Best way to get your horse to do a flying lead change?

Wow. Lots has gone on since I've been in here. Ok. So here's a very simple question but I've never really asked for a lead. How do you ask for a lead like ask with the inside leg or outside?
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If you want the left lead, you would use your right leg to ask for the lead. If you want the right, you use your left. Its the "outside" leg to the lead you are asking for. To get the flying change you need a huge half halt to set the horse back, use the outside leg to ask for the change.

What I do when I am teaching a horse is start with simple changes(trot) and ask for the lead right away. Over time the trot strides should get less and less and eventually you should have a smooth change without breaking the canter. Using poles and small cross rails on serpentines and figure 8's can help as you ask for the change as you go over the pole/jump.

When you are jumping you want to ask as you approach the jump so your new outside leg should be back and slightly changing the bend.

NB: When asking for a flying change over a pole, should the pole be on the straight or on a diagonal angle?

Either way really. The biggest thing is straightness. You want your horse straight before you can ask for the change. So you set the horse up going in a straight line, slightly change your bend, a half halt and ask for the new lead.

Sweet!! Two questions answered!! Thanks!
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I can not stress enough though to never rush the change. When you are doing the simple changes and trying to shorten the trot strides never rush the trot. Make sure your horse is back in a rhythmic even balanced trot then ask for the canter. If you are doing this correctly you should get it in no time. But if you start rushing the trot to get the canter right away its going to fall apart and you are going to end up with a horse that gets frazzled in the change.

Lots of good good advice here!

Another aspect of the flying lead change (being a Reiner, I tend to work of counter canter into changes....as I learnt a little differently and was told not to do a simple change....but that is a whole different thread!)

The other side to this coin, is it is more work for a horse to cc, so working of a serpentine while cc can really give a horse extra motivation to change leads!

It's all about incentive! And yes, a lead change and which lead and the whole when and how is YOUR decision.....not the horses;)

I am going to disagree with you. A simple change is through the trot or walk.

Even the USEF in rule EQ114 defines a simple lead change as “whereby the horse is brought back into a walk or trot (either is accept­able unless the judge specifies) and restarted into a canter on the opposite lead.”

How to ask for a canter depart? Inside leg is closer to the girth, outside leg PULSES behind the girth (be careful not to turn toe out). Sit up, do not lean forward. The horse can only depart on an aid when it is timed; if it is held the horse can end up crooked/haunches in.

A simple change traditionally is through walk.

Ideally when going over a pole/caveletti, do a figure 8 and jump straight, landing and turning. So as the horse takes off, new outside is already back and new inside is come forward lightly. (It is better over a caveletti or small jump.)

Also you can do canter on a figure 8, start with canter and walk say 5 strides, canter, walk 4 strides and the center, canter, walk 3 strides, until there is no walk, and you just ask for the change. That said the walk MUST be active and relaxed before asking for the second part of the circle. IF it is not, then walk (allowing bascule) until it is so.

I teach counter canter differently from a lot of the dressage queens at my barn, but it has always worked well for me. Here is what I do.

Go down a quarter line or just off the rail, ask for the counter canter. If you arent getting it you can leg yield into it a step or two. Once they understand what you are asking, ask for canter for a couple strides then walk. Ask for counter canter a couple strides then walk. Repeat until they are obediently picking up which ever lead you say. Do not canter around the short sides often, and when you do make sure it is in canter !

Once the get good at picking up the counter canter I start asking them to maintain it longer and around the short side. They make struggle at first, but it is important not to let them break to trot or swap. If I feel like they are going to I will ask for walk so it is my idea. When they are able to maintain the counter canter through the short side I canter down the diagonal and let them canter for awhile.

I hope this helps. Many people start with canter and change directions, but I start with counter canter and change directions. Once they are good in counter canter I will do a 10m half circle from canter and change to counter canter.