[Feaky]

What should me and my horse be able to do "perfectly" before attempting to teach a flying lead change? (:

What are some good articles/previous posts I could read about flying lead changes?

Thanks!

[JBandRio]

Walk/canter and canter/walk transitions.

Takes the correct lead regardless of what direction you're going, as well as on straight lines.

Independent lateral movement of the front and hind ends.

Fully understanding of a half halt to at least a medium degree (ie doesn't have to understand them to the degree that a GP Dressage horse does).

Supple from front to back, ridden from back to front.

[Kissitgoodbye]

Counter cantering

[JBandRio]

I would say a cc is nice indeed It confirms the horse's ability to take whatever lead you *ask* for, regardless of the direction of travel.

[DoWeDance]

Originally Posted by Kissitgoodbye

Counter cantering

Amen, sister. Yes, a balanced counter canter is essential. You must also have complete control of your horses' hips - i.e. at the trot, you should be able to push his hip in either direction easily. Once you've got that, first at the walk, then the trot, you need to be able to do it at the lope in the direction you are moving - i.e. if you're loping left, you need to be able to push the horse's hip easily to the left. You must also have full control of the shoulders - you should be able to keep them both upright, so that the horse doesn't drop a shoulder when you ask for a change and either make the change and shoot off sideways in the new lead or simply drop a shoulder and ignore you when you ask for a change. The counter canter will help with both of these things by truly showing you whether you can "stand your horse up" while moving his hip where you need it to be in order to hold the counter canter. When you go to change, you should be able to simply keep the horse "stood up" by keeping your hands even so that he's not leaning on either rein or attempting to drop a shoulder and then you can slide your leg back and ask for the change. (This is where his hip response is so important - do you see how a horse laying on your leg when you go to move his hip would mess your change up?) Very good question! A horse that is ready to change must be fit, obviously, from everything I've typed.
ETA: for a horse beginning changes, forward movement is also a big plus - I'm not talking about rushing into or out of the change, but a good, forward, cadenced lope will make it a lot easier on the horse at first.

[JBandRio]

I wouldn't say a balanced counter canter is *essential*. Very useful? Absolutely! Many professional Hunter trainers teach FLCs very very early, long before they work on counter canter.

[DoWeDance]

Gotta respectfully disagree with you there JB . Personally, I do think it's essential. Of course, that's for my chosen method of training ... I'm sure there are other useful methods that don't utilize it. There are so many articles and opinions out there ... it seems I gain some new perspective every time I examine someone else's lead change methods ...

[JBandRio]

You're not disagreeing Dressage people instill a quality counter canter before they ever introduce FLC. Hunter people don't That's why I qualified the Hunter part

Someone here posted, on another similar thread (about FLC problems) that their Dressage horse, working on First Level (I think???) had not yet been introduced to FLCs, per the trainer's instructions. The horse was loaned to someone to do a Hunter show. The rider, not being aware of that, simply assumed the horse would, asked at the right time in the correct manner, and the horse did a perfect FLC.

[DoWeDance]

[quote=JBandRio;3265702]Hunter people don't That's why I qualified the Hunter part

I know plenty of hunter people that practice lots of cc before FLC ... Anyway ... dressage, reining, hunters ... a horse is a horse, and it's got to be balanced to change correctly ... the hunter you described is a perfect example of how important balance truly is. Like I said, I'm sure there are plenty of methods that don't utilize cc, but my method utilizes it plenty. It's just something that's going to make the horse stronger and def. won't hurt when it comes time to change.

[TBnut]

I know plenty of hunter people that practice lots of cc before FLC ... Anyway ... dressage, reining, hunters ... a horse is a horse, and it's got to be balanced to change correctly ... the hunter you described is a perfect example of how important balance truly is. Like I said, I'm sure there are plenty of methods that don't utilize cc, but my method utilizes it plenty. It's just something that's going to make the horse stronger and def. won't hurt when it comes time to change.

Amen. I totally agree. A horse that can counter canter while staying balanced finds it "easy" to do a FLC. Simple changes of lead (canter-walk-canter) can also set you up for teaching the FLC. Once your horse does the simple change easily you can omit the walk step, give the half halt to rebalance and your FLC should come easily. I would start teaching the horse to change from his least favorite lead to his favorite. With my horse it would be canter right then switch left.