Heather - flying change problems

[MistyEQ]

(I live in the USA, so I may have different terminology..)
I've been working on flying changes for a few years now, and I have had a few really good rides where everything clicks and I get them all, then I have rides where I can't get any!

What's the best way to go about asking for one? (obviously bend the horse in, but I seem to lean and get in his way a lot of the time).
Oh, I ride a 15.3hh Warmblood (possible selle francais) x Paint cross, who's 7 and can be amazing, he's just lazy about using himself.

[Heather]

HI Misty,

True flying changes can only come about as the result of a horse being schooled to quite a high level, achieving the ability to collect and extend in canter and also to be able to perform counter canter.

Horses will often change leads if you lean in and throw him off balance, but this is not what is meant by a flying change. The canter needs to have been developed so that the horse feel as if moving uphill, with a light forehand, and the aid for flying change should be very subtle, with no leaning in or legs swinging back and forth as is too often see.

Heather

[MistyEQ]

I neglected to add I ride hunters and huntseat equitation. I'm doing Training Level dressage for the second time on Sunday (I don't have a dressage instructor, so my huntseat instructor and I are just doing it for fun. She has an eventing instructor though).
So our flying changes are supposed to go unnoticed as you continue smoothly with your course. And they are ask for earlier than dressage people ask for them.

[Heather]

Thanks Misty, I get where you are coming from now. Actually, in Germany, they train for flying changes much earlier- if the horse has an aptitude for them, they will play around with changes as young as three and not long backed! Personally, I think that three is too young to be doing anything other than light basics, but any older, why not? Dressage riders in the UK at any rate, get so bogged down in following a set programme of training, not making allowances for a particular horses aptitude for certain movements.

My show jumper neighbour a few years ago always used to teach her four year olds to do flying changes so as not to wrong foot them when changing tracks around a course of jumps. So carry on and experiment! Try to limit the amount you lean in and make the changes as smooth as possible by decreasing the aids as the horse becomes familiar with the changes.

Heather

[MistyEQ]

Jeff's got the down. I think my instructor can do them every 4 strides! (Not quite a tempo change ;-)) I just can't seem to get them! I think part of the problem is I forget to ride out enough though.