Riding round in circles can seem pointless, unless you create an aim and focus. The goal in this flatwork exercise is connecting simple 20m canter circles and 10m walk circles, with canter to walk, and walk to canter transitions.
The emphasis on precise upward and downward transitions provides huge benefits in terms of accuracy, which helps your horse to be more responsive, lift the forehand and move better overall.
While the focus is on accurate transitions, you’ll also be working on rhythm, balance and bend, which should remain consistent as you change pace and continue on whichever size circle.
It also helps with engagement, suppleness and collection, because of the use of the hindleg when riding a circle and the horse bending his core around your inside leg.
Aims
Improve walk to canter transitions
Develop engagement, suppleness and collection
Help lift your horse’s shoulder
The setup
(Image credit: Future)
No setup required. You can do this exercise in a field or an arena.
How to ride this exercise
Canter at 20m circle at either C or A.
At X, make a transition from canter to walk and, staying on the same rein, walk a 10m circle.
When completing the circle, at X make a walk to canter transition and ride a 20m circle again.
Repeat the sequence five times.
Change the rein and repeat.
Tips and troubleshooting
1. Level up
If you’ve nailed your walk to canter transitions and vice versa so that they take place on X, without drifting, losing balance or outline, the next step is to do one set of circles on the left rein, then change leg over X and repeat a set of circles on the other rein in a figure of eight. Switch leads either through a couple of steps of trot or a flying change.
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2. Late transitions
Preparation is key. For the downward transition, prepare three to five strides before X, quietly rebalancing the canter, sitting up tall, and thinking “soften and walk” rather than pulling down into it.
For the walk to canter transition, make sure your walk is forward on the 10m circle but not hurried. Ask for a clear aid up into canter, rather than rushing through a few strides of trot.
3. Anticipation
Your horse anticipating is partly useful because it enables you to use lighter aids for a more accurate transition. However, if your horse is acting before you’ve given the aids, change the exercise slightly. Continue over X without making a transition or switch the moment from X to A or C so that he waits for your aid rather than assuming what comes next.
4. Back to basics
If the walk-canter-walk transitions are too advanced for your level at the moment, swap the canter for trot. You’ll still be working on your transitions, bend and accuracy.
Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
