Flying lead change question!?

Question

Ok i have 5 questions about them... answer as many as you know and if you have any exercises to do that will help please share them! Thanks!!

1. When asking your horse to do a flying lead change (and the horse already knows how to do one) what are normally the aids to ask for one?

2. If your horse changes the front and not the back, how do you get the horse to switch the back without coming down to a trot and the picking up the right lead again?

3. If a horse usually switches the front and then the back, how do you teach the horse to switch both the front and back in the same stride?

4. If a horse has absolutely no idea how to do a flying lead change, how do you teach it to do one?

5. Why is it that some horses will do a lead change out in the pasture, but if they have a rider on them they wont?

Answer 1

1.  The best way to think about it is to reask for the canter on the new lead.  So if you are going left, and want to change to the right, sit deep in the saddle, ask for a right bend,  use right leg behind the girth, left leg behind.

2.  The horse was unable to switch the back because the rider thew the horse off balance.  The rider needs to sit back, keep the horse collected, and apply outside leg with an inside bend.  However, if the horse doesn't get it back in a stride or two, the rider should break to the trot.  It's a lot better than chasing the horse around the ring getting him to fix his lead.

3.  Again, this is more the rider's fault for not sitting back and keeping the horse balanced, straight, and collected.

4.  Work on simple changes until the horse can do them in 1 trot step.  Then ride across the diagonal straight at the fence.  3/4 of the way across, change the bend, but don't let the horse cut it.  Ask for the change a step or two out.  Don't let him turn until the last second.  If he doesn't do the change do a one step simple change.  If he does even half of it.  Praise him and make a fuss over him.

5.  The horse probably doesn't understand what the rider is asking.  They should go back to basics.

Answer 2

1- u pull on the reins like u are going to trot him and then u ask him with the other lead, WHILE HE IS STILL CANTERING

2- Just keep kissing and squeezing, my horse dfoes the same

3- kiss and squeeze hard

4 do simple lead changes first, break him to a trot then ask him for the opposite lead and u can canter him to a pole and while in air, pull on the other rein and squeeze the opposite leg

5- becuase they dont know what u are asking of them, my horse does the same

Answer 3

i can answer two of your questions...

1. if they are trained, it all depends on how they're trained. the horses at my barn do it like this.. they're cantering, go into a figure eight, when you're about two strides into the middle you shift your weight to the opposite direction, and put your outside leg on them, and kiss

5. a lot of horses will do it out in the pasture. but they wont do it when riding. for whatever reason. it could be that they simply arent trained to do it, or they dont pay attention that they switched it out in the pasture.. it just depends on the horse  

Answer 4

Answers listed in order of questioned asked

1. outside leg and a slight inside bend

2. increase pressure with outside leg if doesn't work with a whip tap the horses rear end to make them buck to teach them another way of  when they change ultimately switch their hind end.

3. same as 2

4. start with doing lots of collected walk to canter transitions because it has the same motion of a flying change and it strengthens their rear end, which they have to push off of to do the change. then practice asking over and over again.

5 horses are more naturally balanced without a rider so it is easier to complete the change and also the horse has to learn to understand what your aids mean and what you are asking for.

hope that helped

Answer 5

1.bit pressure and leg pressure.

2.my horse doesnt have that problem, but typically if you make a slight turn they switch.

3.not sure... dont have the problem.

4.train them their lead cues, and try weaving cones wide apart, and ask to canter through them ask for a lead change while doing a simple lead change down to one or two strides trotting until they understand what youre asking..

5.they dont know a que for it..  

Answer 6

Let me get my little disclaimer out of the way first: if you're thinking about teaching a horse a flying change, please reconsider and enlist the help of an experienced trainer. I've had so many sales horses come through my barn that run through their changes. I then have to take the time to re-train them, which is much harder than just starting them correctly in the first place.

1) Let's do this by example. If you're cantering a figure-eight and you start on the left lead, you should maintain your left bend until you're at the center of the second loop. Switch your bend and step into your new outside stirrup. A well-schooled horse should swap with just this slight change in bend and redistribution of weight. A lazier or greener horse may need a squeeze or spur from your new outside leg, but take care to do this only when your horse's front leg is elevated.

2) If your horse swaps just the front and is cross-cantering, it's probably a result of a lack of balance. A common fault is to let the horse become heavy on the forehand the longer you canter, which makes it harder for them to perform a flying change. If you do miss the change, elevate your horse and then ask again, perhaps using a small spur aid if the horse is very lazy.

3) If a horse consistently swaps only the front, I think it must be for one of two reasons: the horse is poorly trained in flying changes, or the rider isn't communicating well. Nine times out of ten, it's a rider error since most horses naturally want to remain in good balance and cross-cantering is very irregular. For the rider, I would have them make sure they were elevating their horse, keeping his hindend engaged through the change. I'd also make sure they were being very clear in the way they asked for the change: swapping the bend, opening slightly with the new inside rein, and adding a slight outside leg aide. If it's a horse error, I might re-school the horse over poles, asking for the change when he's already extending over the cavaletti.

4) I start with figure eights on the horse's harder or stiffer direction (since he'll be more inclined to swap onto his more comfortable lead first). I canter a 20 m circle several times until the horse is in good balance and his rhythm is consistent. Then, when we reach the middle of the arena, I will ask for a change of bend and shift my weight into my new outside stirrup. Most horses, especially if they're athletic, will naturally swap here. Some may require a pole on the ground or an elevated cavaletti in the center of the two loops to understand the concept and provide them with a specific place to change. The important thing is not to gallop the horse into the change, and just ride with consistent, steady contact. I'm a big believer in praising them for little successes, and don't ask for many changes right away. They'll only wear your horse out and make them resent their job.

5) Most of the time this is a result of the horse and rider not communicating clearly. The horse may not have been properly taught flying changes, and the rider may not be clearly expressing what she wants. You end up with a frustrated pair that just doesn't understand one another. Remember: horses don't come pre-taught. They need to learn the proper cues for natural behaviors. Once they understand, most are willing to do what you ask of them.