So my biggest riding weakness at the moment is getting lead changes. I’ve had many people tell me different things, so I’m wondering how you personally ask for one. Any advice would be great!
I’ll be completely honest with you, I stink at lead changes. I’ve had whole lessons on lead changes, multiple lessons. I’ve shown in the jumper ring and many different levels with great rounds. But I cannot for the life of me “ask” for the lead change. If I try asking and just end up umbalenced. However I can get beautiful lead changes if I sit centered in the saddle and I’m properly balanced as we go around a turn. I’ve also found when coming off a jump if I’m looking the way I’m about to go before landing 90% of the time my horse will land on the correct lead. This is what works for my horse. Every horse is different and I’d just keep trying until you find what your horse responds to. Good luck.
Politely is how I personally ask for them, but on a more serious note a dressage trainer can help you. The key is straightness. I have always had horses that change easily by just keeping them straight and use my left or right leg depending on which direction I am going.
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I go to staples and buy the lead and once the pencil lead is gone I open the eraser and put in the new lead.
Ha no. Control the hind end. Some horses are easier than others to change. I find schooling shoulders in haunches in counter canter a lot of flat work controlling the horse helps. Across the diagonal hold the lead by haunches ie left lead keep haunches left with left bend moving off right leg. Like a half pass Get horse straight gently change the bend balancing the horse. Hard to explain in writing. It’s a feel that dressage is a good start to getting it. Or buy more pencils. Jk
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Go forward, straight, inside leg pushing into outside rein and step into outside stirrup if necessary
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But you really can’t fix your issues off the internet or out of a book. You need experienced eyes on the ground and a solid mastery of basics. Theres no lead change button and no one way is going to work for every change. Often the horse lacks some basics too, doesn’t understand, doesn’t think they have to or has some soreness. Rider actions can also complicate things, Leaning in, behind the leg, stuff like that.
It shouldn’t be a big deal if the basics are there.
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Step into the outside stirrup, press slightly with inside leg. As little use of hands as possible.
If I’m sitting on the right horse, I turn my head and think it. Actually, I guess I change the bend, and add a bit of impulsion if I have to do anything. But it depends a lot on the horse. Some horses need more organization and input than others do. For every horse, If they have enough talent to do a flying change at all (not ALL do) it is a matter of finding the key for each of them, because each may be a little bit different in what works for him. Explore the options, reward when you get one, then it gets easier with repetition. Don’t get stuck on “one way only for all” thinking. Be “pragmatic, not dogmatic”. Surprisingly, this quote comes from a dressage master. I like it.
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Badly and inconsistently. William (Will) is a well-trained cutting sorting horse that I am asking to be my fox hunter --I’m a mostly English rider for 50+ years —so Will and I have a few issues with the canter. He has been trained sort of backwards of what I knew to do: I was taught to tilt the nose to the rail and push with your outside (rail) leg. Will has been taught neck-rein to the inside, push with the outside leg. So we are both generally confused. When I can make myself just THINK about the lead and ask for a canter --Will picks up the correct lead (he’s not stupid --if we’re going to turn left, he sees the end of the arena and knows the only direction is left, duh). It’s when I overtly ask for a specific lead that confusion ensues. That’s because I’ve pulled to the wrong side or kicked with the wrong leg. Poor guy will pick up what he thinks is the correct lead, then when I cue, will immediately do a flying lead change, then when I cue again, fly back --finally we stop and readdress and usually (if I remember to breath) get the correct lead. When fox hunting --I let Will pick the lead. Saves us both a lot of trouble.
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First you need to understand the use of legs and seat to keep your horse straight. Next you need to understand the function of the inside and outside legs in requesting canter. Once you can solidly and reliably get the required canter lead anywhere anytime, then you need to realize that a lead change is a bend change. So if you are cantering on the R lead, and want a change, take a deep breath, and switch your leg, and body position to a L lead. With an educated horse that should get the job done.
Having a good instructor monitor your efforts is helpful.
Especially at the end of a line, I sometimes struggle to find the balance between half halting to balance for the change but not so much or in such a way that I kill the horse’s impulsion.
By changing the bend/balance through the horse’s body and shifting my weight in the saddle. This is a very slight curve, they are mainly straight. If I’m on the right lead, when I ask for the left lead, my left leg becomes the new inside leg to outside right rein. Right leg keeps horse straight and allows the rib cage to bend around the left leg. Opening inside left rein lets the front end follow the hind.
But mainly by learning to feel the horse’s straightness and balance and readiness to offer a change. I don’t think all this out deliberately; I feel what the horse is doing. And if we don’t get it, I ask for a downward transition so we’re not continuing on unbalanced and cross-cantering. I don’t want to teach a horse how not to get a change.
Realize that the half halt does not come from the hand. To do a proper half halt,halt your body for a half second while keeping your leg on. Sometimes taking a deep breath will have the same effect. The key is adding or keeping leg, depending on the horse.
The advice you’ve gotten so far is fantastic, IF your horse knows what you’re asking. If you’re struggling with lead changes on just one horse, see if there’s anyone that’s successfully gotten a lead change on your horse before and how they asked. If you’re struggling with lead changes in general on many horses, I would stick with just one (that’s properly trained in lead changes) to learn on, as each horse can be a little different and trying to achieve something that can be asked a million ways could just confuse you more.
I’ve found that one of the most important parts of asking for a lead change is to stay centered and balanced. It’s hard enough for the horse to keep their balance during a lead change, juggling the rider doesn’t make it any easier!
Good luck!
A lead change is asking for a canter depart from the canter. You probably know how to get your horse pick up the canter from the walk and trot. Analyse what you do to get a canter depart from those gaits.
If your horse even occasionally, picks up the wrong lead, then you need to learn the correct aids for those canter departs before moving on to a flying change.
First thing, make sure your horse is cantering in a balanced frame, and that his hind legs are underneath him (and, therefore, are under your control)
AN ABSOLUTE TRUISM: A horse cannot change behind if his hind end is outside his midsection. He just can’t. So changing his bend to the new inside (with your new inside leg), while protecting his hind legs from swinging to the outside, and then asking for the new lead with the outside leg is a necessity. The important part of this is that changing the bend MUST include changing the balance both in front of AND behind your leg.
Riding ‘from back to front’ is always important, but it is mandatory in getting a clean flying change.
Many people say, "I got a flying change in front, but not in the back. This makes me a little crazy. You either get a flying change or you don’t. There is no such thing as getting half of a flying change.
I am assuming you and your horse are new to a lead change, so this will be simplistic.
A lead change is asking for an (eg.) a canter depart from the canter. You probably know how to get your horse pick up the canter from the walk and trot. Analyse what you do to get a canter depart from those gaits.
If your horse even occasionally, picks up the wrong lead, then you need to learn the correct aids for those canter departs before moving on to a flying change.
To itemize the aids: [In this example you are starting on the right lead and changing to the left lead]
1, cross the diagonal. At this point, your horse should be bent to the right, as if he was making a circle to the right.
2. at the midpoint of the ring, rebend the horse so he is momentarily counter cantering. To rebend your horse you need to shift your weight to the outside leg (the new outside leg), and ask for a canter depart .
AN ABSOLUTE TRUISM: A horse cannot change behind if his hind end is outside his midsection. He just can’t. So changing the bend MUST include changing the bend both in front of AND behind your leg.
Too many people only ride the front end of the horse. For a flying change, the hind end of the horse is more important than the front. AND the horse’s hind end must be underneath him. I should have put this up at the top, because getting the horse organized, and coming through from behind, should always be the first thing you do.
This sounds complicated, but once you get it, the movemment is easy.
Best if you learn the sequence of movements on a horse who knows then already.
Time your request for the part of the canter stride when the horse can switch easily. I cue with outside leg slightly back. So to ask for right lead, my left leg is slightly behind girth.
Boy, some horses get a lead change so easily, and others just never seem to get it.
Shotgun and I have been working on our flying changes for months. I swear we are not getting anywhere.
Dexter can do them in his sleep. I barely start asking him for the change and he’s already done it. Super easy for him.
I do like working on them on a straight line, because it is easier for me to make sure both of their shoulders are UP and make sure the hip is in position. I like to ask by pushing the hip over into the current lead with my (current) outside leg, and then switching to the (new) outside leg while also giving the horse a verbal kiss sound cue. All while keeping the head and shoulders in position. Of course, might need to add some inside leg in there if the horse needs it.
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So no one else closes their eyes and silently prays 'please change, please change, please change"?
I cue it like a canter depart, as others mentioned, making sure I’m straight and have a good quality canter.
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If it’s on course, and it’s the long ride to the single (where there isn’t much room), I go to the jump and keep looking at the corner and maintain my rhythm. I land and stay forward through the landing but still looking to that corner. I balance up, make sure horse is straight, stay back in my half seat (but don’t sit) and make sure horse has impulsion from behind before asking, apply some inside leg pressure/support, then cue with outside leg slightly back OR if he’s not changing for some reason, step out. I generally don’t like stepping out as it looks ugly to watch people do that and that giant body shift makes me think the horse is a hard changer. Some horses need it, though, and it’s effective. All this has to happen within a few strides in some of the tight arenas that we have here. But it all comes together somehow in the matter of a few seconds.
If the single happens earlier, then it’s a lot easier as you have more time to balance up.
