Trot to canter transition

[TrasaM]

I've just come back from Abu Dhabi and while I was there I had a riding lesson at a lovely riding school with beautiful well kept horses, mostly Arabs and Arab X. My lesson was on a beautiful Arab X called Benny. I've been riding for just under one year and had always been taught to sit the trot and then apply the canter aid. When I was first learning canter I found this really difficult. I'd try to sit the trot, outside leg back and then bounce bounce bounce until the horse cantered or until I gave up and went back to rising trot. It's an absolute wonder that I never fell off especially as this would be on a corner where it was even harder to stay in balance. Anyhow this time the RI, said to keep rising to the trot and to apply the canter aids and only sit once I felt the horse go into canter. It made sense although my first attempt was a bit wobbly but once I got the idea it seemed so much easier and smoother.
I've more or less got to grips with the 'sit then ask' method now but the 'ask then sit' approach seems easier for a new rider to manage. Has anyone else come across this. The RI was French.

 

[3Beasties]

I was always taught the sit and then ask way but I have noticed that a lot of children are now taught (or maybe just allowed) to do the ask and then sit.

When I do a trot to canter transition I expect an instant response from my horse so I literally ask for canter as I'm sitting from a rise and my horse will then (hopefully) strike of into canter.

I hate seeing children kicking and kicking whilst still rising, the ponies seem to get confused and just trot faster and faster!

 

[TrasaM]

I've watched the little ones riding class sometimes. I thought that's just how they ride I agree though, nothing looks worse than a horse being constantly kicked by a rider whatever age they are.