Getting flying changes together

Hoof_Prints

Hoof_Prints

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Hi, just wondering what exercises people would reccomend for a horse learning flying changes. He has a balanced canter and has progressed from changing over a pole, to changing on a figure of eight both ways. He will change his front legs then change his hind legs immediately after , so it looks smooth but isn't quite correct! There is no rush, he has it smooth enough for jumping and changing direction, but I would like to polish it up as he gets more established. Thanks 😊
 
When they change late behind its normally because the canter is not yet good enough for getting the changes. Its best to ask your trainer to have a look as we cannot see whats happening but normally I would gradually start to do more work that needs him to sit more in canter so direct transitions to walk. half pass. counter canter etc. than when the canter is forwards and relaxed but with plenty of jump you could try one after counter canter or a half pass but make sure tat you ride them forwards.
 
Lovely, thanks. I will be having a lesson at the end of the month, so I will ask to focus on the canter. We have mostly been doing pole work and improving lateral work recently. He does a great walk-canter, counter canter and can easily collect and extend. He probably anticipates the change a little so loses the quality while he is thinking about it. He has the right attitude though so I'm sure we will crack it with time. I planned to leave it for a while and come back to it after a few weeks, and focus on other exercises to strengthen him up for it.
 
Changing late behind is a serious fault and can be very difficult to eradicate if it becomes a established habit . It's often seen on horses who start changes over a pole .
To get good changes the horse must be straight in its way of going .
It must be easy to flex correctly .
It will very established in the counter canter and shoulder in and and doing good shallow angle half pass .the will be good at the canter to halt although it will not need to be a completely non progressive transition .
And the horse will be obedient and confident in the half halt and will understand the concept of collection even if true collection is not fully established .


If you get a horse late behind the canter is not good enough so improving the canter is the place to start .
However ..... dons tin hat .
The best way to I know to help late behind this is to come from the quarter mark in in a leg yield on the diagonal line away from the outside leg when you get the outside hind leg under change the flexion and when you are ready make the change and then ride out of it on a curved line it does not matter what shape the circle is .i always walk when they do a good one pat them and let them walk on a loose rein.
don't do the change every time you ride the line so they learn to wait and listen to you.
 
I have had the late-behind battle with one of mine in the past... It was entirely about the canter as mentioned above. She had a big canter which was balanced and obedient to all the work but hindlegs were too slow. I had to do a lot of work on getting them to snap behind quickly. Really you need very experienced eyes on the ground to help if this is becoming a pattern. I never did changes over a pole, it really stemmed from slow hindlegs for her.

Happily the next one is naturally quick behind, so relieved not to have another like it !
 
Ah, that is a bit of a worry Goldenstar! I was advised to introduce changes over a pole, so went ahead with that. I will talk to my instructor and see what she says, maybe try a lesson with someone else who can offer a different approach! Obviously I don't expect perfect changes, my instructor advised not to worry about changing late or changing only in front as it should come with more schooling.. but as mentioned above, I was worried it would because a habit, hence the post.
 
Thanks milliepops, bit annoyed I have been advised over a pole as that may have hindered his education by the sounds of it. It is nothing urgent at least, have all the time to work on other exercises, to get them quicker !
 
You can get functional changes over a pole quite quickly (as in get from one leg to the other, somehow)so that's probably why it's popular. But you only need consider how the mechanics of the exercise differ with a pole vs without to understand how it encourages the wrong thing going (Easy with hindsight I know!)

I'd definitely be looking for some input from someone who is confident that they can help you correct this . Don't panic in the meantime, and just focus on improving the canter as that work is never wasted :)
 
Try a double tap with your heel. It could be you aren't asking quick enough- Bill was just a fraction off behind when I asked a bit hesitant/delayed but once I asked for a change more on the ball/directly he was never late. Never had a problem since and can do good 3 time changes now!

I could never work out how to ask/do a change over a pole so I just asked when changing rein over a circle. But I always made sure for every change on the turn we did 2 circles staying in counter canter etc.
 
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