Some tips regarding trot/medium trot please

arwenplusone

arwenplusone

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New boy is going really well, but I am struggling a bit with getting him to trot properly.

He is fine if I jump on and work on the trot only, I can get a lovely medium trot out of him and he really engages his hind quarters. However, if I then canter I cannot get the trot back.
His canter is becoming more balanced and easier, and he will do a downward transition no problem, but then he backs off & the trot I get is quite resistant & a bit backward. If I put my leg on to encourage him forward he shakes his head a bit & goes into canter. I have to really work to get any sort of a decent trot & even then it isn't really going anywhere.

I put it down to two things, one, he isn't wildly fit & I am stepping up his workload so maybe he's finding the trot hard?
two, he may simply be misunderstanding me.

So, does anyone have any good tips for getting the trot back & stopping him from constantly going into canter? I am already using half halts, I have tried giving the rein more & I have tried voice commands also. I try to put my leg back when asking for canter so this is clear. Is there anything else I can work on?

I should say, he is 9, and he isn't green but I have only had him a week. His canter isn't 'rushing off' so I am reluctant to reprimand him as I do think it is a misunderstanding of sorts.

Thank you
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Im assuming that when you are getting the 'good' trot you are going from walk to trot. How about coming down from canter into a few strides of trot and then into walk. After walking, pick up the 'good' trot again ? If this works you can gradually decrease the number of walk strides after you have come down from canter so you are picking up a good trot almost immediately ?
 
Its probably just new horse syndrome plus the fact that you say he hasnt been ridden much by his last owner. He will probably get better as you get to know him and he gets used to it all over again. Be patient and lots of praise when he does what you want. Good Luck !!
 
Cobden - Nice idea - our good trot is gained from walk to trot or halt to trot.

However He will canter to walk (tried that this morning) but then if I try to get the trot he will walk to canter! or give me a rubbish trot and then canter!
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meh! so frustrating.
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helenandellaegg - I hope so! Worn out through all the cantering
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I'm not sure whether this will be of any help to you at all but my boy second guesses everything.
It sounds as if his rider before may have been quite set in their ways, ie. whenever they canter to walk they always walk to canter afterwards. Likewise perhaps they always came back to walk shortly after cantering. I know it sounds stupid but I know people like it and the horses get fustrated when anyone else gets on and try to do anything different.

So if you think he is second guessing you then the only way to overcome it is to really mix things up and persevere.
 
Thanks iffield. Had another play this morning & it was a bit better.

It sort of feels like he is used to a bit of walk. trot. then canter. then stop! lol. Think I might be a bit of a shock to his system.
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