[miss_aria]

Brandi and i have a hunter show coming up and i need help! we'll be going through the course great then when we need a lead change, she switches in front but not in back. right away when she does this i stop her and start again but she keeps cross-cantering.! are there any tips on correcting this? thank you!

[rageandglory]

one consideration: if rider wants horse to engage HER butt, rider must engage HER OWN first ; ) in cohoots with timing of the aids, a clear, active and supportive leg and directing hand, of course. be very careful and aware of NOT throwing yourself to the lead that you want, ask for it from behind. sit down, close leg, catch in hand what hind has tossed and direct it to and thru the front end. think of yourself as the intermediary between back end and front of the horse. you are the electric cord between the light and the switch. make any sense?

also might be a brewing hock/hip/pelvic issue or youthful imbalance (rider and/or horse).

[dustyboy1209]

I agree. Be as clear as you can be, so she know exactly what you want. When she originally switches does she do a flying lead change? Or do you bring her down first...

[BriLeigh]

Can your horse do a flying change normally when you ask?

[dustyboy1209]

What do you mean by normally?

[Bernardo]

Originally Posted by miss_aria

Brandi and i have a hunter show coming up and i need help! we'll be going through the course great then when we need a lead change, she switches in front but not in back. right away when she does this i stop her and start again but she keeps cross-cantering.! are there any tips on correcting this? thank you!

You may actually be encouraging the problem. When I do a lead change on my horse and he only changes his front or back end and the other is still off I'll keep pushing, getting firm and firm until he changes. By stopping her your makine it easy, therefore she'll do it because she knows she gets to stop. However if you get after her and get firmer with her until she changes, thats more work she has to do, therefore eventually once you have her using herself good and light off you cues she won't even think about cross cantering. So DO NOT let her stop when she only changes in the front.

Also by her not changing in the hind end that says to me she isn't engaged with her hind her. You must have the horse using themselves and driving before you ask the horse to change. Sit deep and really drive her with her seat and legs into the change. You may have to except a faster speed for the change for now until she builds up strength.

[miss_aria]

thanks everyone. also. she's really resistant to the bit so i think she's braced and that might be part of the problem.? she will sometimes accept it at the walk but not all the time. i've tried doing serpentines and keeping her active using leg but she just doesnt give. sometimes she'll even keep increasing speed. ill try half halting but she braces so much there's no give and when she does she'll be really heavy. im not quite sure what to do at this point because she has to much potential just one major setback.help anyone?

[pippy]

With the cross canter - another tip might be that as bernado mentioned you've encouraged the problem - so at home get a placing pole ask for a change of lead two strides before the pole - normally when you present a pole directly after a lead change and on the correct bend they will change behind as they travel over it that way breaking the habit of not changing behind and being lazy if thats the case - cause she will just end up doing it anyway, i also if they don't get it keep riding fowards in a circle over the pole until they change or become that stuffed they break to a trot - they learn fast if they don't change properly its hard work, and if thats not the case - it helps reinforce what you are asking her to do anyway. i teach flying changes to young ones with two poles if they can't do it in one/having difficulties, one for the front, one stride then the second pole for the hind end to change.

[JBandRio]

Originally Posted by miss_aria

thanks everyone. also. she's really resistant to the bit so i think she's braced and that might be part of the problem.?

You cannot get anything with her being braced and resistant. Forget changes, at all, until you figure out why she's bracing and get rid of the tendency to do that.

she will sometimes accept it at the walk but not all the time. i've tried doing serpentines and keeping her active using leg but she just doesnt give. sometimes she'll even keep increasing speed. ill try half halting but she braces so much there's no give and when she does she'll be really heavy. im not quite sure what to do at this point because she has to much potential just one major setback.help anyone?

What you describe is not "just" a major setback. Do you have an instructor? What has s/he said to do about all this? Most of the time this issue is rider-induced - sitting too heavy, hands too heavy, using leg and hand at the same time for conflicting aids. But they can be from the wrong bit, poor saddle fit, chiro issues, muscle issues, and simply just lack of proper training.