Flying changes- a basic requirement?

[1928sky]

Was just thinking about a clinic I had a while ago with reasonably famous SJer where I got berated for having not taught my horse to do flying changes, I was warming up in canter and changed the rein through trot

. Now as far as I see it my horse is never going to be a dressage superstar so has no need to do proper changes and a lot of lower level eventing tests have half circles and back to the track in counter canter so am not keen to teach her SJ changes as I know she would think it was fabulous to do her new "trick" on getting to the track and my dressage marks don't need any more of a battering from I-know-better mare

. Now she does lead changes over a fence with 99% accuracy so I don't really have problems over showjumping courses, and on the odd occassion it goes wrong her counter canter is balanced enough for a related dog-leg, don't worry I would change through trot on corners if required!
I honestly feel that a lot of riders spend far too little time establishing basics which I consider a balanced true and counter canter, and want to rush ahead and "teach" changes by violently throwing their weight around on changing direction and being ecstatic when their horse has "got it" but complains next week when horse ruins important dressage test by changing legs! I honestly cannot think of an occassion dr (obviously precluding higher levels!)/sj or xc where I have thought I wish I had taught a flying change? So have I committed a mortal sin in not teaching them? Does it mean you can't ride if you can't do a flying change? I appreciate you can acheive both changes and counter canter, and indeed means you have a very well-schooled horse, really I'm just scared if I teach my mare how to do them it will just show up how poorly schooled she actually is because she'll incorporate it into her own variations of dressage tests

 

[millitiger]

i think they can be very helpful but they aren't necessary at the lower levels.

i also agree way too many people try and teach them too early by just throwing themselves around in the saddle.

 

[kerilli]

they are very useful, but i've found that bright, reasonably balanced horses often do them automatically in the sj anyway.. and it's usually pretty easy to stop them from changing in the dr arena.

 

[Munchkin]

Wow, you really got upset about this didn't you

I think it's important to teach a horse changes if you intend on jumping it to a decent level, yes. And if you were having a lesson with a showjumper, he/she probably assumed that was your intention - take that as a compliment! SJers are not renowned for their tact

Changes are fairly basic, as they are natural for the horse, and they are easy to teach (to most horses). The sooner you teach them, the sooner you can correct any tendency your horse may have to anticipate them.

A lot of people teach changes out of counter canter, however if you're never intending to use them in dressage, why not teach them to her across the diagonal/on figure of eights only? That should help to prevent the problem occurring in the first place, at least in the situation you decribed.

I don't know what level of SJ you compete to but changing through trot on corners can demolish a good rhythm and put you on a bad stride where a flying change would be a useful tool.

[ QUOTE ]
I honestly feel that a lot of riders spend far too little time establishing basics

[/ QUOTE ] A change is far more basic to a horse than a counter canter - watch them in the field, they change legs frequently and think nothing of it! And just because you've seen people "violently throwing their weight around" to achieve a change, which will most likely be unbalanced and untrue anyway, doesn't mean that you have to do the same, does it? Teach it correctly and all will be well.

So no, you haven't committed a mortal sin, and it doesn't mean you can't ride

but I do doubt very much that teaching another basic move will ruin your dressage tests for life!

 

[lizzie_liz]

I think flying changes are very useful, if only mine would do them, It would definately make my sj rounds a lot more smoother, bringing her back to trot to change legs doesnt always happen so we end up loosing balance around corners in counter canter, even though she can counter canter!

 

[Lolo]

On the flipside, my sister rode a gorgeous 14.2hh BSJA mare who'd been taught to change as soon as she was even slightly going the other way. She loved doing these changes, and found them very easy. This made their SJ rounds very fluid and balanced, but also meant Ellie refused piunt blank to canter across the diagonal! To her, it was wrong so she wouldn't.

It's not essential, but bloomin useful, because you end up with far more fluid rounds.

 

[Befney3]

Changes are one thing my horse already knew when I bought him & they are very useful out jumping. He changes with very little encouragement when jumping a course which means gives me one less thing to worry about.

I don't really plan on doing much dressage but I do make sure that when I'm schooling that we don't always change on X when changing the rein. I try to vary changes of rein/leg & do some thro trot & others using changes. I'm hoping that when I want to teach counter canter (we do a bit at the moment but it's not very balanced) properly he'll work it out & listen to my aids & not just change 'because he can' but we'll see.

Personally I do think being able to do changes is helpful when jumping but it also depends on the horse & what you want from them.