walk to canter trans

algeredge

algeredge

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Do any of you dressage lot have any tips for walk canter transitions? I'm hoping to do Novice 30 in June but when I tried introducing walk to canter my boy either does a few strides of shuffling trot or tenses and brings his neck back at me.
Any tips would be great! Thanks
 
Do lots of progressive transitions in the warm up and have your horse relaxed and listening, make sure your canter aids are really obvious, so as soon as your outside leg goes back your horse understands what you are asking. Sounds like he is getting confused as to what you are asking.
Once you can get a trot to canter transition by just moving the leg back and barely using it, you'll find it easier to get the transition.

Also try cantering a circle come back to trot, then canter again and keep doing this then bring back to walk, stride of trot the canter, keep repeating until you loose the stride of trot.

Takes some horses a while to understand, early in thier training we are consistant with the progessive transitions. He thinks you are wrong. He'll get it.

Remember to keep sitting up and don't chase with your upper body this will rush and panic your horse.

Good luck.
 
Hi.

I taught my baby walk to canter whislt jumping. He used to get so excited that when I asked for trot transition he'd be off in canter, so i adapted and after warming up never did anymore trot, just straight walk to canter. I'd ask in usual manner.. outside leg back and all but just used his enthuasism. He'll now happily do walk to canter whether schooling or jumping. But it does take patience and lots of praise.

Hope it all goes well and gd luck for your test!

Sam and Monty
 
i echo the above, its all about repetition until it clicks with the horse and making the aid very obvious to the horse.
my boy will do walk to canter on the right rein, but left rein he finds very hard!
its just repetition and it will come.
 
I Agree with the above my horse finds this very difficult so it has taken some time to get right. The biggest break through I had was when I got told to be very black and white with my horse. If he runs off into trot he gets brought straight back down to walk and asked again. Also lots of praise when they get it right.

I also wouldn't worry about keeping them too soft and round once they are a bit more consistant with the transition then work on softness.
 
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