Q: My horse makes very tense and sudden downward transitions into the walk. What can I do to make them a bit smoother?
A: Tense transitions can occur for many reasons, but it is absolutely essential first to rule out any pain issues. You don’t want to be schooling your horse through discomfort, so make sure you chat with your vet, dentist, physio and saddle fitter as you see necessary. Once your horse has the all clear and you are confident he is comfortable, you can work on your transitions using ‘half transitions’.
Half transitions are when you do all of the preparation for your downward transition, see how close you can get to walk without actually walking, and then trot again. These are a great way to freshen up your schooling sessions and can be a bit of a game if you think of them as a test of both of your reactions. Once you can do these half-transitions without any sudden changes of pace, try riding a full transition, but still with the option to ride forwards again like in your half transition. If you don’t like the preparation for your transition, don’t do it and return to the trot. If you do like the preparation, then go ahead with the full transition. If you continue to always ride your transitions with the opportunity to change your mind, you’ll quickly find they become more gradual, controlled and less tense.