Smooth canter to trot transitions?

[Bounty]

Any help/advice on acheiving smoother canter to trot transitions please?

Our transitions are always fairly jolty

Previously his transitions in general were shocking, but we've now got them all pretty much sorted with the exception of this one.
His canter itself isn't perfect, but I always try and make the transition whilst it is still balanced and light, preparing with a half halt and then making the transition.
But.. no matter how I do it we always clunk down into trot... the best way I can describe it is by saying it's like someone letting the clutch out too quickly and lurching into a different gear. How can I help this?
He tends to do this on the lunge as well, so is it something that I'll improve but never eradicate?

All help appreciated!

 

[dianchi]

Sounds silly but when u make the transition breathe out loudly this helped me so much now i can have her just by voice and she stays perfecting round.

 

[franki]

Can you shoulder fore as you ask for the transition, should really push him into your outside hand and allow the inside hind to take the weight. What happens to your body as you clunk into trot? Do you find he pulls you forward? Great suggestion to breathe out at the point of the trans, try to relax your body but not to let him clunk you forward it that makes sense. Try to make your trans coming towards the boards or into a corner, which should help to back him off a bit.

 

[Bounty]

He doesn't particularly come above the bit, he stays round (if a little heavier in the hand) but we lose all of our fluidity.

Will try breathing out though!!

 

[Bounty]

Can't really shoulder fore at the moment

He's an exracer turned ex-polo pony, the end result being that legs either mean go fast or run sideways

I'm having real trouble helping him to understand shoulder fore/shoulder in. We can leg yield in and out on a circle, but this is about the extent of our lateral work capabilites at the moment.

He doesn't so much clunk me around/unbalance me in the saddle, it's more that I'm aware of it being difficult for him and uncomfortable for me.
I've played around and it's the same whether I'm riding with a full or half seat, light contact or no contact.... Theres no hope is there?!

When you say about him needing to be through to my outside hand... I guess the fact that he is not truely straight yet doesn't help?
Do you think this is an issue that will resolve itself as our schooling progresses? I'm tempting to think it is, but interested in others opinions as always

 

[Equigem]

I had exactly the same problem with my mare, she would fall into trot and straight onto the fore hand. Trick I learn't was to turn my toe in (inside leg) when you ask for trot seems to work for me. Give it a try.

 

[Tempi]

[ QUOTE ]
I had exactly the same problem with my mare, she would fall into trot and straight onto the fore hand. Trick I learn't was to turn my toe in (inside leg) when you ask for trot seems to work for me. Give it a try.

[/ QUOTE ]

i cant really see how turning your toe in would work? It would just put your leg in a funny position against the side of the horse.....

The reason your transitions are jolty is because the horse is unbalanced. You need to make sure hes truely through from behind in the canter - work within the pace in canter from collected to medium, to collected to working etc, and lots of work on the circle to get the hind leg under.

Once the balance is established in the canter and the horse is light in front then the canter/trot transition will start to improve.

 

[Sal_E]

For now, I'd forget trying to make it a clean/accurate transition - just slow the canter, slow, slow, slow, until he naturally drops into the trot. Don't panic if it takes a full circuit at this stage, you've just got to stop him from yanking up the handbrake.

Have you tried in a forward seat? You may find he finds it easier with you off his back whilst he's getting the hang of it - although you do say he does it on the lunge so I wouldn't think that's the CAUSE of the problem.

PG is obviously right, he's a bit unbalanced & needs to strengthen up - image what you would look like sprinting down a steep hill trying to maintain your balance & then having to come to a walk - it would be hairy & jerky. Now imagine a sporty jog up a slight incline & coming to a graceful walk - much smoother... It's about getting his weight distribution right so he's llight enough to make a gently transition - there's not really many quick fixes for that unfortunately!

 

[Bounty]

Thanks PG and Sal_E...

I'm aware that he is still pretty unbalanced in canter, though I am making an effort to resolve this, but he's fairly set in his ex-racer/ex-polo pony ways (i.e. would preferably go like a plank rather than bend and soften!

) This is only an issue with his canter work though, his walk and trot work is absolutely fab for the stage we're at - really soft and in self carriage for the majority of the time

Sal_E.... have tried in the forward seat, half seat and full seat, none of which seem to make the problem better or worse, so I'm not sure whether thats a good or bad thing!

Also, at this stage I've never pushed for accurate transitions, and am just trying to ease him down through to trot.. but no matter how smoothly he slows (at which point I'm thinking 'Yey, we might get it this time') it's still that initial step into trot which jolts

Looks like more suppling work, long and low and lateral work then! I'm not desperate for a quick fix, just wanting to make sure I'm heading in the right direction while I go the long way around!

Our lateral work issues are worthy of a whole other post!

 

[Sal_E]

Don't forget to try & soften his neck in the canter (re your point about a plank!). I hate that horrid thing the SJ'ers do - swinging the head from left to right, but I do agree with the principle. You can do the same without the crudeness by cantering straight, but flex the neck in for a few strides, then straight for a few, then out for a few, then straight - just to try & unlock him a bit. It's good to do it on a circle to test you've got him on your legs & seat (i.e. that bending the neck doesn't just pull him in or out), but probably easier round the track to start - don't forget to ride on the inside track to allow him room to bend out!

 

[Bounty]

Good point!
I did alot of that previously when I was trying to get to grips with his trot, whcih has seemingly softened him up no end. Have neglected it in the canter though

So tonoight and from now on I will have to make a conscious effort to include the flexing in our repertoire.
I'm at a bit of a loss with his canter... I've never had a horse before with anything other than a perfect canter - in the past it's always be the trot that has been abysmal in all my horses (polo people are as bad as the SJers for only using walk and canter!

)
Thansk for all your help, I really appreciate it.

 

[jennyb]

...try keeping your leg on, most people make the mistake of "coming back into trot" when really you should try and think of it as "going forward into trot". So concentrate that when you trot you really push it foward (but without rushing..!)and make the most of having suppled up a bit more from the canter to engage the hindquarters more into the following trot...
Hope that makes sense!

 

[Bossanova]

Will he work over trotting poes?
If so then trot over them then transition to canter straight after and hold the canter until just before the poles. The poles make you have to immediately take the trot forward. It really helps.
Other than that, try slowing the canter right down before the transition and riding som half halts in canter so he gets used to taking the weight on the hindleg into the transition.