lead changes

What is the right way to ask for them?

I'm assuming your asking for a flying lead change?

I would suggest getting your horse at a nice collected canter and once you round a corner apply a little weight to your inside stirrup and squeeze with your outside leg behind the girth. Try not to lean TOO much on the inside stirrup. If your horse hasn't been trained to do a flying lead change or doesn't get it after a dozen or so times, he or she might be confused.

If you need to train them, ask them as stated above, if they don't respond try to by slowing them to a trot for a few steps and asking for the opposite of the lead you were just cantering on. After a while they horse will get the first cue and start to do it without you asking him or her to trot. Then try to eliminate the trot by pushing the horse into the canter more as you cue to shift leads. My old schooling pony thought I meant trot then change for a while but as I continued to push her out of the trot very quickly she soon go the idea to change during the canter.

A basic lead change is as stated above, you slow to a trot for two steps and then cue the lead desired.

Use a combination of seat, leg, and rein aids just like you do to ask for canter in the first place. If you are going from a left lead canter to a right lead canter, slide the left (outside) leg back and squeeze, while driving with your left seat bone and using the reins to support and keep your horse straight. It's also very important to make sure your horse is moving in a collected canter. It's much easier for them to make the transition if they are using the hind end correctly and going with a nice round movement. Like the first replier said, do simple transitions first using the cues we talked about so your horse starts to get an idea what you are asking for.

The best way to practice is on a figure 8; don't make a diagonal line from corner to corner though, make a straight line from side to side at the half way point of your ring so that the direction change is more last minute. The more abrupt (but not too abrupt) change will encourage your horse to shift weight to the opposite side, and also change the lead. If this is new for your horse, start out with simple changes at the center point of the ring with as few trot strides as possible. Once your horse is getting the hang of it, then try the flying change.

And most importantly, have patience. This isn't something you and your horse will learn in one or two days. It could take months. Horse do the flying changes naturally and comfortably out in the field, it's just a matter of them learning to do it with a rider and when asked. Best wishes and happy riding to you!

Very well said :)

Although Flying Changes are a advanced movement, I wouldnt be trying to ask your horse unless he is expirenced in Dressage or flatwork. Remember its harder reversing the damage you may create..

Nicely said, regardinghorses.

If you haven't done them before, i'd leave them until your under supervision from your coach or somebody that has ridden them before.

I know when we were teaching my horse she would get so confused she would get a agitated.
It's a pretty technical dressage movement, but once you and your horse get the hang of it, it's lovely and easy.

I assume you mean a flying lead change. There are lots of different ways to ask for them and it really depends on the horse and how they are trained. I always make sure my horse are in a nice bend and just put a little more wieght in my outside stirup and the know to switch it.

Do figure eights and whenever you get to the point that you want them to lead change, do the cues that you want for the changes and if the do them reward them with a pat or whatever and don't reward them until they do it.