Galop 5Knowledge
Contents
- 01WelcomeOverview
- 02How the horse learnsKnowledge
- 03Pied, spotted, additionsKnowledge
- 04The skeletonKnowledge
- 05The musclesKnowledge
- 06DigestionKnowledge
- 07SIRE, microchip and registersKnowledge
- 08Presenting in handOn foot
- 09Lunging and long-reiningOn foot
- 10Loading and stable bandagesOn foot
- 11The riding basicsIn the saddle
- 12TransitionsKnowledge
- 13The leg-yieldIn the saddle
- 14The dressage partIn the saddle
- 15Snaffle bitsKnowledge
- 16The jumping partIn the saddle
- 17The cross-country partIn the saddle
- 18RevisionRevision
Transitions: qualities and faults
A good transition is barely noticed: the horse changes gait or stride length exactly where you meant, without losing any of its balance. That is precisely why it says so much about a horse and rider.
In the exam programme
- Define transitions, their qualities and their faults.Specific part
- Transition
- Any change of gait (trot to canter, walk to halt…) or any change within a gait (medium walk to extended walk, working trot to a longer trot).
- Upward transition
- Into a faster gait or a longer stride: walk → trot, trot → canter, walk → canter, medium walk → extended walk.
- Downward transition
- Into a slower gait, down to halt, or into a shorter stride.
- Crisp or progressive
- A transition is crisp when it happens exactly where it was asked for; progressive, when the test says so, it is spread over a few strides.
What makes a good transition
- Accurate: it happens as your body passes the letter, and it is crisp, unless the test asks for it to be progressive.
- Balanced: the horse does not rush, fall onto its shoulders or lean on the hand.
- Straight: the quarters stay in the track of the shoulders.
- Calm and fluent: no abruptness and no resistance; the contact stays soft and steady.
- Established: the new gait is regular and active from the very first strides.
The faults, and where they come from
| Fault | What you see | Common cause |
|---|---|---|
| Rushing | The horse runs before changing gait, or jogs before cantering | Asking too hard, rider tipping forward |
| Late | The change comes several strides after the letter | No preparation, aids given too late |
| Falling onto the shoulders | The horse leans on the hand, the hindquarters don’t follow | A downward transition ridden with the hands alone |
| Resistance | Head up, mouth open, back hollow | A hard hand that pulls instead of resisting, then giving |
| Crooked | The quarters swing out to one side | Uneven legs, weight badly distributed |
| Spread or trailing | A halt in several steps, legs spread out | Not enough leg in the downward transition |
| Gait lost | The horse drops back to trot after two strides of canter | The rider does not go with the new gait |
Riding a good transition
- PrepareA few strides before, gather your attention and the horse’s: upper body tall, back braced, contact established, legs on.
- AskAt the letter, give a clear, measured aid: your legs to go up; your back that stops following and your fingers that resist to come down. Give as soon as the horse answers.
- Go with itFollow the new gait at once with your pelvis and your hands, without tipping forward or back, heels underneath you.
Remember
A transition is prepared before the letter, asked for at the letter and ridden through after it.