[space_cowboy]

I have a coming four year old gelding who is schooling a solid 1st level and beginning 2end level dressage. I am starting to teach him flying changees but he is not responding well to the way I usually teach it.

Normally what I do is: I start a figure 8 at the canter with a simple change in the middle. Then the horse anticipates the lead change and I can them give him the cue and they will change.

My horse changes in the front but has trouble changing behind. I have never really had this problem iin teaching flying changes. He also has autonmatic changes when I am jumping a small course with him.

Does anyone have any suggestions??? Any other excercises I could do with him to help teach him his flying changes????

[Blistering Winds]

Stop them in the middle, cue for the new lead and complete the circle. Stop in the middle, repeat. Then start pushing them through the middle, asking for the new lead with the cues after they are doing the correct leads out of the stop.

It takes a bit of time to get the hind end in gear, but it will come.

[belle4]

Try putting a pole in the middle of your figure eight. When the horse goes over the pole use your cue for the change. By loping over the pole, it will help him to get up and under himself.

[tn walker]

The pole idea does help work to break up the horse's stride, but only if it is approached diagonally. I would not recommend teaching this method if your horse will be doing trail class, western riding, other events with ground poles. The horse may begin to associate lead changes with poles, which can be a problem in a trail class, western riding pattern, etc. I have always used the halt-and-cue, halt-and-cue, then push through the change while doing figure eights. It is not a quick fix, like the pole, but it will better teach the horse to properly engage his hind end in his change.

*A*

[Jumpers]

<small>[ March 14, 2004, 05:56 AM: Message edited by: Jumpers ]</small>

[EventingDayDream]

I was wondering the same thing Jumpers! I definatly wouldn't start training them until you are at least showing 2nd level, because with the counter canter and serpantines required at the counter, you don't want the horse to think flying change, because then you will be in much more trouble. If the horse doen't know how to do them until it is time to do them, you are much much better off. I also agree with Jumpers that they demand a lot of the horse to preform one with any qulaity whatsoever, and you are much better off waiting until the horse has a very secure collected canter, or you will be teaching him the wrong thing, which will be very hard to change when the time comes. Hope this helps

[space_cowboy]

thourghbreds mature much faster than warmbloods. My horse is very well muscled and fit. He can do automatic changes on a course. He just doesnt understand the cue quite yet. He knows how to collect and lengthen his stride. He has cantered serpentines and is very well balanced and can easily canter 10 meter circles. I am very experienced in training horses and know how far they can be pushed and what their limits are.

I will try the pole idea but eventually take it away from the circle when he gets the idea of what exactly I am asking for.

[space_cowboy]

My horse also knows counter canter and understands the cue for the lead I am asking for.

[Dawn]

Is there a particular reason that you want to teach her flying changes right now? He doesn't need to know them for dressage, and he does automatics while jumping. I see no reason to push it. From your description of what he does, he's not physically ready. Also, j/c, if your horse can already school all of those movements, why is he only beginning 2nd level?

<small>[ January 05, 2004, 08:24 PM: Message edited by: Dawn ]</small>

[showjumper]

b l o o d y h e l l, by the sounds of it, if i bring my 4 year old (5 may 1st) any slower, we will be in reverse!!!!

Ok here it is, i Broke her in last spring as a 4 year old, we strted ground work, ie lunging and long reining as a 3 year old in the winter... and she had already learnt trust games n stuff when she was a baby, shes like a pet dog!! !Lol!!! we established the basic stuff walk trot canter halt and rein back, useful for hacking, but only a few steps at a tyime. it was only in august (2003) that we started her over smal X rails n such like, we have done a few showjumping clinics, but only up to 2ft6, (she is 16hh) and we did a walk and trot pony club dressage show, to get her used to the world, only now am i starting- STARTING, movements such as walk to canter, and leg yeilding... as for flying changes, well i have ONLY JUST taught my (well my friends) 6 (rising 7) showjumper them... as for using poles, dont rely on them too much, i stick to simple changes, and then reduce the number pf walk strides between the transition, (thats wheree walk to canter comes in handy... My showjumper ted was imported from belgium from ludo Philliphearts as a 12 year old, grade B showjumper and the onlytime he would do a flying change / lead changeis over a pole on the ground or in the air over a jump.

please guys tell me if i am goint TOO slowly with my horses or is it that you are going too FAST???