Hollow in walk

[Baileysno1]

My new horse Leonard is fantastic appart from in his warm up walk, for the first 10 minutes or so hes usually a little spooky so I encourage him to march forwards I ususally do a couple of laps of the area incorporating big cicles and loops then ask for some flexion and do a bit of leg yielding throughout this he'll be above the bit - not until we get trotting really forward will he start to work properly and the walk after that is better. His owner came up for a ride on Friday to see how he was getting on and he looked much rounder in the walk while she was warming up, I'm just not sure where I'm going wrong, the first few trot to walk transitions are also a bit wobbly I seem to end up pertched and unbalanced I guess I'm using my hands too much. By the end of a schooling session he'll power round in trot stretching right down and in the walk too so he does eventually work correctly I just find it frustrating in the beginning, any tips?

 

[TURBOBERT]

Just patience and persistence! Sounds as though you are doing the right things - maybe he warms up better in the trot so why not do that early on to make sure he is really going forward then do some walk initially in free walk ie encouraging him to reach forward and down into the contact while making sure he continues to march forward. Then flexion exercises plus leg yelds, shoulders in transitions within the pace etc. Hope this helps

 

[Baileysno1]

Thanks must admit I've been hoping into trot earlier than I'd like just to get him going, it just makes me feel so incompetant when I KNOW he can do it!!! I have a lesson on Saturday and will get my trainer to have a look its so frustrating but then mabey I'm trying too hard and confusing him.