In brief
Our expert
Sara Malpass is a dressage rider and coach who’s competed up to Intermediate level.
Photos: Jon Stroud
Hollowed out
My horse always hollows through transitions, especially walk to trot. What can I do to keep him softer?
Pat Coleman
A Sara Malpass answers: This is a common problem for TOP TIP riders, but thankfully If your horse continues to the solutions are hollow, it’s worth having his really simple, it’s tack checked and a physio out just a case of putting to make sure he’s comfortable in the time and and able to achieve what practising. The first you’re asking of him. thing to check before you make the transition to trot is that your horse’s walk is active and that he’s listening to you. You can achieve this by making lots of walk-halt-walk transitions. There should be no hesitation when you put your leg on to ask for trot.