Changing leads when you don't want that?

[Ample Prosecco]

I am very happy that Lottie consistently changes leads whenever we change direction show jumping. But I am doing the odd Prelim just for fun and in P12 there is a FXH in canter move with the trot transition after X. Lottie anticipates the change of rein and skips to the new lead as soon as we leave the track across the diagonal. How do I stop her? Or actually do I not need to bother, given that this anticipation is fine for her main job?

 

[ihatework]

Well ….

Her lead change currently is anticipation rather than on the aid.

Purist response would be train the change to the aid

Practical response would be - don’t rock the Applecart, who realistically gives a flying fig about loosing a couple of marks in a prelim when dressage isn’t her job.

You could try and manufacture it in the test by keeping and exaggerated bend, but I’m not sure I’d worry too much or loose any sleep

 

[Ample Prosecco]

That's what I thought.... though from next season, eventing will be her job again. Which obviously does include dressage. But I can deal with it then I guess.

 

[ihatework]

That's what I thought.... though from next season, eventing will be her job again. Which obviously does include dressage. But I can deal with it then I guess.

If you want to deal with it, deal with it during downtime when not trying to be competitive out showjumping.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Yes that would make more sense!

 

[RachelFerd]

If you did want to work on it, I'd work on lots of loops in from the track in canter - starting very slight, just a couple of metres in, and gradually building up the size until you're doing a ten metre loop in from the track maintaining counter canter. Be very clear about keeping the bend over the leading leg so that you're training her to stay on the leg that you're bending around. I personally find that is less obviously going to cause a change than riding across the diagonal would, so hopefully won't interfere with her useful desire to be on the correct lead when jumping.

 

[humblepie]

My show horse started anticipating so I just played around changing the trim with lots of different paces so he didn’t think every time the diagonal was a canter trot canter so we’d do canter trot walk or canter trot stay in trot for example. Different discipline so poss not applicable.