Riding help!?

Question

Whenever I ride my 5 y.o. Paint Mare, she's normally great! We can do flying lead changes with ease and continue to work on sidestepping and rollbacks. However, she has trouble with some of the simplest things! One of these is coming from a lope to a trot. Her down transition is often sudden and abrupt, coming down from a lope into a bumpy trot which I can only describe as her hooves pounding into the ground like she is stomping before she comes to a walk. I would like for her to pick up a smooth, slow trot after she changes gaits so it is more comfortable for me and for her. Is there anyway to teach her this? She has no trouble trotting nice and smooth other times, and has no problem with her up transitions.

Also, she doesn't really like to stop. Sure, she can stop fine at a walk, but at a trot or lope, she is horrible and yet again, comes to a bumpy transition, trotting (or rather stomping) for several strides before she hits a walk and stops, fidgeting. Any help on this?

Answer 1

I have a 6 year old TB, and he sucks at lope/walk transitions. Katie is dead on - he's young, so he hasn't learned to balance properly yet. I would suggest lunging her doing your 'down' transitions without a rider. Then, I would just keep practicing.

As for the bouncy trot, try stretching her front legs before you ride (a trainer can show you how to do this). Maybe she's just stiff, some horses are like that.

Good luck.

Answer 2

She, due to her age, has probably not figured out how to balance properly in transitions. I would just school more transitions and do your best to balance her. She will learn eventually. Also instead of going from the lope to the walk, try to take her down to the trot first then the walk. As she gets better you can start taking out the trot steps. Good Luck!!

Answer 3

hmm all i can think of is maybe you need to sit up more and get off her back or give and release with your hands sit and squeeze with calves driving her hind end under and bringing her front end in leaving her no other option but to slowww down

hope this helps