I have spent the last several months riding with my trainer to get my flying changes clean. I showed my horse Third-1 last fall and the changes were better, meaning some were better than others. The trainer is able to get them on this horse mostly without a problem but once in awhile the horse will hesitate, anticipate the change and do it early. With me, the horse will sometimes anticipate and rush changes in front but not the back then takes several steps to correct, which is wonky and difficult to ride/fix. I have ridden changes on a few other horses (many years ago) so feel that I do understand the mechanics. While I like my trainer, I feel that we are not getting anywhere in this one movement and it is holding me back. I am thinking maybe a few rides with a different trainer would help. Different eyes and teaching styles to help me figure out what is going on but that can be akward to manage.
How confirmed is counter canter? I think anticipation is an obedience thing. One good exercise is to go across the diagonal in canter, do NOT change, counter canter a half circle, then change on the new long side. If the horse is still anticipating, don’t change at all, make another half circle in counter canter, go across the diagonal again, make a half circle on true lead and you’re set up to repeat the exercise.
Of course you need to be absolutely religious in maintaining the correct body position to help the horse and not lean forward anticipating the change (ask me how I know this happens).
Good Luck!
First, I agree with atlatl above. Also believe that a solid counter canter helps the horse be more balanced.
Second there are some horses that are harder to put changes on. I watched a very good horse trainer (has brought 7-8 horses to GP) work with three different client horses over the last few years that were tricky and took quite a while.
Third, regarding your body position, not only must it be correct, but you need to be able to ask without sending a “this is a big deal” message to your horse (ask me how I know!)
Finally I think it would be great to get a second set of eyes, and would suggest that said person be a good rider trainer so he/she can not only see what you are doing and help with fixes as needed.
Dont know where you are in Fla, but I’m mid state and might have some thoughts as to who to try. Yes its uncomfortable to manage but its your time, horse and money.
I find that getting flying changes correctly frequently has more to do with the rider than the horse. Getting changes requires core strength to hold the collected canter, a feel for timing, and a balanced unrushed, even, use of the aids.
An already confirmed horse will frequently deliver the changes even if the rider is a little “off”.
Some trainers are better working with riders than others who seem to focus more on the horse.
Agree with everybody else and would like to add that the quality of your canter is important as well for clean changes…is your horse really carrying himself and working obedient from behind?? I had some problems with my changes as well and For the last months I really only worked on the quality of the gaits and the obedience and suppleness of her and I am really starting to see the results… you have to be very consistent with your aids…
I will add that to get good changes, it is good to have perfected canter-halt-canter. At some point, you “think” halt and ask for the new lead…eg., flying change.
One thing I think that we as dressage riders do in attempting flying changes is to micromanage to the point the canter quality suffers. I know when I think of riding that canter like I am riding to the next big jump the changes are there.
To all the other great responses, I would add: try some new exercises. There are many ways to teach flying changes to the horse. (This assumes that your canter/walk transitions and counter-canter are rock solid on both leads.) One way I really like to use with a horse that is late behind or rushing or both (as in your case), is to do simple changes on a 20 meter circle. When your horse can canter on the 20m circle on either lead in balance, then it is time to try the flying change. Put your horse in counter-canter on a 20m circle. Then ask for haunches in. In the counter-canter, you should have been maintaining the bend to the outside, so half-halting and then asking for haunches in queues the change. It’s often amazing how quickly the horses seem to “get it.”
To your original question: yes, I think some lessons with a different set of eyes might be a benefit.
the most important thing of all, is, has the horse natural talent to do flying changes??
In foals i bred, the do flying changes all the time, i saw also other foals who will go overcrossed canter, or go in contra canter, with using the wrong muscles,.
the horses who have natural talent for flying changes, are the easiest to ride, if the rider has the feeling for it, and gives the right aids with body,leg,hand,
and next to the natural born talent, it is Always very important that the horse moves in balance, and rider is not getting in the way, of the horse, so less aids is the best. and the basic is confirmed….
If you can find a good clinician in your area, sign up. You can get expert help without leaving your regular trainer.
I have only put changes on two horses, so my advice isn’t the most knowledgeable. I have found when my mare misses a change, either I did not prep her correctly, sometimes she just ignores the aid and changes a step late, or she’s not through enough with the correct connection to get the change. I figure out why it didn’t work, fix what’s broke, and go back and ask again. Occasionally she misses when she’s fatigued as well, so I don’t drill them on certain days, especially the tempis. It does take time to really train a clean, big, change. Where the horse is honest to the aids, and the change 95 percent of the time. It took me well over a year to get to that point. You realize when you start tempis that if anything is broke, you are unable to link them. 95 percent of the time, when I get a miss, it’s my fault on the prep or making sure she’s through in the contact. Play with it, it’s a new skill for both of you, keep going and it will get better! Good luck!
I will add that smart horses often anticipate, and it seems like your horse’s main problem is anticipating. This can get you horse “off to your aids”. It sounds like you have to train your horse to wait for you, which is very hard with smart horses.
If your horse is smart and anticipating, teach your horse that you can ask for anything. Collect for the flying change and then walk. Or trot. Or counter-canter. Or leg-yield or half-pass. Teach your horse to wait for your aids because you can be asking for a number of things.
With a smart horse, you can also teach changes in one spot, like going across the diagonal and approaching the opposite wall. The horse can “get” what happens at this spot, and help them embrace/be confident with your aids so they can learn to respond elsewhere in the arena correctly. IME, many horses rush when they are first learning changes. If they continue to rush, sometimes it is due to the rider rushing the aids, sometimes it is due to the horse anticipating what they think is going to happen. The best way to curb anticipation is to be clear and fair with your aids, not to punish a wrong response, and teaching the horse to wait because you can calmly ask for anything. For some horses, this might take some time. But when they get it, they get it.
Good luck!
