Teach me transitions from halt

[beakysian]

Following on from Trewsers' thread about walk-canter transition...

This is not something I'm even close to attempting yet, but can anyone explain for a dozy RS pupil what aid you would give to ask for trot from halt and canter from halt? :unsure: Is it always necessary to have a couple of strides of walk to balance the horse or can a square halt become a good trot/canter?

I've really no idea! Thanks

 

[popularfurball]

I would always ask with a double nudge/squeeze for trot and a firm longer squeeze with outside leg behind girth for canter, possibly with a bit of inside neck flexion.

However, with my monkey I can cheat. Double click means trot to her and a "brrrr" noise means canter :giggle:

 

[eml]

Its not a dozy question and something well within the grasp of most RS pupils...my better ones go on to learn rein back to canter. Essentially these exercises are great for getting the horse hocks underneath them and for RS horses particularly to make them more responsive. You are aiming for a clean transition with no walk strides.

First get a good halt, many horse do what I call a 'just stop', you need the weight balanced on all four legs and the horse attentive and preferably in a roundish outline. If you or the horse have not done these before start with trot, feel the reins and apply legs, with a lot of RS horses voice helps to start and don't be afraid to reinforce with a stick the first time if necessary. Each time you do a transition try for lighter aids.

Move on to walk to canter before trying halt to canter. It is essential that your horse understands canter aids whether lifted hip bone or leg back and does not just get speeded up into canter. Make sure your seat is well under you and apply canter aid, remember the horse will move its head in the canter so be soft in your shoulders and elbows.

 

[beakysian]

Weirdly my RI introduced halt-trot-halt last night! There was certainly no kind of outline and a little reluctance from the horse (tired at the end of a long pony day) but we had a nice square halt each time and after a couple of tries on each rein he was more responsive to slightly lighter aids.

Woooo! Next week, rein back - canter

 

[Harry Chaim Faibish]

Hi Beakysian
To have the horse doing any gate from halt, it is very important to have the horse supple, free of tension in all his joints, and balanced, and the horse must stand with the hind legs anther him, the horse must be round on its own without the help of the reins, or not because of the reins. All his body mast be round to have the power to come out to trot, or canter easily without any effort.
For trot you think about it, and after that you push gently with your seat bones, and keep the body tall, and seat in the middle of the saddle, and with both legs you press gently until the horse goes out to trot, and in the same time open the figers for the horse to be able to come out, after that he is in trot keep the legs quiet, in the moment the horse is in trot keep the hands light, and quiet.
For canter it is the same, bat with the legs, if you want canter LEFT, left leg on the gareth for impulsion and right leg behind the gareth, and RIGHT canter vise verse, and the seat bone for canter left a bit lower, just to tell the horse what you want.
In the moment the horse is in canter the horse must be on the fingers not pulled back, the legs soft, and the seat of the rider following the movement of the horse.
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