28/ DECEMBER 2025 THE RIDER


How To “Flow” From The Trot To The Walk


By Kathy Farrokhzad. It sounds simple, does-


n’t it? Just pull back on the


reins and the horse will stop trotting. But there are a lot of small details in there that might be overlooked. For example, you might notice the rider yanking back and the horse’s mouth opening wide.


You might be able to


see the neck come up in an upside-down arch, and the back drop into a hammock- like position. The most obvious


problem that can be visibly identified is the hind legs. When the transition is prob- lematic, the hind legs liter- ally get left behind. The striding is short and the legs seem to be stuck together, causing an imbalance that then gets transmitted to the front end. The horse “falls to the forehand”. There are many alternate aids we can go to, especially for a downward transition. Here are three steps to


develop a balanced trot- walk transition with mini- mal rein pressure:


1. Half-Halt Several steps before


you want to do the down- ward transition, do three of four half-halts. IN the rhythm of the trot, use a light leg aid to encourage the horse to reach further underneath the body with his hind legs. Then go like


this: half-halt, half-halt, half-halt. The half-halt comes mainly from your back and seat, followed by light squeezes from your al- ready closed hands. Brace your lower back and seat against the trot movement. If you are posting in your trot, do the bracing when you sit in the saddle.


2. Walk With Your Seat Immediately after the


half-halt, sit into the walk. Your seat should resist any more trot movement, but also change its rhythm to a walk rhythm. Once your horse knows to expect the change in your seat, he will easily switch his legs to a walk when he feels the walk from your seat. At this point, if you


think using a voice cue would be beneficial, use a low, calming tone to “walk”. At some point, though, you want to see if your horse is responding to your riding aids rather than just the voice.


3. Follow Through If he still goes through


your seat and half-halt aids, momentarily close your legs and knees to support the bracing from your back. Push down into your stir- rups.


As a last resort, use the


reins. But keep in mind that… Every pull backwards


on the reins prevents the horse’s hind legs from


should be the same amount of fluidity to the movement. To ensure continued


movement, don’t stop your seat when the horse breaks to the walk. Add enough leg aid to keep the energy flow- ing forward. Instead, without skip-


ping a beat, swing your seat from the trot into the walk, within the movement of one horse stride. Go with the same commitment and flow as the trot. Encourage with your leg aids if needed, and expect your horse to switch just as easily from the trot to the walk. Don’t be discouraged


if you can’t get it right away. Instead, practice the “flow”


reaching underneath the body.


But there is more to it. The ideal transition


should simply and easily flow from one gait to the other.


4. Just One More Thing... Many horses tend to


“flop” into the downward transition. Some horses fall heavily to the forehand and eventually change gaits; others simply like to quit. Those are the horses that lurch into the walk, with lit- tle effort put into supporting their weight from the hind end.


Ideally, the energy


should continue at the same level, irrespective of the gait. So whether the horse is trotting or walking, there


at every opportunity and soon enough, you’ll notice that your horse isn’t getting stuck in his downward tran- sitions. Then, be sure to pat him to thank him for his ef- forts!


Bio: Kathy Farrokhzad is an EC coach and author of the Horse Listening book collection, Goal Setting For The Equestrian: A Personal Workbook, and the creator of the Practice Sessions on- line program. If you liked what you read here, check out her blog at HorseListen- ing.com for many more arti- cles about horses, riding and life in general.


The Jockey Club of Canada Announces New Industry Award


The Jockey Club of


Canada is proud to an- nounce a new industry award which will be pre- sented for the first time at the upcoming 51st annual Sovereign Awards cere- mony. The Outstanding Western Canadian Back- stretch Worker Award is a partner to the longstanding Outstanding Groom Award, which is given to a groom working in Ontario. This new award is open to back- stretch workers who hold a valid thoroughbred license in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and/or Manitoba. Doug Anderson, Chief


Steward of The Jockey Club of Canada, notes “Success and sustainability in thor- oughbred racing is the result of a team effort centered on the best interests of the horse. This team effort in- cludes the work of all back- stretch workers – grooms, exercise riders, assistant trainers, and hot walkers. These dedicated profession- als offer diligent and tireless care for our equine athletes and are rarely, if ever, in the spotlight. We’re proud at the


Jockey Club of Canada to provide a significant oppor- tunity to recognize these in- dividuals for the work they do by inaugurating this award for the Outstanding Western Canadian Back- stretch Worker. We look for- ward to submissions from across Canada, and particu- larly from Western Canada, for consideration by the se- lection committee.” Nominations for the


Outstanding Western Cana- dian Backstretch Worker Award can be submitted on- line at the Jockey Club of Canada


website,


https://jockeyclubcanada.co m/sovereign-awards/nomi- nations-and-submissions/ until Wednesday, December 31, 2025. Alternatively, you may email


jockeyclub-


canada@gmail.com or phone (416) 675-7756 to have a nomination form sent to you. Nominations are now


also open for the Outstand- ing Groom Award and Out- standing Off-track Worker Award. You can nominate a deserving groom or off- track worker at the Jockey Club of Canada website,


https://jockeyclubcanada.co m/sovereign-awards/nomi- nations-and-submissions/ until Wednesday, December 31, 2025. Forms will also be available for pick-up at the Woodbine Race Office. Al- ternatively, you may email jockeyclubcanada@gmail.c om or phone (416) 675- 7756 to have a nomination form sent to you. The Jockey Club of


Canada will host the 51st annual Sovereign Awards ceremony


to at honour


Canada’s champions of 2025


Paramount


Eventspace, located at 222 Rowntree Dairy Road, Woodbridge, Ontario. The celebration will


take place Thursday, April 23, 2026. Tickets to the 51st annual Sovereign Awards ceremony are $250 each, with tables of ten discounted to $2,000. Early-bird tickets are also available for a dis- counted price of $225 until March 23, 2026. Tickets will be avail-


able for purchase online at https://jockeyclubcanada.co m/online-payments/. Pro- gram advertisement space, sponsorships, and tickets


8782 Longwood Rd, Mount Brydges, ON, N0L1W0 www.viatrailer.com


Advertise Your Business in The Rider and Online


all year long for onE low PRicE! Call 905-387-1900 or email barry@therider.com


can also be purchased by contacting The Jockey Club of Canada at (416) 675- 7756 or by emailing jockey- clubcanada@gmail.com. The Jockey Club of


Canada was founded in 1973 by E. P. Taylor to serve as the international repre- sentative of the Canadian Thoroughbred industry. The mission of The Jockey Club of Canada is to promote and maintain a high standard for Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada at a level which is recognized internationally for the bene- fit of all those interested in the sport, including the gen- eral public. This is achieved through operations and serv- ices such as, but not limited to: evaluating all Graded, Listed and Black-type races in Canada annually; con- ducting the annual Sover- eign Awards for outstanding achievement in Thorough- bred racing and breeding in Canada; maintaining a field office in Canada for the Jockey Club of the United States and the Jockey Club Registry Service; and by representing Canada as a Member of the IFHA.


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