lead changes?

A lot of people use a pole on the ground in the middle of the figure 8. They canter on one lead, walk near the pole, step over it and canter on the other lead. After a while, they can do the switch over the pole, remove the pole and finally, take the change to other locations.

To determine when a horse is ready for flying changes, he needs to be balanced on both canter leads and accept the rider's cue to take whichever lead the rider requests. He needs to be more under himself and using his hind end. He needs to accept a half halt through the seat of the rider. The horse should have soft, obedient transitions from walk to canter and back, as well as trot to canter and back. He should be able to counter canter, too.

A rider needs to be able to "feel" which lead is which when riding and have very clear canter aids that helps a horse select a canter lead and helps him through the change. Intitially this rider "feel" is learned by checking the inside shoulder of the horse - it is forward at a certain time of the 3 beat canter. It helps to have an instructor that can tell you when you are on the correct lead and then as you are "feeling" the canter, look at the inside shoulder - you get a sense that it is "leading." Until you are very comfortable with "feel" the visual check of the inside shoulder is a good help.

Often a horse will only change leads behind and this is an ugly feeling, very hard to sit.

If you are working over a jumping course, it is actually easier to decide which lead you want to land on over a jump and cue for it with your weight and legs when going over the jump. This is also a good way to refine your aids and your horse's response to them.

Hope this helps.

Ok so a left lead I find easy to find out if you are on is when your cantering on the left lead the horses inside leg will reach forward father then the outside leg. The oppositee will happen on the right lead. To make sure that you get the right lead when riding you want to have an inside bend. but no to much you want your inside leg on the girth and your outside leg a bit back and then squeeze your horse into the canter. If you find your not on the right lead then your should bring your horse back to the trot and try again. if your horse is advanced enough then you can ask it for a fly lead change which is asking your horse to change lead not going back to the trot (staying at the canter). You will be cantering lets say on the left lead and turn in the middle of the arena as if you were doing a circle but instead of cantering to the left change your bend so that its on the right with your right leg on the girth and your left leg a bit behind (as if you were asking for a canter) and push your horse through it should change its lead. Doing on on a circle should make it easier and then you continue to the right like a serpentine. You would again do the opposit if you were asking for a lead change to the left. I hope that this answers your question on lead changes

well, im not quite sure if this will answer your question, but here goes. when your horse is going clockwise, he will be on the right lead. that means that his right foreleg should go farther than the left foreleg. also, your right hand will be on the inside. while going counterclockwise, your horse should be on the left lead, which means his inside leg should go farther than the outside. if your horses outside leg is going farther than the inside one, he is counter cantering. it is often uncomfertable, and it can be hard to keep a rhythm with, especially when jumping. good luck with your new horse! hope ive helped =)