Lead Changes, take 2,372

Humble, 4 year old Derby wannabe - beautiful lead change today. The deal is on lead changes you have to be able to side pass like a wild man. You should be able to go around the arena each way, side passing the whole time with some dispatch. They need to be able to sidepass from left to right to left to right with no hesitation. You have to be able to send them sideways with no resistance immediately when you touch your leg to them.

Then when you ask for the change, you dont nessesarily have to ask for the change. You keep riding forward and apply your leg for the new lead but just get him to move over a little - to move that hip into the direction of the new lead. Don worry if he doesnt change, just dont upset him. If he moves off of your leg but cant quite make the change, but doesnt get scared, be happy and be patient- at least he is trying. If he speeds up pull him in the ground and start over.

Get him to counter canter, move his ribs to the outside of the circle in the counter canter, (with nose pointed in a tad so he can see where he is going) Then Move his hip to the outside and nose to the outside- and counter canter squares shoving the hip out with the nose shaped the same way. Do all of this until he can do it without being scared and without anticipating the lead change- he just needs to stay put- in what you've asked him to do- when you ask him to change, if he gets fast, stop him, if he doesn't change you can let him go as long as he doesnt get scared, quit asking for a few strides then ask again, you can ask for as long as he tries to move over. You may have to stop and get him even better at side passing, moving his hip in, turn on the forehand, kicking the hind end out of gear, walking around in circles with the hip leading shaped like the letter c- anything to make him automatic at moving off of your let including sidepassing at a trot around the entire outside of the pen- roll your spur up his side if he doesnt hustle- make him over learn it- that is the trick to getting the lead change, that and not scaring him.