How To Teach Flying Lead Changes Dressage

Download Article

A flight pb modify is an impressive and graceful way for your horse to change the legs information technology is leading with during a canter. For many horses and riders, information technology can exist a difficult transition to principal, but with patience and preparation, you lot can perform a flight lead modify effortlessly. Be sure to wait until your horse is relaxed and trusts y'all before you try the transition. Remember to stay relaxed and work on timing your cues well to ensure success.

1
Develop a comfortable, collected canter. A flying atomic number 82 change happens at a canter, and then be sure to practice cantering until y'all and your horse are very comfortable. Aim for a smooth and controlled amble that follows a steady, 3-shell rhythm.^[1]
- Your horse in the canter should exist making large, circular, expressive strides and have enough of lift off the ground and then information technology tin can successfully modify its legs in the air.
- As you are cantering, use pressure from your outside leg and exterior rein to keep your horse going straight. Put tension on the inside rein to flex your equus caballus slightly in the direction of the lead.^[2]
2
Exercise counter cantering. To do this, canter with your horse's right leg leading. Ride several straight strides on the long side of the arena and then turn in diagonally towards the center. When yous've come to 50–80 anxiety (xv–24 grand) from the rail, bring your horse onto the center line, pressing with your left leg to keep it on a right lead. Turn slightly to the left, keeping your horse bending to the right by pressing your right leg confronting the girth and your left leg behind it.^[3]
- Your equus caballus should plow towards the left with its haunches towards the rail and continue cantering on the right lead.
- If your horse breaks into a trot during the plow, start over and requite more pressure with your legs on the next turn to go on information technology cantering.
- If your horse changes to a left lead in the front every bit you turn, enquire information technology to come up down to a trot by pulling gently back on the reins and try again.
- Plow your head and expect where you are turning to prepare your horse to make a gradual swing in that management.
- Practice counter cantering both means until your horse can do it without tension.
Advertisement
3
Progress to riding collecting one-half halts in the amble. In a canter, close your legs around your horse, push button downward in your seat and shut your exterior paw for only a moment. This will appoint your equus caballus's hindquarters and encourages a short pause to "sit" back on its hocks.^[4]
- Try riding 3 collecting half halts in a row in the canter. So, get forrad for several strides and ask for 3 collected half halts once more.
four
Master simple lead changes. To practice this, first by cantering around the arena with your horse leading with its left leg and your correct leg facing the outside of the loonshit. Pull back on the reins to ask your horse to transition down into a trot. After 1-three strides, press your left leg into your horse at the girth while keeping your right leg against its body just behind the girth to keep it going straight ahead to encourage it to switch to leading with its right leg. Use the inside rein to flex it to the left, in the direction of the new atomic number 82. When it switches, bring it dorsum to a canter and repeat the process on the other side.^[five]
- To help you follow the gait change with your hips without losing your residuum, go on your core engaged and close your fingers tightly on the outside rein when you enquire your horse to come downwards to a trot.
- You can also progress to making a atomic number 82 modify from amble to a walk and then dorsum to amble. Information technology helps to irksome down the canter with a few collecting half halts before you pull back on the reins to ask your horse to transition to a walk.^[6]
Advertisement

ane

Begin by riding a 10 grand (33 ft) figure-eight. Bring your horse to a collected canter and ride in a figure-eight shape in the loonshit. Do some uncomplicated lead changes in the middle of the figure eight to warm up before you attempt the flight pb change.^[7]
2
Give the cue to change when your horse's leading leg is coming forward. Even though the lead change happens when all four of your horse's legs are suspending in the air, requite the cue early, just as you encounter the leading leg coming forrad. This will give your horse time to process and carry out your request.^[8]
- Practice the timing of the aids by watching when your horse'south inside front leg comes forrard in a walk. Each time you run across it, say "at present," out loud to yourself. Try the aforementioned technique in the canter.
3
Apply pressure with your right leg and release the tension on the left rein. Bring your horse to a canter on the left lead. Push your correct seat bone forward towards your horse's right ear.^[9]
- You should feel your equus caballus moving a chip to the left.
four
Release the force per unit area on the right and apply pressure behind the daughter with the left leg. Strike firmly and swiftly just behind the girth on the left side. Loosen upwardly on the correct rein to give more space for the new within front leg to come forrad.^[10]
- Don't hold back with the left leg. This function of the cue should be very quick to get your horse to alter.
Advertisement

one
Assistance your horse relax earlier trying pb changes. If your horse feels a little tense, pull back on the reins a bit to bring it downward to a trot. Stroke information technology occasionally on the cervix. Speak in a low, calm vocalization and go on riding around the arena in this way until it is more than relaxed.
- Even if the trot is a bit more lively than you lot desire, don't pull dorsum on the reins. Information technology's important that your horse is relaxed and at-home when you are practicing lead changes.
- It doesn't really matter what you lot say to your equus caballus as long as it hears your calm, comforting tone. You could say something that would relax both of you lot, like "You're going a scrap faster than I'd like, simply we're only going to just keep making big circles and not worry near it. I'll take slow, rhythmic breaths and keep my arms and hands relaxed. I'm just waiting for you to relax, besides."^[11]
ii
Canter over a modest obstacle before the change to ameliorate the timing. Put a log or other small obstruction in the arena. Canter over the log and apply the leg cues for the lead modify every bit your equus caballus hops over it. This can assist incite your equus caballus to modify the atomic number 82 and will assistance you get the timing right.^[12]
- You tin can also jump over a depression bush if you lot are riding outside of the arena.
3

Continue straight subsequently a pb change to forestall your horse from anticipating. If your horse is often anticipating the flying atomic number 82 alter, try to go on it going straight for a few strides after you make the change. If it is immune to lean, information technology may start to anticipate and change leads before you enquire it to.^[13]
iv
Reprogram a horse that doesn't like pb changes by riding in a serpentine. Go into a right pb canter down the long side of the arena. Go along gentle contact with both legs, but guide it away from the rail with some outside leg pressure and a low-cal pull with the inside rein. Ride a few strides, and then utilise subtle left-leg and right-rein force per unit area to bring it dorsum towards the track. When it's comfortable with this movement, then go on to ask for the flying lead change.^[14]
- Practice the serpentine on both sides, at least 4 times on each side.
- This exercise works actually well if your equus caballus gets nervous or fussy when yous come up off the track towards the eye of your figure-eight considering it thinks yous are going to ask for a pb alter.
Advertisement

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertizing

Deport in mind that your horse may not learn this skill in one ride. Go on practicing. If information technology is your commencement time doing a flying alter, don't worry if you lot make a mistake. Keep trying.
No matter how experienced you are, it can be extremely helpful to have a person on the ground watching y'all working your lead changes. If you don't have a trainer, enquire a knowledgeable friend to watch you ride and tell yous what you are doing with your trunk and what your horse is doing.^[15]
Brand smooth flying lead changes by giving just enough input to your horse to make the alter without throwing off its balance, rhythm, or relaxation. Don't try too hard to get the change by swinging your body in the saddle, pulling on the reins, or throwing your horse off residual.^[16]

Practice not endeavor the flying lead alter until you and your horse are comfortable cantering together and doing regular lead changes.^[17]

Advert

Things You lot'll Demand

Bridle
Saddle
Saddle pad
Girth
Equus caballus boots (optional)
Helmet

About This Article

Article Summary X

To do a flight lead change, bring your equus caballus to a collected canter and ride in a figure-8 shape in the arena. Next, give the cue to change when your equus caballus's leading leg is coming forward. And so, use pressure with your right leg and release the tension on the left rein. Finally, release the force per unit area on the right and apply pressure level swiftly with your left leg to complete the change. For tips on mastering the maneuver, read on!

Did this summary aid you?

Cheers to all authors for creating a page that has been read 112,858 times.