English Training

Question
hi!
I am 14 years old and I have been riding since I was in grade 2, I consider myself pretty experienced. I am really into showing and really enjoy it and do pretty good sometimes but I am having problems with a 9 year old Arabian gelding named Dallas. Dallas is a Hunter PLeasure horse ( has not had alot of training) and I have a show coming up in about a month I am in 3 hunter pleasure classes. I am having alot of trouble with upward transitons its really hard to get him to canter form a walk and to canter form a trot smoothly, me and him are both getting frusterated and he has started a new bucking program he never used ot be spooky, but all of a sudden he is jumping at everything and really bad on trails i thought maybe I was nervous and making him nervous so I went on a trail ride wit my coach and she said I was handling it fione and that he was testing me but it just keeps getting worse sometimes I feel im not big enoguh to control him he is reallly extremly big for an arabian, tallest horse on teh farm. I ve tried loungeing him but he just gets hurried and wont calm down and do it correctly, he rushes himself alot. What can I do to help him calm down and do it correctly?
             Thanx!! -Jessika Northup  

Answer
Hey Jessica!    You sound like you have a beautiful horse. I had an arabian once and he was really awesome. For the upward transitions to a canter, I would suggest before the transition, half halting him so he knows that you are about to ask him something. To help him with his leads, counterbend him to the outside. When you are ready, ask for a canter by squeezing or kicking him with your heels. If you agree with the use of whips (which I rarely do either), tap him a few times on his flanks along with the use of your seat and legs. Continue asking until he follows through. This teaches him that the pressure will not just go away until he listens to what you are asking of him. Be sure to not lean forward or perch when asking for a canter or your horse will be thrown off balance. Try to push him morte from your seat. I he still is giving you a hard time, work on transitions from trot to canter until they are perfect, then go back to walk to canter. Be sure to be as clear as possible with your leg and seat aids. If you are still having problems, ride without sturrups, bareback, or with a longer sturrup so your seat is more detectable for the command. As for slowing him down from a canter, try half halting again at the canter, until he is going as slow as possible. Then bring your shoulders back and ask for a trot. Put your leg on as you are doing this so he is moving forwards through the transition. Post on the first or second step and keep half halting (Im a big fan of them, they always seem to do the trick) 'till he slows to a working trot. To solve your bucking problem: First check all tack to make sure it is fitted correctly. Also be sure your leg isnt creeping toooo far back. This can upset your balance, and your horse. This happens especially when you are riding in short, jumping lenth sturrups.If you think thats the problem, and I know it can be scary, but try riding without sturrups. If these are not the problem, when your horse bucks, keep your seatand lower leg as firm as you can in the saddle. This restricts his back and hind legs from being to airbourne. Then, force him to a halt, not all with reins, forcing him to bring his feet back on  solid ground. Id this does not work, try opening a rein to bring his head to one side. This will knowck him off balance. Well goodluck, and if it becomes too dangerous, have a professional trainer step in. If you have any more questions or something I have said is unclear, please post another question.
Thank you!  Kim