Question # 84: I've been working with a somewhat-green OTTB mare for about 2 months. Originally she was VERY on the forehand and heavy in the bit.
We were making progress but have focused on jumping the last couple weeks, and now instead she is bracing upwards, very tense and hollow.
When we first started canter work she really raced into it, so we did a lot of "now means NOW" upward transitions. The result now is that she's always expecting the canter, and when I do ask she really explodes into it which has caused me to hang on her mouth. So now I'm focusing on asking quietly and staying off the reins even if she bursts forward. Her reaction is to start to explode, then get confused and fall into a strung out trot.
The second part is her downward transition. We haven't focused on that much so it's even worse; even when she's somewhat balanced at the canter it takes a while to get her trot steady, and when her canter is strung out it's half the arena before she's down to a steady working trot. (Kari)
Hi Kari!
She sounds like she is still quite heavy on the forehand. To help her with her balance issues, I would... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)
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