Why Are Transitions Important In The Ridden Horse?

Transition means change, whether this is upward, downward, between paces, within the pace, direct or progressive.

A smooth transition requires balance, suppleness and a willing response, without losing stability, rhythm or making an undesired change in the posture.

When performed well with the wither position remaining constant with the croup, transitions are a great strengthening exercise for the horse, especially for the carrying, controlling and sitting ability of the hindlimb.

Transitions within the gait, e.g. collecting and extending, are extremely useful for conditioning the gluteals and biceps femoris muscles, helping to develop power and expression, along with sharpening the horse’s response to the aids.

Well-executed half-halts are fundamental for developing strength within the hindlimb. This is because half-halts recruit and shorten the iliopsoas muscle group when the lumbosacral junction flexes and the hindquarters carry more weight.

Not only do transitions aid fitness and strength, each transition requires a change of thought, revealing how mentally available the horse might be. By including lots of transitions within a training session, the horse’s mental well-being will be improved.

Each transition helps to improve a horse’s focus and sensitivity to the rider’s aids and utilising them during a training session is an extremely useful way to create a structured and engaging training routine.

Good transitions hold big marks in a dressage test. They can also be extremely helpful when seeing strides to jumpse, whether in a showjumping arena or on a cross country course.