I was hoping to pull the COTH collective for some assistance with a long-time knowledge gap. I have been breaking and training hunter/rogue ponies for the last 15 years, mostly smalls and mediums. I have a pretty solid dressage understanding and ensure all of my ponies are straight and in front of the leg, understand shoulder/haunches in, leg yields, bending, softening/reaching for the bit and the beginnings of collection.
I cannot for the life of me put in a reliable change. I have worked as a working student with 3 different AA trainers and still cannot fix this shortcoming. I am a change killer.
I start teaching relaxed simples through the walk and then progress to trot once they are balanced and not rushing. All get counter canter work and work changing over poles. All will quietly jump around a course at their designated height and hold their own in good company, except for changes.
Does anyone have any good resources they recommend? Articles, videos, anything? I am desperate and I canāt seem to find anything on youtube beyond the utter basics. All old threads have outdated links sadly.
Appreciate any help!
So I have not brought along a pony in a decade-plus, but I do lots of young horses. Youāre a change-killer because youāre trying too hard, in my opinion. The best way, Iāve discovered, to teach a real āauto-changeā is to not train the change.
Once Iāve confirmed that the horse āknowsā it (99 percent of them doāwatch them in turnout or on the lunge), I really go about my business doing other things. I do simple changes when required, but I donāt ever drill changes over poles or even do very many simple changes on the flat (but I do LOTS of transitions, especially walk-halt/trot-halt). I donāt want to introduce the idea of a lead change being this remarkable thing, but I want to get them used to knowing what being balanced feels like and get them thinking independently enough to learn they can fix that on their own.
I think it would also be helpful to know what happens when you ask for the changeāNothing at all? Are they cross-cantering?
Here is an exercise that I use to install changes:
First, get an easy, smooth, canter- walk- canter transition.
Easy as in you can use just your seat and back to make the whole down-up transition happen smoothly in 3 or 4 total strides.
This can take a long time to really be right.
Once you have that, the exercise:
Pick up counter canter up the quarterline.
Before short side, transition to true lead through the walk.
Ride short side turn onto next quarterline.
Immediately after you complete the turn out of the short side, transition to counter canter through the walk.
Before the next shortside, transition to true lead through the walk.
The horse needs to be very broke, rideable, and attentively relaxed for you to get these transitions happening softly, promptly, and from your back and seat. The short sides are esoecially short because you are riding quarterline to quarterline. This exercise therefore will reveal exactly how much more homework you need to do before you are ready to ask for a change. 
Once this exercise is easy both ways, then when you are counter cantering up your quarterline, a few strides before the shortside legyield out, and when you hit the rail a new canter aid and perhaps an encouraging tap with the dressage whip and you should have your change.
Do not let the horse change if youāre already turning - if tat happens just walk and pick up true lead. He needs to be straight on the rail, BEFORE the turn, and organized for the change.
ETA: Btw, I learned this exercise from a prominent H/J trainer who was also a judge. The horse I taught it to got his bronze in dressage, scored 8s on his changes, but kept up his hunter resume as well and sold to hunterland into am excellent H/J program. Before anyone even starts yammering this is too dressagey an exercise for a hunter.
Iāve found that most horses pick up changes on their own once they start cantering courses. I am an eventer but I find that they have mostly figured out the auto change long before they are ready to really school counter canter on the flat.
What exactly goes wrong with the changes? Are they late behind? No swap at all? There, but not auto? How do you ask for the change? Do they do changes for other people? Is one way better than the other, and if so, is it consistently one way across all of the horses/ponies or pretty evenly split?
Thanks all for your thoughts. Meupatdoes I love that exercise, I will begin incorporating that as we already do a lot of similar things just on the diagonal.
As far as what is actually happening, each pony is different. For my current mounts, 2 act like I asked for a counter canter. The other is sometimes bringing all 4 feet off the ground and hopping in the air, but maintaining the same lead. The second one has started giving random auto changes in correct places but throws them before I even get around to straightening him out. Each pony has a better side, but it isnāt consistent across mounts.
If the horse has solid changes I am fine asking for them and have limited problems. None of my mounts have ever really given half changes, either they get them back to front or they donāt exist at all, as I generally try hard not to throw the front end around, especially being top-heavy on tiny ponies. Each of the 10+ green ponies I have worked in the last few years have had different change issues. Others/proās have all had similar issues with my rides if I can find any proās small enough for them.
I wonder if it isnāt something with my seat bones/hips blocking the movement.
Iāve asked head trainer to watch me more carefully, and of course she has tips but doesnāt see anything obvious I am doing to stall out the training. Just tells me to give it time and continue building up their straightness and strength, which of course was my plan, but I get concerned when I see an obvious gap in my education that I canāt fill.
None of these horses are drilled on changes, they might be asked for one each way a week just to see where they are, or I will ask coming off a line to see if they feel like offering one.
Appreciate everyoneās thoughts and exercises, more homework for the ponies!
This goes against all āproper trainingā, but teaching changes to baby racehorses is all about straightness and speed. A galloping horse has more air time and wants to be balanced, so the front-to-back change just happens.
Breaking babies in the field, I canter a big circle, find a straight diagonal line (to figure 8), open up the stride, and as the horse realizes weāre changing direction, step to the new outside and open the new inside rein. It will be a fairly noticeable shift in weight on a 15h long yearling/short 2yo, and they typically swap right away without thinking about it. If they muddle through, I try going a little faster and straighter, and make sure I donāt drop my new inside shoulder. Iāve done changes on TB colts within 5 rides under saddle.
When they get to the track, they learn to change coming into and out of the turns; this may require creative angling toward the inner or outer rail, but again at speed they will usually get the change promptly. Jockeys donāt have lower leg or seatbones-- so the horses learn to change with a small weight shift and opening rein (whip only if necessary to bump them over if they hang).
Iām not saying going fast is ideal for a hunter pony, but if you have a lazy one it might be worth a try to go gallop in a field somewhere. See what it takes to get the change using minimal aids and a bit of speed.
You might not be going forward enough. Sure, nice back to front changes ideally from some idea of collection is correct, but if the issue you are having does not include running/rushing/diving, then you might as a first step do better with a good gallop like the above in a light seat or 2 point.
In parallel, I also like the counter canter walk canter exercise mentioned above. For a more educated horse, I would ride more half pass to the rail versus leg yield when you are ready to try the change, as I think half pass then half halt is a better set up for the hind legs. In addition, you can try this simpler exercise incorporating the diagonal, which also works for the ones that want to rush. Canter across diagonal to X, walk to quarter line, leg yield to rail, get new canter lead. Then progress to not walking until you get to quarter line, leg yield, new lead. This can be done first through trot at X then continue cantering past X to quarter line. Eventually the downward transition to walk becomes a half halt instead. Donāt forget to give with the new inside reināit can be easy to block the horse with the rein.
Horses that anticipate may also be better to teach to change to the counter canter. Ride the rail, leg yield to quarter line then half halt and ask for change to counter canter. Once thatās good and quiet you can make it a zig zag back to the rail and then change again.
I think though if you think this is largely something about YOU and not the ponies, start with the gallop. Once the pony has an idea about whatās expected, then try change on course, again galloping away from the jump. And then circle back to the other exercises to install the lead change ābuttonā.
Thatās all crap for ponies. Way too much stuff happening, especially with a larger rider on smalls and mediums. Gallop straight in your half seat. Turn with hard outside leg and weight on the outside, still in half seat. Do not overpull the inside rein. Done.
I grew up riding and helping train hunter ponies. If you think about kids riding little hunter ponies, you need to teach a really easy lead change. A 6 year old isnāt going to be able to ask for a ācorrectā change. (NOTE: the dressage people will kill you if you use this to teach a dressage horse. But for the Hunter/jumper, this method works just fine).
This is how we would teach them. Get a good working canter going. Canter across your arena middle. The whole time, have a nice bend through your turn. When you are about two strides out from the fence line, when ponyās front feet start to go up in the stride, turn with your outside (now new inside) rein abruptly to the other direction. If you feel like you might run into the fence you are doing it right. As you use that rein, switch your leg position so your new outside leg is behind the girth. Do not use leg.
The first time the pony will change only in the front. Just reward them and walk; we donāt care about the back yet. Quit the ride on this.
(Basically, you are throwing the pony off balance into the lead change. It may shock the pony the first time this happens. You donāt need to be mean with the rein pull, just enough to get pony to turn and not run head first into the fence)
Then, over time, ask for this more and more. The pony will now start to anticipate that turn = lead change up front, so you may need to throw in some false starts where you donāt actually change direction. When pony is pretty much always changing the front lead when you turn, itās time to start using leg after the front change is complete to get pony to change his back end too. Yes, it looks messy at this stage, but it gets better.
You have now taught two different stages of the lead change using different aids. Now once pony has both of those down, you can ask for both at the same time. This is going to give you that clean change. If pony gets confused, go back to your lead change basics and then ask again.
Until pony always does a clean, nice change on that sharp turn, donāt ask for them anywhere else. Eventually, you will be able to have pony do a lead change anywhere with a tug of your new inside rein and a leg behind the girth like you are asking for the canter.
I canāt give input about teaching the change but I can tell you I can see ponies and horses in HJ land that have been slung into a lead change. I more agree with using your weight like @CBoylen described than ā¦.and I mean no offense @StormyDay ā¦ then the abrupt bent charge into the wall and the strong rein change.
I have a a really nice hunter with an auto change from right to left. If you want a change from left to right you better be straight before asking, have a GOOD canter, and open the door with your new bend while asking and stepping out. I can do the sling all day every day and get it but itās ugly and isnāt going to win.
Iām not above using a good wall either, I just try not to pull too hard to teach the whole change at once. Most will just do it. @StormyDayās way isnāt exactly the same, but the thought process is.
Fewer buttons. You are literally creating something that is going to be operated by a six year old. It should have one speed, go in a straight line, turn right and left. Thatās it.
Oh trust me! I use the wall lol. I guess my thought is that you canāt accomplish it through the reins as much as your weight and opening the door to the new direction. Many roads to Rome!
Edited to add. I will politely bow out as I am not a trainer. Just a petite adult who has been commissioned at times to school ponies. And I can tell which ones have been slung into a change. Carry on! Sorry to derail in anyway.
Without seeing you ride, my number one guess would be your seat bones.
For myself, flying lead changes are always hard for ME. I always overthink it. I had a very real āaha!ā moment at a clinic this summer, really paying attention to my seat bones. That is not something anyone ever really explained to me nor did I really pay attention to it.
Also, you talk about not throwing the front end around. However, itās really, really important to have ribcage control. I have learned (and feel) the ribcage is way more important than the hips when doing a simple or flying change.
So, break it down simple.
Letās say you are on the left lead. That means your weight is slightly more on your RIGHT seat bone. You might also have your right (outside) leg back slightly and you might also have your left (inside) leg forward slightly. This keeps the very slight bend in your horseās body to the left, as if you were loping a circle to the left.
When you go to do the flying change to the right.
First, you slightly lift on your right rein/hand and tip the horseās nose. This will also help open the shoulder.
Then, use your right leg (slightly forward) to ask the ribcage to move to the left. This will also help free the shoulder.
Then, move your weight to your LEFT seat bone. Give an encouraging left leg support, slightly back, to keep the hip moving.
Then, REMOVE your right leg and give a kiss/cluck sound. The release of the leg is the cue that lets them to the change.
Now I will admit, I am primarily a western rider. But this leg release can be really, really obvious if you watch certain reining riders. When they take that inside leg off, the horse does the flying change into the new lead.
One one hand, itās a lot to think about. But yet, donāt make it so hard.
I always tell myself, itās just another simple lead departure. I am going to ask my horse to do the same thing, whether I am going from a trot to a lope, or going from one lead to another. Keep it the same, then it becomes easy!
Hmm, I donāt know growing up we taught tons of ponies this way. They all went on to have nice clean changes and win at top AA shows.
Itās no longer how I teach flying changes, but thatās because Iām teaching horses who may need to know how to do a dressage change.
I have definitely done the gallop to the fence and step out and sharp turn method. But having taught changes the other way I described also, once they are installed, it takes very little aid to do them. And you donāt have to rely on a corner because sometimes with the huge rings maybe it feels more random where your track is.
Also having done a fair amount of equitation even on ponies, it really does help to have a clear aid = change and not just rely on stepping to the new outside and turning.
Several members have now posted what works for them which goes to show there is no one and only correct way to put a lead change on one.
What works for me is making sure the horse/ponyās walk to canter and trot to canter departures are very very correct - straight, balanced, smooth, uphill, relaxed with a very light aid. I also work on very correct simple lead changes, starting out with several trot steps in between and slowly decreasing the number of trot steps (but not typically all the way to āskippingā the change).
Once I have that solid, then I simply ask for the new lead as if Iām asking for a normal canter departure. During all this time I continue to work on my course work and I think that helps them figure it out on their own too.
All the ones Iāve put lead changes on this way do very smooth auto changes but also nice, easy, straight changes when asked with minimal aid.
I think also key point as well is to not make it a big deal. If they start getting frustrated or worried, I go back to working on the canter departures and just occasionally ask for the lead change. Even as Iām āteachingā the lead change I donāt ask for it every ride and when I do ask if I get one or two each way, or sometimes even one way, I move on. When Iāve seen other people make it an issue, drill them, or even ask for them on every ride (outside of course work) it tends to backfire.
Plus, right or wrong, this is literally how 99% of pony kids ask for/set up a change. 
I also suck at putting a change on a horse. Some people make it look so easyā¦ not me. Anyways thereās a video on YouTube by Amelia Newcomb where she does walk-canter transitions on a shallow loop serpentine. That exercise definitely helped us.
I also put poles at the end of the arena (perpendicular) so if we missed the change in the corner we could try again or skip up and then continue on course.
My favorite way to ask for the change is a tear drop shape. In particular coming down the quarter line, leg yielding to the rail, somewhat tight roll back turn and leg yield back to the rail (and hopefully get a change).
Good luck!
I always teach changes through a simple change to the trot so momentum is still there. I use half turns. The typical start at 4 steps trot down to 3.2.1. Then just ask for change. So I create a very nice canter inside leg to outside hand. Use those aids to initiate Half turn. Then as you get to straight part of half turn new inside leg to outside hand to straighten to the new way of going. When the timing feels right new outside leg to cue the change. Iām very successful Installing changes. Usually takes a couple weeks for them to learn it. Then I stop teaching it and only ask when I need it in a course. Maybe ask monthly to make sure itās still there. If I feel they are not balanced or they are going to blow it I donāt ask for it. The key I find is as you ask you start to feel any holes (bulging shoulder, rogue haunch). With that info I go back to regular flatwork and on work on the hole. Shoulder in, haunches in, leg yield. Whatever it takes. (ETA: this is why it becomes a two week process. Iām not drilling changes for two weeks but working on the canter and the buttons I need ) Also I teach leg yield before I teach canter so I have the buttons to pick up the correct lead straight away. I think that helps down the line with the changes.
I donāt know any books on this. I kind of just figured this out from 40 years of riding.
Good luck!!
