Trot-canter/walk-canter transition exercises

[Ginn]

Baby horse has a lovely balanced canter when we get it but getting it is proving to be somewhat of a problem...

She simply does not seem to get that I want a transition and not more speed so have been (under guidance of instructor) putting the pressure on until we canter, resulting in a stonking, fast, hugely extended trot until she has to break into canter. NOT ideal and not something I want to keep at. Prior to asking and as soon as we get canter I can immediately released the pressure and sat quietly and she is a poppet and stays in whatever gait she is meant to be in for the most part. However by the time we get canter I am hideously unbalanced and exhausted from her huge speedy trot and chasing her so much.

Poles she simply trots as as far as she is concerned they are easy and what's more move if you hit them so she doesn't have any respect for them at all. If I stick them up to anything under 2'3 she will continue to trot - bigger and she jumps but often lands in trot, though sometimes she'll land in canter but obviously we cannot stick jumps up everytime we ask for canter in the long run.

Halt, walk and trot transitions she has got really good at and is forward and sharp off the leg. On the lunge she'll canter off the voice with a flick with the lunge whip without running into it although if I am to quick with the whip she'll lunge into canter and buck for a few strides. Ridden she ignores the voice when it comes to canter

but not so much with other voice commands. Whip wise again she totally ignores unless you really wallop her with it which usually results in an almighty buck or continues to ignore it!!

So, my thinking is that we need to work on the transitions, getting her really through but not fast in the trot and then giving her a command to "go" and strike off in canter (I'll also note that I haven't been worrying about correct leg strike offs as 1) she usually gets it right anyway and 2) I just want to consistently get canter when asked first).

Any useful exercises or tips (in a dummy's guide language)?

Thanks in advance

 

[Asterism]

Hi Jen,
I'd call my suggestion "back to basics".

After warmup put another rider on the horse and take it on lunge. Agree that he/she asks for canter and THEN immediately you ask canter the way you where used to when on lunge without rider.
Horse should get the point very quickly.

By the way, trot-canter transitions without speeding in trot are a common problem/issue that goes away with time. Young horse isn't balanced enough to pop into canter from loose trot. Make the trot more engaged, balanced, swinging, and you'll get easier canter. Also to speed up the proces once the horse will improve a bit in transition introduce walk - canter transition, this requires bigger engagement and hind legs work on walk, after few such transitions horse finds trot- canter funny to deal with. But start with lunge and other rider on top so the horse knows EXACTLY what he's asked to do. And recheck your aids for extended trot if doing one, horses often mix it with canter.

Generally don't worry too much. I've been riding numerous young horses from start and I've never seen a green horse who doesn't have this issue on larger or smaller scale.

Good luck!!

 

[flyingfeet]

Very young horses find cantering hard work and prefer to trot if given the chance.

Do you lunge much? If so use voice aid too as she will then definitely know what you are on about.

 

[lucretia]

here we are agreeing again cotswoldsj. I always teach them on the lunge to go of my voice.

 

[Ginn]

As I said she is fine on the lunge - usually goes happily off the voice and if she doesn't she'll get a quick flick with the stick. She just doesn't seem to listen to the voice under saddle which makes me think I'm confusing her with my aids/not getting enough engagement prior to the transition etc.

Will try sticking sister on any flicking with lunge whip from the ground as she asks for canter (or sister can flick from ground and I'll ride) as she is a smart cookie and I suspect once she "gets" it she'll learn very quickly but I also could really do with some exercises to engage better prior to the transition and get my aids clearer as at the moment they seem to be causing the confusion (if that makes any sense??)

 

[Fiona]

Very quick reply as just heading out the door - sorry.

Are you sure you aren't leaning forward when you ask for the transition. Too much weight on her forehand would make it very difficult for her.

Ask your sister to watch just in case.

(had this prob with my young horse when first backed, but it will soon go away as she strenthens up).

Good luck.

Fiona

 

[hollyandivy123]

hi i suggest leaving the canter work to hacking, its a balance thing with the rider and you establish it better in a straight line. canter to trot to canter etc. then back to the school to try again

 

[Henny]

I also had this horrid massive trot, and ended up feeling like i couldnt properly ask for canter as i was too inbalanced. So went for the jumping option, asking for canter over the jump with big kick on landing if he didnt do it. i didnt ask for canter at any other time. we got that very good and then made the jump smaller and then a pole. it took time, but it one day just clicked, and he got the transitions. I also 'clicked' n the same way as on the lunge. be patient, you will get there!

p.s. if you get a buck try and still push forwards so its not an excuse to stop!

 

[Asterism]

I suppose the problem is now 70% of not balanced horse and 30% your aids. I'm telling you, you gonna laugh from this issue in 6-7 months, just keep riding. And ride sitting trot more, that will help you to stay more balanced if the horse speeds up in trot. And skip extended trot for a while, you'll reintroduce this later. Don't drop the rein contact while asking for canter. Look forward, sit up, shoulders back, heels down, etc.

Good luck, and tell please what's the progress.

 

[clipclop]

Agree with all this.

My big man really struggled with canter. It took him till he was 6 years old to be able to canter a circle. It was just too much for him to cope wih canter.

Just another thought but it helped my boy if the trot came back to almost a walk and then ask for a canter. Apparently it is more natural for them to move off from walk to canter than a trot to canter? Seemed to work for usanyway.

Also I am guessing that the fact you are bringing them back to a walk puts you in the right position to ask for a canter, sitting up with shoulders back and then a simple leg aid to ask for the canter and allow the movement to go forward again. It avoids that feeling of wanting to throw your weight forward? Just my ponderings.