Improving transitions

[Wan2bEventer]

On my dressage test sheets it often says 'fell into downward transition', or 'lost balance in downward transition' can anybody please explain to me exactly what this means my mare is doing, and also how I can improve it?

Thank you so much!

 

[kerilli]

it means she's collapsing onto her forehand, and possibly leaning on your hands for support in the downwards transition. if you teach her how to half-halt properly, and then do a series of goo half-halts before the downwards transition, so that she is sitting a bit and waiting for the aid, and you keep your shoulders back, it should help.
hard to say more without seeing the problem - it is definitely a lack of engagement and preparation, but just saying "slow down and balance more" might be the wrong thing, if she needs pushing on and engaging more at the moment! hope that makes sense.
i used to have terrible problems with canter to walk transitions, until someone FINALLY explained to me that a lot of it is also about speed, if your canter when you ask for walk is too fast, then the horse CAN'T go straight to walk in balance, he's simply got too much speed to lose. but when i was shown to slow the canter right down to walk speed (keeping the engagement, of course) and then ask for the walk, the horse found it easy. hope that makes sense too - it's obvious, but i hadn't realised it!

 

[dianchi]

Also be careful you dont help too much, if your supporting your horse too much then they wont learn to balance themselves through transitions. Unfortunately its practice practice practice. Direct transions will help ie trot to halt to trot, canter to walk to canter.
As your wotking them harder they find canter to trot easier in the end!