters he goes too give definite aids though as he needs to learn the correct aid for canter even if it is out on a hack

 

[Lippyx]

Have you tried on anything else to see if you've just picked up a bad habit?

If he's still green in the transition, it could be a minor balance issue - you leaning forward / back or something slightly which is just enough for him to be put off. Without seeing, it's pretty hard to judge, but next time, I'd just try and get a really pushy trot (not fast but powerful) on a circle, ride into the corner coming out of the circle, hook your fingers in a neckstrap with a soft contact and try not to flap. If it doesn't work, just steady up and repeat, focussing on sitting square (or trying in a half seat) and squeezing with your legs.

Failing that, lessons / film yourself / stick a pole out and ask over that.

Thank you! I was thinking about booking a lunge lesson, just to get me out of bad habits. I know its hard when you can't see it your self, but I appreciate the advice. I will use a neck strap in my lesson tonight, and see if that helps me. I will also see about filming my self and watching it.

 

[eggs]

I would also suggest practicing your sitting trot. In my experience riders bounce around either when they are gripping with their legs and 'pushing' themselves up out of the saddle or if the horse is not letting go through their back. I find it helpful to ride a 20m circle in rising trot, sit for a couple of strides and then go rising again and keep doing this but sitting for more and more strides before going back to rising.

Does your horse canter to voice command on the lunge. If so, it would be useful to use the same voice command when you are riding.

 

[hayley.t]

The other thing that my new instructor pointed out was that I had built it up into such an issue that I was tensing and taking a big breath and holding it which was then making me bounce through the transition.