Lead Change Help

[Ottb5627]

Well I have taken a bit of a risk and purchased a horse that was priced low only because they haven’t been able to get him to do his changes. Will I regret it? Probably. But I figured I’d give it a shot because he is adorable. I must admit I have been extremely lucky with all my greenies and haven’t had to work very hard to install changes. So I’m looking for all and any tips and tricks for getting them on a horse like this. he is 5, relatively fit and pops around a 3 foot course confidently, he changes in front sometimes on his way to the corner so I think he kinda gets it. Seems to be very sound - did pass a basic ppe. He seems a bit sensitive and the prev owners were quite aggressive and rough trying to get him to change and I think it just made him very anxious. I know sometimes you have to get the job done one way or another, but in his case I think he was just getting scrambly and running away when he got an indication they were going to ask. I myself have not attempted any, just simple changes for a while until we get to know each other and I want to start with a bit of a clean slate in his mind.

I have mostly had ottbs who pretty much started doing auto changes on their own into the corners as long as they were balanced

Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated

[Tha_Ridge]

@Ottb5627

I have mostly had ottbs who pretty much started doing auto changes on their own into the corners as long as they were balanced

This was going to be my recommendation anyway. I would start with simple changes all the time and not through the trot. Land, canter to the corner, halt, quietly strike off on the new lead. Repeat ad nauseam and I bet you will one day wake up to a change.

[ThreeWishes]

Honest question. Why from the halt and not from the trot ? Thanks in advance.

[Tha_Ridge]

I’m sure others will disagree as everyone has their method, but for me, horses that are taught changes through simple changes at the trot either learn to a) rush into the transition, or b) trot in the corners no matter what. I had one import last year who was FAB but literally hit the corners and would go, “OK, so now we trot!” I’d rather have them start to back off and balance themselves for the halt than perhaps have a disjointed, sloppy transition to the trot. The former ultimately supports a balanced back-to-front change.

[ThreeWishes]

Actually I think that’s brilliant. Thank you for your explanation.

[Atlas_Shrugged]

Agreed- I only teach them changes when I am jumping- and as soon as they figure it out, I stop practicing them so they won’t swap in the lines etc

[IPEsq]

Doing a lot of trot transitions may also get you the skip change behind later, which is awful. At least transition through the walk. And get your downward transition well before your turns if possible. I do work on teaching it on the flat because I want the horse to learn the aids not just think about where the turn is happening, but if you feel that anxiety working up, go back to walk transitions, or walk and leg yield. That will help you slow him down and also work on getting the hind legs connected.

[crackerjack]

I had difficulty getting changes on my very long 18 wheeler of a horse. Now, if you set him up perfectly he’ll get them. Otherwise they are 85-95% there.
For me the most important thing was straightness in the horse and myself.
We worked on them on the long side not across the diagonals. Started of making sure the leg yielding was there as well as his walk/canter/walk and walk/counter canterwalk transistions were there. I also used an exercise that Amelia Newcomb has on her YouTube channel with transitions while doing a shallow loop on the long side to change the bend. It’s pretty easy to find.

Other tips… Did I mention how straight you and the horse had to be.? Make sure they are forward but not running through you. Don’t ask for the change as you turn and don’t do the hunter yank and change!

[LovesHorses]

Counter canter until you are blue in the face. Half halts. Haunces in/out at all speeds. Also focus on slow, connected and straight. Don’t ever do a change on the diagonal! Horse must land, come back, move the hind end over.

[fivestrideline]

Any chance you’ve seen him do clean changes in turnout? Usually if they can change at liberty, any issues are mental or rider related. If they won’t change clean every time outside, then you may want to do more physical digging.

I believe the “walk/halt before the corner, a bit of leg yield and then new lead” works really well for most horses. Especially those with some baggage. The eventers I work with, though, don’t even worry about the leads at first, just keep going forward and balancing the horse. Most of their horses (actually, all but one) have no-fuss auto changes on course. Even the non-TBs.

The one without changes, her owner focused on counter canter and dressage type changes for a long time. Now the horse is so good at counter canter she sees no reason to swap, and seems to think that lead changes must be done ONLY if she’s perfectly set up and asked. Just an example of how you can go too far in both directions, both the hunter yank-and-change AND the ‘correct set up’ change.

[WavyRider]

Perhaps a bit unusual, but here’s what I did with mine. He has changes at liberty and was getting them with a pro but I could. not. get them with him. Just couldn’t control my body properly or something. Whatever it was, I knew it was just the aid that was an issue. In one 20-minute session, I taught him to pick up the canter in each direction just with a kissing noise and tapping his outside flank with a dressage whip. Next I cantered him on a three-loop serpentine, halting at the centerline after each loop, then picking up the new lead with the whip/kiss aids. Finally, I asked for the change at the centerline with all my usual aids PLUS the tap on the new outside flank with the whip. Boom, change.

[afox2332]

Thanks!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9SFVGzqXV8 and others