Changing leads on a AQH Gelding?

Question

I lease a twelve year old AQH gelding and am trying to work on lead changes. We canter across the ring on a diagonal and I trot him a step then canter again to change leads. How can I make him do a flying lead change? When I tried, he just hobbled and almost fell on the wrong lead.

Answer 1

Any horse can do a flying change, regardless of what breed etc. I don't think you really get what a change is. Try starting out going the way your horse has a harder time cantering. Most horses have a lead they favor. Do a half ring circle and then switch directions. Creating the bend your self push him into the corner and outside leg and inside rein. Its like trying to get a lead on a horse is VERY stubborn almost. It might feel like a buck. Btw you can't do this a super slow canter you need energy to propel him, and he'll speed up after the change.

Answer 2

I'm pretty sure you are cueing him at the wrong time.  A flying change comes when the horse is cued right before the opposite hind foot is about to hit the ground.  Before flying changes are attempted, you should know where each leg is just from the feel you have developed.  By cueing at the right moment, his legs are in the right position in his stride to easily switch leads while the legs involved are in midair.  I don't half-halt or break to trot when I teach flying changes.  What I do though, is know where the horse is in his stride.  When the right hind is about to hit the ground, I cue for a left lead....at a canter.  It is a collected canter, entered into from a collected trot.  In the beginning I cue at the intersection of a figure eight.  

So, for a right lead, cue when the left hind is about to hit the ground.  You can never really master this without knowing the right moment to cue.