Transitions | aprilreeveshorsetraining

Tag Archives: Transitions

My horse jumps into the trot: How can I prevent this?

Posted on May 3, 2012 | 1 comment

Question: I have a horse that jumps forward into the trot when asked to move from a walk to a trot. Any suggestions on how to make the transition smooth? Thanks

April Reeves: Hi Kristi! First off, the response from your horse to be “quick” into the up transition is actually a response I ask for, at the beginning. You do want a horse that responds to your cues immediately. I consider that obedience, and once that’s established, you can move on to refine the process.

Next step is to soften how you ask for the up transition. All your methods have to become lighter and softer if you expect the same from the horse, from the use of hands, legs, voice and seat. Get very familiar with what that feels like, because this is how you bring a horse into refinement and a finished bridle horse.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Posted in English Riding answers, Equine Behavior & Problems, General riding answers, Western training answers

Tagged April Reeves, bridle, Energy Work, Engage, Frame, Horseman's Park Alberta, Transitions, Up Transition, Whisper

Jane Savoie – Use of the Aids Lesson 2

Posted on January 16, 2010 | Leave a comment

Think about how it feels to have someone speak to you in a foreign language. If you don’t know the language, you can’t understand them. If they speak slower, you still won’t have a clue what they’re saying. If they shout at you, you still won’t understand.

That’s how it is for your horse. When you train, you’re developing a non-verbal language with him.

When you learn a foreign language, you first need to learn the letters of the alphabet. Once you know the letters of the alphabet, you can put them together to form words. Then, eventually you can put the words together to form sentences. Your horse has to go through this same process as you develop your non-verbal language with him.

For example:

1. The letters of your equine alphabet are the different actions of your seat, legs, and hands.

2. When you put the letters of the alphabet together, you form words. For example, you’ll see in Lesson 6 on Connection that the combination of the driving aids, the bending aids, and the rein of opposition create the word “connected” or “on the bit”.

3. Finally, you’ll put words together to make sentences. For example, if you want to do a transition on the bit, you’ll form a sentence by using two sets of aids at once. You’ll give both the aid for “on the bit” and the aid for the transition itself. In your horse’s language, you’re saying, “Do this transition on the bit.”

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

Continue reading →