Other Movements

Counter Canter

This is where the horse canters with the 'wrong' lead leg. By example, if on a left handed circle the horse is asked to canter with right canter lead ie. the off-fore leading.

Seems to happen to me more when I don't want it than when I ask for it - that's what lessons are for I suppose.

Flying Change

Changing the leading leg at canter. It happens during the moment when all feet are off the ground - the third beat of canter. The horse must swop from one pair of leading legs to the other.

Rein Back

Walking backwards. Well nearly - as the horse moves his legs in diagonal pairs and so has a two time beat as opposed to forward walk in which each leg moves independantly.

Piaffe

A highly collected and elevated trot on the spot.

Passage

A highly collected and elevated trot.

Next - inside or outside?

Blenheim Jump

Comments

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Brittany 11th Apr 02

Can someone tell me how you do a flying lead Change?

Starr 29th Apr 02

Brittany:
i find it easiest to do this around a turn. put your outside leg on, use some inside leg for balance, open your inside rein, again balance with your outside rein if your horse starts turning in, and sit back.

Kristy 18th Jul 02

When i do flying lead changes, i shift my weight to my outside leg, keep the horse collected and use your ourside leg, but still keep your inside leg (like Starr said) for balance. Basically, what you're doing is changing the bend.

Liz 21st Apr 03

Brittany,
I learned flying changes by cantering a large figure 8, and changing the bend through the centre of the 8. ( two 20m circles basically) Its easiest if u first start by just cantering the corners and trotting across the diagonal, and then picking up the canter again on the other lead when you get to the other side of the figure 8 and change the bend. Gradually reduce the amount of trot strides and increase the canter strides u do across the diagonal and once u are cantering the whole figure 8, as you go across the centre and change the bend, your horse should learn to do a flying change.
Sounds complicated, but its how i learnt it and i found it useful for teaching an inexperienced horse, or rider. i hope this helps.

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