Flying lead changes....?

Question

I know that your supposed to switch your weight to the new lead, but I am confused. Instead of sending me to a link can you tell me what to do? And explain.... thanks so much! Ex: Like if your supposed to turm your head into the new direction, and swicht your legs.... thanks, =D!

Answer 1

Listen 2 Ellemayo ! Unless ur horse doesnt Neck Rein then u might have 2 try the short reining for Dressage while @ the same time using Ellemayo's "Figure 8" technique which is most successful with horses who already Neck Rein. Wut he means by shifting ur weight is exactly wut it says eventually the horse should graduate from leg "cues" given during the Figure 8 excercise to changing Leads when it feels U shift ur weight from right to left or vice versa; like when ur standing in place with one hip hocked while putting ur weight on the other then that leg gets tired so u switch hips but ur simply doing the same thing while sitting atop ur horse) if u dont think ur horse is reading ur weight u can try lean into that stirrup if it makes u feel as tho ur getting ur point across (no pun intended--personally ive never used spurs on any horse and gotten the same good results with the Figure 8 technique.(believe me the horse can feel the re-distributiuon of that little amount of weight)  

Answer 2

Ok... If your horse is just learning to perform flying lead changes, you'll want to start off slow. Horses naturally do flying lead changes all the time, but riders tend to get in the way of that, so we need to show our horses what we're asking of them.

Begin by cantering in one direction around the arena, for example, on the left lead. Get him going at a nice collected canter, listening to your aids. Begin a figure 8 across the center of the arena. When you get to X, or the middle of your figure 8, bring your horse down to a trot. Take two or three trot steps, and as you're in the trot, signal your horse to switch directions, both with your hands and your seat. You'll need to change the bend in your horse's neck from left to right. Then, immediately signal your horse to pick up a canter, this time on the right lead.

Do this a few times... figure 8's across the center of the arena, with a few trot steps in the center and picking up the other lead. This should get your horse ready for the next step.

Once your horse is listening and correctly picking up both leads without too much prompting, take him through the exercise again, say on the left lead again, but this time, instead of asking him to trot at X, switch the bend in his body from left to right, shift your seat, and as you enter the third beat of the canter where your horses inside (left) front leg is the only one on the ground, give him the signal for a canter on the right lead (usually a signal done with the left leg). As long as you don't get in his way, he should be able to switch leads.

That may have been way more information than what you wanted, but I hope I was able to help :)

Answer 3

Unless you are in intermediate dressage or better, don't switch your weight into the lead.  Timing is everything.  When the opposite hind hoof is about to hit the ground, you cue.  So, if you are travelling left, and want to switch to the right lead, when the left hind is about to hit the ground, shift your weight left, apply left leg, and increase contact on your left rein.  Your cues are on the opposite side of the lead you want.  Most horses are trained this way, unless doing more advanced work.  This way the switch occurs easily while the involved legs are midair, and the correct hoof is on the ground.

Add....say you are circling right, and about to reach the intersection of your figure 8. Just as you come to the intersection, and when the right hind hoof is about to come down, shift your weight into the heel of your right stirrup, and onto your right seatbone, and lay your right leg onto his side.  At the same time, slightly tip his nose to the right (shorten the right rein, or if you neck rein, lay the left rein onto the left side of his neck)  This frees up his front end to switch , and keeps the hindquarter and fore united as he changes to the left lead while the left fore is perfectly set up for it.  This is the best way to get a flying change, unless you are changing over a jump, in which case it is done a bit differently.  I have trained and performed flying changes many times for many years with many horses.

Answer 4

Okay here it is very simple!

Get off your horse! lol

On the ground put yourself into the postition a horse is in while cantering...right lead with your right leg out in front, left with the left leg in front. Feel how your hips are turned?

Now do the same thing in the saddle..say you're on the left lead..switch your hips from the left leg foward to the right leg foward!

Look the way you want to go, and guide with your reins! Its that simple!