Trot canter trot transitions are one of the BEST exercises for ALL Dressage horses whether they are young green horses or FEI horses.
Trot-canter-trot transitions accomplish the following things:
- Suppleness – these transitions work to get the horse loose and supple in the top-line and swinging in the back.
- Connection – trot-canter-trot transitions test that the horse is correctly accepting the seat. leg, and hands.
- Relaxation – these transitions help to get the horse relaxed and focused. They are a great way to test that the hose is listening to the driving aids and the half halts!!
Here are some tips to help you with your trot-canter trot transitions:
- Do them on a circle to start – the circle will help to keep the horse organized and engaged during the transitions.
- Pay attention to the frame – often horses will either want to come above the contact or drop behind the contact in the transition. Be sure that the frame stays the same so the horse correctly uses the hind legs.
- Think about the hind legs during the transitions – riding a slight yielding away from the inside leg during the transitions will help the horse step forward and through with the inside hind leg especially during the downward transition.
- Work towards seamless and smooth transitions
- Repetition is the key to perfecting these transitions so just keep practicing them!
Happy Riding!!
Amelia
