maintaining roundness

[Chestnut mare]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions to maintain roundness during transitions with my mare?

We have a lovely outline until anything changes ie preparing to trot from walk-head comes up! Preparing to go from trot to walk-head comes up.

From trot to canter is particullarly bad.

We are loosing marks in our dressage and would like to have more consistancy. I have tried out on hacks and upwards transitions are better but downwards fall apart.

Many thanks

 

[Wagtail]

You need to get your horse's attention before each transition with a half halt and ensure she is properly engaged from behind. Horses only throw their heads up during the transitions when they are not properly working through. If they are properly through and working over their backs, then throwing their heads up becomes a difficult thing for them to do. I would guess that your mare is not actually working as well as you think she is inbetween the transitions.

 

[penina]

also, make sure you're not "going on hold" and stiffening through your arms when you ride a transition. You don't want to throw away the contact but you don't want to be locking your arms either