Horse popping above bit in upward transitions?

[JustABay]

Looking for some advice on how to prevent my guy from popping his head up during upward transitions-It's driving me NUTS!!! He stays nice and soft and round except during the transition, he just stiffens up and lifts his head, then 2 or 3 strides later, it's back down again. I have done a bajillion transitions, tried being soft, being not soft, being bent, being straight, and now I'm lost. Any ideas??
Thanks:)

[amastrike]

Keep trying. The one thing I remember my trainer mentioning was not to use too much inside rein (this was for trot-canter transitions, not sure if it's a general rule).

[GallantGesture]

Have someone check your position. Make sure you are keeping your shoulders back and riding the transition with your seat and his back end, instead of tipping forward (even the tiniest bit!) and clamping your leg on while trying to hold his head down by playing with the reins. Learning to sit back and into my seat in transitions has made a world of a difference with my horse! What helped me learn the feeling was walk-canter transitions. If I didn't use my seat correctly, there was no way I could get a quality transition. After that, walk-trot was easy :)

[rabicon]

My guy does this if I'm the least bit tipped forward. I can't not tell that I am and even friends can't but my trainer sees it. She says I'll tip 2 degrees forward and it throws everything out of whack and his head goes flying. ;)

[goeslikestink]

look here check stirrups as that has effects on your position
http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=168593
what you decribing is a common rider error not the horse the rider, as you tilting forwards
when you change pace so you need to learn to sit properly
and also work from an independant seat- so try with out stirrups ie get a trianer to help you on the lunge line- and be more balanced in your seat this will help you ride from an independant seat
and ride between seat leg and hands
then you work towards learning the half halt stride with every transition
be light in the hands as handset or to heavy in the hands will cuase this problem, of hollowing up or jabbing in the mouth- so horse has no alturnative but to raise his head
lack of balance on your part is the problem

[JustABay]

Thanks everyone:)
I will have to book some more lessons!
I am trying to work on siting straight-but I am fighting with myself and my injuries, which like to make me sit crooked, and one shoulder will lead. Until I can fix my messed up body, any other ideas? Also, will doing repeated transitions, even with his head in the air, will it just reinforce that? I don't want to school them if it's going to make the problem worse!

[goeslikestink]

arh- if you drop your schoulders the horse will fall in or out

[Valentina_32926]

During any transition (Up or down) your maintain the same contact with the outside rein (plant elbow on waist) and push forward with your seat into the transition.

Obviously if it's a downward transition you "close the door" with both reins. After horse stops tossing head in transition you can give a LITTLE with outside rein by allowing elbow to come forward (don't open fingers).

It should always be forward and up even if you're doing a downward transition (otherwise you get what my mare would do - slam on brakes) :lol:.

[quietann]

Keep trying. The one thing I remember my trainer mentioning was not to use too much inside rein (this was for trot-canter transitions, not sure if it's a general rule).

It may vary by horse; my horse is less likely to toss her head (one of her big issues) in trot to canter if one maintains slightly more contact on the inside rein.

[NJRider]

You can avoid blocking your horse with the inside rein yet keeping contact by widening your hands in the trans. Make sure your elbows are bent and hands low.

[mickeydoodle]

You probably do not have enough impulsion in the trot- it might feel "soft" etc, but the horse is not through to the bit enough and not forward enough to do the transition and stay round. get more power in the trot, more real throughness and they will improve.

[goeslikestink]

read this thread as i have explained how to do the half halt stride which will help you
http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=117959&highlight=half+halts+stride