FantasiaFarmsohio

So today Chavo and I had a GREAT ride! On Tuesday, Victoria Pirko, my trainer, had me working on trot to canter transitions. She would like me to eventually move up to Training Level and knows it is hard for me to ask for a canter from the trot. I can get the most beautiful transitions into the canter from the halt and the walk, but when asking from the trot, it all goes to hell! For whatever reason, especially to the right, I have the hardest time asking Chavo to transition into the canter from the trot. I think it is because I have to get my left leg back to cue him into the canter, and that is my bad leg. But in addition to issues with my leg, going to the right, we tend to run into the canter, so it looks AWFUL. Well today after warming up with a lot of trotting, walk/trot/walk transitions, trot/halt/trot transitions, I decided to start with cantering to the right. The first few attempts from the trot were awful. Like normal. In addition to running into it, once we were cantering, Chavo gave me the "middle hoof" and decided to just run wildly at the canter, which he has been doing lately, but I was ready for it. I gave him several small half halts until he finally started listening again to my aids then immediately transitioned into a collected trot. We trotted a few strides then I asked for the canter again. This time, while we still ran into it, once cantering he listened to my aids and moved forward from behind. After a couple times around like this I asked for the downward transition to the trot. Which he obliged. A few strides more at the trot and then I asked for the canter again...this time it was right there! He did not run into it! So we only went around for three or four strides before I asked again for the downward transition. Again he obliged in a nice collected trot. So then I decided to give him a little break and let him for the walk on a long rein for about 2 or three minutes before I asked him to collect and transition to the trot. After one time around on a 20 meter circle, between B and X I asked for the canter...it was right there again! I was so happy, but I still needed to work him going to the left. He, of course, was perfect every time to the left. So we did a lot of trot/canter/trot transitions to the left. Normally, I would end our ride there because it was such a good note, but I had to see if what we had started our workout with had been retained so decided to ask for the canter from the right...nope, we ran into it and there again was the big ol' "middle hoof"! What a turkey! So we proceeded to work for a half hour more with trot/canter/trot transitions to the right and about 15 minutes into it the light bulb went off and he really started working very nicely again! While I was pretty happy with how things were going, I decided I would ask a couple more times then end for the day. Well the very next transition ended it early because finally, I got the most perfect and smooth transition EVER going to the right! So I rewarded him with ending right then and there! I LOVE my boy!