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So my big dude and I have a few problems with smooth transitions.

The biggest one being the canter to trot transition.
I ask him for a downward transition to trot, and he gives me a trot that could jar the teeth out of my head.
stressed

Advice kthnx

To get a SMOOTH transition out of Penny, we get her to Lollygag into her gaits. It keeps them collected and makes them work themselves into a smoother transition.

Forcing and speeding them into it won't do any good.
Keep it slow and collected. Let the horse go when they are ready. Once you feel they are 'lollygagging' their trot, quietly ask for the canter. Half halt if needed to slow them back down from rough transitioning. Lightly tap them every few 'strides' of their trot until you are ready for that canter. I would pick a corner of the arena on the long side, start at the bottom and trot up till the middle of that side, then start asking, but not fully ask until you reach the top corner. Slowing them into it will help.

Sai: Nya, for Penny it helped her go into her next gate *higher one* Because she had a probolem of spooking into her next gate, making her next one like really nya >.> She's like over it now, but for going into a downward transitions a little different, I do agree with you and aria about keeping collected, but I have to agree with Aria about the moving forward part.

Groovy: Also, When you come back from your canter to your trot, do you right away go to your walk as soon as you get your trot or like start thinking about it right away (I know quite a few who do this, not saying it isn't bad, I mean I've had to teach Sir Zipp to hand gallop then halt for shows)? But what I' recommend if you do is try trotting him around a couple times befor asking for your walk transition. (I find this helps) But if your not, then nya, I'd try and namely just stay collected in the front and back. You can try and see if making him go collected at a slower rate would help to like Sai said if it doesn't help, but I have a feeling it's not cause he's *afraid* of going to his next gate.

And for anyone else, with the whole Penny thing, She had a proboblem going into her next gate cause she would spook and namley just be to afraid to go into it. That just got delt with because other people riding her would only ask for her to trot if it meant canter in two second or walk right now. xP So needless to say it was just to teach them to hold out their trot, but I also noticed she was afraid to go into her next gates, so with her taking your time helps her realize she's alright, and there's nothing to worry about. Probolem was fixed. Just thought I'd point it out so not to have everyone start another... well.... >.> But Every horse is different and training is even if it's just slightly, it is different for every horse, and while some methods work miracles on some, it may not for others.
Okays, I'll shut up now xD

Uhmm...seing as I plan to use this horse for eventing, teaching him to drag his a** at a trot is going to be a very bad thing.

And to collect your hrose needs IMPLULSION, you are not going to get any impulsion if you;re asking your horse to do piddly jog instead of a nice forward trot.