Roundness in trot?

[Pigeon]

Now my horse is lovely, and he was a star today so I feel mean picking at his performance, but we have a very slight issue. When we go into trot, he grabs the reins slightly, I let them slip, and so we don't carry through the same level of roundness from walk. The reason he does this is because I let him get away with it Does anyone have any tips to prevent it happening? It's not a problem in walk or canter, I think because I can sit up and keep a more consistent pressure with my leg?

 

[be positive]

Try not letting them slip, you then need to regain them which loses the soft contact you should be maintaining, instead just allow a little with your hands going forward slightly, that will start to break to pattern of him taking the reins from you. Ask for a small amount of flexion through the transition, make sure you still allow a little movement as he will need to lift his shoulders as he goes forward to trot, it may be that you are tending to restrict that lift so he takes the rein instead.
Other things to try are leg yielding into trot, this should help him step under a little more actively, doing the transition as you come off a 10m or smaller circle, again it should help by activating his hind leg and enable you to keep a little inside bend.

 

[Pigeon]

Great thankyou I will try that tomorrow! I agree, I don't want to restrict him, I think that's why I let them slip so much, I didn't even think of allowing by just moving my hands