Simple change???

[Sal_E]

Hi Guys. I thought the BD definition of a simple change is canter, walk, canter (with a trot on the downward transition if necessary as can be progressive). My instructor thinks it can be progressive up & down & uses the term to indicate canter, trot, canter.

I've looked on the internet & can find every possibile combination - looks like anything goes that's not a flying change!

What's the general consensus?

 

[OldGit]

When I train with Ian Woodhead, I get a b*ll*cking for anything other than canter, 4 steps walk canter. Not allowed any trot!!!!

 

[MandyMoo]

i always thought it was canter-walk-canter

no trot xx

 

[kerilli]

it is supposed to be through walk only, definitely.

 

[monkeybum13]

No trot. I thought the whole point of a simple change was that you clearly do canter, walk canter and show the transition without trot??

 

[Madam_max]

It is canter walk canter. However at Elementary level it's acceptable to have some trot strides on the downward transition if necessary, but you must establish the walk and make sure the upwards transition is from walk.

 

[kerilli]

btw, top tip that took me years to work out on my own... simple physics, until you can get the initial canter down to almost/walk speed, the transition will be unbalanced because the horse will lurch as he tries to slow himself down. if you can get a v engaged slow canter, it is much easier to get walk on the first stride.
i wish someone had told me that years ago...
sorry if it's patently obvious to everyone else!

 

[Bearskin]

It is both. However, if it is asked for through trot, it usually states "simple change, through trot" whereas a simple change through walk is refered to simply as a "simple change"!

 

[Sal_E]

Thank-you everyone! Thanks Kerilli, makes perfect sense!

 

[Zebedee]

[ QUOTE ]
It is both. However, if it is asked for through trot, it usually states "simple change, through trot" whereas a simple change through walk is refered to simply as a "simple change"!

[/ QUOTE ]

I once made the comment 'simple change should be through walk' on the first three competitors to come in to the arena at a horse trials (hence BE test not BD). It was the writer who first noticed that the sheet actually did say "simple change through trot"..........

I'd just seen the words simple change & assumed it would be through walk

I had a frantic rewrite/re-mark. Luckily I did remember that nothing drastic had gone wrong with any of them, just that they'd all trotted not walked !

 

[Sal_E]

LOL!

 

[CastleMouse]

I was always thought never to show any trot steps in the upward or downward transitions

 

[oldvic]

A simple change is always through walk. As has been said at elementary the downward transition can have a stride or two of trot into the walk with a direct transition back to canter. A change of lead through trot is just that, not a simple change. When BE brought in the tests with what they called a simple change through trot they were written by former riders not dressage people hence the muddle with the wording.