Teaching Lead Changes

[Emz]

Heya

I'm starting to teach my boy about lead changes in canter. I've hear many different ways of doing this through poles or through simple changes etc etc but what methods do you prefer??

He's quite balanced, can be very attentive at times lol. He picks up the correct lead on either rein even if i ask for it along the straight side, or when i change the rein, change the bend and immediately ask for canter after around 5-10 trot strides.

So how would move on from there??

Thanks

[holiday]

its easier in my opinion if the horse has a good understanding of simple changes - through walk. You can then reduce the amount of walk steps and then proceed to a half circle back to the track asking for walk then reducing the steps till you eventually just change your aids when you reach the track to the opposite canter lead and keep asking until he gets the idea!!! Be prepared to lose your counter canter and they often leap about until they get the idea!!!!! Alway keep them forward! Good luck!!!!!!!

[IrisSilverMoon]

I wouldn't use poles since it teachers horses to be late behind and that will cost you point sin the dressage ring. firstly make sure you have a balanced counter canter and collected canter. these are the precoursers to the changes.

What I like to do for flying changes is work on two 10m circles. you canter one circle and then walk and change the bend and the canter the other circle. Try to keep your walk steps in between as few as possible, the fewer the horse and you can manage the closer to a change you are, eventually there should be no walk steps and you should get the change. trotting is considered cheating and not helpful. Doing the changes through a walk makes sure the horse stays balanced and collected as they switch their bend. It also helps if you are facing a wall or arena fence when you come around for your walk change, if the horse has nowhere to go when you ask them to change the bend its more likely they'll do a change to stay balanced rather than making just a really big circle so they don't have to switch.

[dressage1anja]

i agree with holiday.. thats a good method.. like only having one stride in between..

tip- dont do to many a ride- expecially if just learning, its hard on the stiefles if they arnt built all the way yet

[Emz]

Thanks for your help!!

I've been doing the canter-walk-canter method and he seems ot be getting the idea. We're down to about 3 walk strides!!

[tigs]

whichever method you chose it is most important that before you start to introduce changes is to get your horse working with thoughness.the more adjustable he is the easier it will be.canter to walk, walk to canter transitions should be easy with no hesitation.you could start with canter, walk(say five strides) then canter on the other leg reducing the strides to 1 or 2.however not allways going on to the other leg so he doesnt start to hesitate keeping him as adjustable as possible.if you can do a canter halt canter(on the other leg)then you should have little trouble when you ask your horse to change.well done for getting down to 3 strides1:)