Transition help, halt - canter, halt- trot etc

[Dobby]

Hi,

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get smooth transitions from halt - canter, halt - trot, and walk - canter? and vice versa. At the moment we seem to be quite unbalanced and have a few strides of shuffling before going into either.

Thanks!

 

[scrumpygus]

I saw on horse and country a showjumper (cant remember who- poss geoff billington) teaching a young horse to canter to walk and vice versa and he REALLY overdid it the 1st few times with the aids so the horse quickly learnt exactly what he wanted by very loud and clear instructions. Once he did that a couple of times when he asked more quietly the horse knew what he wanted straight away.

 

[Lippyx]

I'm afraid it takes practice. Don't over do it though, and do lots of normal walk to trot and trot to canter transistions otherwise your horse may start getting a bit cocky!!

 

[Kenzo]

Just keep practicing, and when they do it right, leave it at that, a good horse will learn and remember much quicker from donig it right then not asknig again.
Your horse needs a certain amount of engagement so he can really use his hind quarters for walk to canter transitions, with this you need bags of impulsion, the horse needs to be light on his feet and sensitive to you hands and respond well to you leg well, if he's doing this this then in time it will come.