Flying Changes

[HufflyPuffly]

So Topaz has been desperate to be allowed to do changes since forever, why in her mind would you canter on the wrong leg (counter canter for us dressage divas ) when you can just pop a change in and off we go.

Finally we are at a stage to introduce them, we can collect the canter, we can do simple changes, we CAN do counter canter (this is still argued by Topaz but she is pretty good at it really ), so we were good to go. She is thrilled and is finding them super fun and exciting , we are starting to get more control of them rather than change and bog off. She does anticipate so we're trying to work currently on waiting for my aid and then doing one, rather than quick we're not on the track change NOW .

So what is the problem I hear you say, well it's me , I just cannot sit to them ! They feel huge, even her polite ones, is it a case of practice makes perfect, will I just get use to them? Maybe they are still a bit too enthusiastic and so as she gets more calm about it they will feel better?

Problem is I don't want to do too many of them and make it a bit of a 'thing' for her (she's a sensitive flower who can get upset easily), plus when she starts to get tired we go late behind.

So experts of the HHO world please can I have you flying changes tips, tricks and advice .

Pic to make it interesting

 

[milliepops]

Not an expert but now starting on 3rd horse learning changes :lol:

I am finding that they need to get to the point where they are a bit boring. Millie's have only become rideable now she's a bit bored of them. They weren't ever any *good* before but they were wild and unseating, now I can actually ride the change and they are not only more correct, but on the aid, and the rest of the work is better before and after. Thinking we might play with a little zig zag on the weekend because she's good enough to half pass before and after now and in fact it helps the change as makes her quicker behind - would have been unthinkable before when it was all just "wheeeeeee!"

A was better at them the more complacent he got, we just had extreme hysterics before we could get to the boredom zone.
K is starting earlier than either of the others but that's because I want to take advantage of her wanting to save her balance, rather than over-train obedience to counter canter, which has been Millie's downfall.
She will also be better when she learns to be bored by them - at the moment we are at the stage of kicking the school fence and leaping around!

With K I am taking the approach that her canter isn't good enough to do dressage changes, but she can learn the aid and reaction for a functional change and then we can put that aside until we *need* it (lol-ing at the thought of Kira doing Advanced Medium :lol

Dunno, just a thought. What does your trainer thinks? I do think you will find T's will always be quite exuberant because her movement in general is quite extravagant Improving Millie's canter has really made hers more rideable though, I am finding new levels of control and collection that I never thought possible when we first started. Then I can ride the actual change forward which seems to make it smoother.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Not an expert but now starting on 3rd horse learning changes :lol:

I am finding that they need to get to the point where they are a bit boring. Millie's have only become rideable now she's a bit bored of them. They weren't ever any *good* before but they were wild and unseating, now I can actually ride the change and they are not only more correct, but on the aid, and the rest of the work is better before and after. Thinking we might play with a little zig zag on the weekend because she's good enough to half pass before and after now and in fact it helps the change as makes her quicker behind - would have been unthinkable before when it was all just "wheeeeeee!"

A was better at them the more complacent he got, we just had extreme hysterics before we could get to the boredom zone.
K is starting earlier than either of the others but that's because I want to take advantage of her wanting to save her balance, rather than over-train obedience to counter canter, which has been Millie's downfall.
She will also be better when she learns to be bored by them - at the moment we are at the stage of kicking the school fence and leaping around!

With K I am taking the approach that her canter isn't good enough to do dressage changes, but she can learn the aid and reaction for a functional change and then we can put that aside until we *need* it (lol-ing at the thought of Kira doing Advanced Medium :lol

Dunno, just a thought. What does your trainer thinks? I do think you will find T's will always be quite exuberant because her movement in general is quite extravagant Improving Millie's canter has really made hers more rideable though, I am finding new levels of control and collection that I never thought possible when we first started. Then I can ride the actual change forward which seems to make it smoother.

You are totally an expert compared to me .

Hmm not sure when she will find them boring, she loves them , but I can live in hope, we do get the odd one (generally when I make her do counter canter and then sneak a change in) when it all feels calm, but still a bit unseating... We've never managed to over-train the obedience in counter canter, it's not in Topaz's nature . Will keep plugging away as they are improving, tail coat here we come , and if Topaz can be aimed at Adv Med/ Adv then so can Kira, I've seen some gorgeous welshies on the live stream at Nationals this week.

Trainer has yet to see us attempt them, would love a lesson focussing more on the more advanced moves but then when Topaz comes out in her silly/ buzzy mood, back to basics we go lol. She's a funny one as she loves the 'ticks' so canter pirouettes, flying changes, lateral work is fab but ask her to do the basics (such as stay in a 3 beat canter) and she's not 'quite' so good . Canter is overall our weak pace so improving it will only be a good thing, we like shoulder in to travers on a circle currently.

Will keep going, I like it when she's enjoying herself .

 

[happyappys]

Beautiful horsey A little off subject, but can I ask what that bridle is she's wearing, currently looking for one for my girl and that looks nice!

 

[eggs]

I'm just learning changes with a couple of my horses - who bless them try to understand what I am after. One is a change monster and uses any shift in my weight as the aid to change although he is very polite but I do know what you mean about feeling you are getting a kick up the backside. The other got the idea really quickly and then lost for the plot for a few months and kept changing late behind. I found that riding the half pass into the change worked for him.

Having watched some of the riders at the BD convention last year warm up their horses for the demo I decided that I needed to change my attitude to them and that they change shouldn't be the aim of the exercise but to just pop them in whenever I change the rein in the warm up so they happen almost without thinking. It has definitely helped me.

I know what you mean about having a horse that loves to do the tricks. My mare uses piaffe as an evasion and does tempis for fun but is an absolute nightmare to trot a 20m circle on!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Beautiful horsey A little off subject, but can I ask what that bridle is she's wearing, currently looking for one for my girl and that looks nice!

Thanks she often gets over shadowed by my show horse in the looks department so she will be thrilled . It's a CK Equine one bought from facebook, bought for under £100 and has worn very well so nice quality for the money, (had it around 18 months worn several times a week in all weather) , also have a Wolds Exclusive Bling one which is equally as lovely. Browband is Pearly Ponies .

I'm just learning changes with a couple of my horses - who bless them try to understand what I am after. One is a change monster and uses any shift in my weight as the aid to change although he is very polite but I do know what you mean about feeling you are getting a kick up the backside. The other got the idea really quickly and then lost for the plot for a few months and kept changing late behind. I found that riding the half pass into the change worked for him.

Having watched some of the riders at the BD convention last year warm up their horses for the demo I decided that I needed to change my attitude to them and that they change shouldn't be the aim of the exercise but to just pop them in whenever I change the rein in the warm up so they happen almost without thinking. It has definitely helped me.

I know what you mean about having a horse that loves to do the tricks. My mare uses piaffe as an evasion and does tempis for fun but is an absolute nightmare to trot a 20m circle on!

Change monster, might steal that . She's not always so polite, we do still get a bit of launching through the air and bucking . Might try the half pass to change as it will give her something to focus on rather than weeeeeeee a change is coming .

Thats my new route, just pop them in when she's thinking about something else and it does seem to be helping a lot! When she starts to anticipate it all goes a bit Pete Tongue.

Glad it's not just me, if we could get away with just doing fancy stuff we would be onto a winner .

 

[star]

I've found with Monty that the softer he is over his back and the softer in the contact he stays through the change, the easier it is to sit to. It's definitely taken a while and we still get ones where I feel like I'm in an ejector seat but they are improving.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Phew feel a bit better now thanks . Definitely the softer and more on the aids she is the better, but still a work in progress and still feel a bit launched out of the saddle . Will keep going!