Am I only the one to get this frustrated?

[redredruby]

First horse, 16.2 ID ex hunter but was working on school when I got him (sold because wasn?t used enough due to bucking etc).
I freely admit that I over horsed myself but have been working really hard, having lots of lessons with an excellent instructor, regular schooling etc but after 10 months we are still struggling with our canter transitions. If I get a really forward trot he will go into it but, it takes so much to get him into that forward trot (although take him out the school is a very different story!) that I get exhausted.
I guess what I really want to know is has anyone else had real sticking points in their schooling / riding. Yesterday, we did brilliantly and got loads of good transitions, today however it just took such an effort that I wanted to cry (and I did threaten to sell him!). I hate getting so frustrated, because it affects my riding and in turn affects his way of going. If anyone could offer support / sympathy / own stories so that I don?t feel quite so useless and alone that would be great!

[LisaD1]

It's the ID that causes the issue ime! I have a 16.2 ID x too and she is really hard work to get the canter transition in the school. She has improved hugely this year after I decided to stop trying in the school for a few months, instead all canter transitions were done out hacking and we just did walk/trot work in the school.

Canter in the school is much better these days but I'm sure it won't last forever, they are just hard work!

So sympathy but no great advice from me!

[redredruby]

Thanks Lisa - yeah I think he finds his own size difficult to collect cause when we are out, or in a bigger arena he is much better.

I guess that because some days it works, and other times it is rubbish I get frustrated!

[AlpinePony]

I've got a long 17.2hh. Our canter on the right rein is pretty good these days and changing the length of the stride is easy - we can set off from walk and it's measured and timed. We struggle with the left, maybe one in seven times it's good. :(

I honestly think it's me and not her - I think perhaps I tense up/twist or something because I see her showing off and she's doing flying changes and cantering the length of the school changing strides every 3 legs, so she can - but I'm blocking her somehow.

Oh and as further evidence my wally boyfriend rode her and got her to do a flying change at X on to the left, nobody had ever told him to transition down when doing figures of 8. Yep, the wally who won't wear a hat and has no idea of speed control has managed a flying change on my mare and I can't even get a decent transition!

[Callisto]

I had a big TB point to pointer who couldn't get a right lead. Lots of lunging and lots of cantering on the right rein when we were out and about worked wonders and he gets the correct lead every time now.

It can be frustrating, but try and remember that riding is meant to be fun. If you arn't having fun with it stop and go for a hack and don't bother with the school for a few weeks. Horses can go really stale if you persist in doing the same old thing with them week in and week out.

[mdoodledoo]

Stick with it - I've got a 15.3 ID who, before I bought him, had been used mainly for hacking and bits of showjumping - his response to anything being difficult for him was to just go faster. He's used as a general purpose horse, lots of hacking and jumping, but I wanted to do a bit of eventing too, which obviously means getting things in place to do a half decent dressage test. We've been working steadily for about 6 years on flexibility, softness and outline etc and we're bloody well getting there at last! We've done two Prelim dressage tests this year and got a score of 62.5% last time out - in a snaffle with lots of 7's, even for the canter work!

I'm so proud of him and so pleased with myself for giving him the time to learn to work the way I've been asking. We've still got a way to go, he'll still rush into his canter transition about half the time, but we're getting better all the time. Have fun with the journey!

[redredruby]

Thanks everyone! Well done mdoodledoo sounds like you are doing really well!

And I think you are right callisto it is meant to be fun, and if I get wound up then he is just going to get tense - regular breaks and other fun stuff is just as important (which to be honest I prefer!)

[ManateeEquineOhara]

Hmm, I had a 15.3hh ID. he was a star and went into canter very easily, but couldn't be ridden in a school as it was just to tight for him, he struggled with corners. Practice cantering on hacks for a while as Callisto said, don't get caught up with schooling.

[redredruby]

we did it!! it took a lot of leg to get into the forward trot needed then he bounced into the canter, we did it quite a few times on both reins (some times better than others) but the most important thing was he did it!!

[redredruby]

yes, so erm thanks everyone! that was what I meant to write in the first message!