Leand Changes?!?! Plz Help!!!!?

Question

Hi there. My horse is fab and quite a darling. She is a 12 year old purebred Qh mare named Dot. She jumps, plays polo, barrel races, trail rides, you name it, she can do it! But we only have one problem! I really want to get into Hunter/Jumpers with her, but she cannot do flying lead changes! She only does simple. I have gotten along fine doing simple lead changes and do not mind them, but I cannot do Hunters unless she knows flying lead changes. Could someone explain to me how to train her to do flying lead changes? I really need to know. I dont care how long it takes I am dedicated to this and I really want to train her to do flying changes instead of simple because I cant show with simple :( Pleaze help!

Oh, and I dont know if this helps, but she is 12 years old :)

Answer 1

It all depends on how your horse was trained. Mine was trained to pick-up/ switch lead when the outside rein was pulled to the outside and nudge the outside leg.

In courses, many times you can just pick up the right lead after you get over a jump, if you must switch. My horse does fine as long as she knows where she is going. Before going into the jump, start hinting that you'll be switching leads. Also, figure 8's work wonders with lead changes. Ask your trainer. =D

Answer 2

Haha amazing...I ahve the same issue. But, with a gelding haha.

I do Hunter with him know and all he knew was simple...I am telling you I ahve won many classes doing simple changes so if you want to go to a hunter show and she still does't know them go...

But, how I have been training my QH is by cantering over two poles a few inches apart and leaning to the OUTSIDE and pushing with my OUTSIDE LEG. he hard part is not leaning to the inside xD she should switch, if not get a trainer to help :)

My horse picked it up in about two days, but he wont do them unless I trun a very sharp turn, and sometimes he cross canters know grrr...so make sure hse doesn't cross canter too. I hope I helped some :D

Answer 3

A lot of people use a pole on the ground in the middle of the figure 8. They canter on one lead, walk near the pole, step over it and canter on the other lead. After a while, they can do the switch over the pole, remove the pole and finally, take the change to other locations.

To determine when a horse is ready for flying changes, he needs to be balanced on both canter leads and accept the rider's cue to take whichever lead the rider requests. He needs to be more under himself and using his hind end. He needs to accept a half halt through the seat of the rider. The horse should have soft, obedient transitions from walk to canter and back, as well as trot to canter and back. He should be able to counter canter, too.

A rider needs to be able to "feel" which lead is which when riding and have very clear canter aids that helps a horse select a canter lead and helps him through the change. Intitially this rider "feel" is learned by checking the inside shoulder of the horse - it is forward at a certain time of the 3 beat canter. It helps to have an instructor that can tell you when you are on the correct lead and then as you are "feeling" the canter, look at the inside shoulder - you get a sense that it is "leading." Until you are very comfortable with "feel" the visual check of the inside shoulder is a good help.

Often a horse will only change leads behind and this is an ugly feeling, very hard to sit.

If you are working over a jumping course, it is actually easier to decide which lead you want to land on over a jump and cue for it with your weight and legs when going over the jump. This is also a good way to refine your aids and your horse's response to them.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

I ride in short stirrup hunters so i know all about how important lead changes are. I think first you have to learn to balance your horse and do leg yields, and make sure you can do lead changes so someone knows what their doing, then you can try to ask over a pole. That's how i did them but all horses are different so i cant say it will positively work. I suggest finding someone experienced in hunters to help you teach your horse.

You could try this too

http://www.allabouthorses.com/about-us/y...

Answer 5

How did you run barrels if she cant change leads and pick them up on cue?