Transitions

Transitions are so important to Dressage training. They seem to be the basis to EVERYTHING, I hear it over and over in clinics, read it in books, see it on DVDs...So when I was thinking about what to write about while riding today I realized that no matter how broke my horses are, I do some sort of transition about every 10 strides. Usually it is subtle, a half halt to help the horse rebalance, or a touch to let them know we are turning, but in Tex's case we are not to that point yet.

I stay nice and loose when we do an upward transition, I don't want him to feel trapped, so when he takes off in his race horse canter I just wait for him to come find me, he carries himself and slows down, see- transition. We go about one circle and then transition down to a trot. I ask with my body by stopping my seat, then I take a feel with my reins and wait for him. He looses balance and goes into a fast trot on his forehand, so I again slow my seat and wait for him to slow his trot, And we do this about 100 times a ride!

The hard thing for me is to think about using my seat and core, NOT hands! Easier said than done. It is so easy to think that the transition can happen by pulling, but especially on an OTTB that is very counter productive. Tex speeds up if I pull, so I let go.

 

 

So all of this transition made me think about other kinds of changes, and the fact that the transition itself is what is happening to Tex. He is transitioning from Race horse to family member. That is a huge change for a horse. Life on the track is so different from life with one person. Tex was a GOOD race horse, and now I am asking him to be a good Dressage horse. He has to use muscles that he hasn't used before. I am expecting him to accept things like ropes, tarps, indoors, mirrors, he has to make a major transition of his own. He is a sweet, kind, willing horse and is accepting this new path with grace and dignity, even if he isn't sure what it is all about. He is trusting me to help him go through this big transition.