HOPE GLYNN: Hi I'm Hope Hobday Glynn,
Team SmartPak rider and I'm here with this episode
of Ask A Trainer of which Shelby wrote
in and talked about that she had a fall in December
off her horse and she's having a little bit of a hard time
getting back into the routine of good
trot-to-canter transition.
She said her trainer doesn't have any
trouble with it but she is.
What might be some exercises that she can do at home to not
only gain her confidence back,
but also gain back her good transitions?
Great way to start to get your confidence back
and also get good transitions is by starting with your
trainer helping you on a lunge line.
You may use a lunge whip or not depending on if your
horse needs the encouragement.
I also will start my rider of course if you're a little
timid with your reins and then you will build up
to actually doing this without your reins
with your hands on your hips because it will not only build
your confidence but it will also make sure
that you're getting your transition from your leg.
And it's really important that when you're asking
trot-to-canter that you we all are taught to use our outside
leg to canter but you also need a little
inside leg at the girth, outside leg behind the girth.
You also can use your seat.
Your seat or your three point position is a great aid.
However the majority of the implosion needs
to come from your leg and then other aides like your
voice or an artificial aid like a crop or spurs
can help you, as well.
So Avery is going to demonstrate — my daughter —
today and what we're going to do is we're gonna
head out on the lunge line.
I'm going to have her hold her reins but realize
her reins are attached to the saddle so that I don't
have to worry.
You can also tie them to the mane or tie
them in a knot.
So I don't have to worry that they're gonna slide down
or get in front of the horse or in front
of her or that she might get a leg caught in it or be
dangerous at any level. So let's go to the trot.
So nice posting trot. She's gonna use her voice.
She's going to feel the reins a little more
connected to start and then we will go without him.
So one of the things we work on is as a trainer I have
already worked on this horse with using my voice and also
maybe using a little whip or spur so that it's more
responsive to my leg to make it easier for my
client who maybe is nervous.
But when that client's nervous and trying to learn
the trot-to-canter transition again I'm going to bring him
back to the lunge line because then I can help
them engage the horse and also steer and help
with a little bit of the nerves.
So Avery we're gonna go to the canter and we're
going to sit and kiss.
Sit. Good and she's going to be in her two
point and now she's gonna be in her three point.
Remember the difference between your two point and your
three point is your seat.
So if the horse is falling out a little
she's got to use her outside leg.
If it falls in a little she's got to use her inside leg.
And let's go back to the trot.
So your two point are your two legs.
Your three point are your two legs and your seat.
Good and when you go back to the canter I want
to hear you use your voice. Sit and kiss.
I'm going to encourage the horse with the whip. Good.
Excellent. And now if you could put your hands
on your hips for me and in your three point position so that's
the seated canter working canter. Sitting.
Now she's going to use her voice to go back to the trot. Woo hoo.
If my horse got fast as the trainer the person
holding the lunge line,
i'm going to bring the circle in smaller. Good.
And then we're gonna go back to the canter and I'm
going to say we're gonna go back to the canter and three,
two, one.
I'm going to count down so she knows that I'm here
to help her and we're gonna go back to the canter
and 3, 2, and 1. Good. And you saw that time,
she got a little nervous so she put her hands back
to the reins that's fine that's why they're there
you can also put your hands back to the pommel
which is the front of the saddle or Avery can
you demonstrate one hand on the pommel one
hand on the cantle.
And that also will bring you back into the saddle
and make you feel confident. Good.
You can also do a variation where you have one hand
on the pommel and one hand on your hip.
Can you show me your hip and back to the posting trot.
Good. Then hands back on her hips when she feels confident again.
So start with your hands on your reins
then start from there going to one hand on the pommel,
one hand on the cantle.
Then go to one hand on the pommel on one hand
on your hip and then finish confidently
with both hands on your hips.
Ok and let's finish with a canter
transition in three, two, and one.
And three point. Good. And then for added confidence,
let's show them how you canter with arms big backwards circles
at the canter you gradually build up
to this as you trust your horse on the lunge line but all sorts
of exercises and a lunge line lesson no matter how advanced
you are are good for your leg and good for confidence
and that can help with almost any issue.
And posting trot hands on your hips.
Excellent. And take your reins please,
and transition to walk
and give him a pat.