Derrick Said:

How do I get my filly to learn flying lead changes for reining?

We Answered:

Start with simple lead changes down the diagonal.
Bring her to a trot for a few steps then ask for the new lead.
Slowly make the steps between ur changes shorter so you don't need as many.
Soon she will be able to do a flying lead when you ask her.

Good Luck

Susan Said:

How long does it take most horses to learn flying lead changes?

We Answered:

Depends on the horse. My half-Arabian jumper learned very quickly--and I taught him myself without a clue how to do it (I was probably 13 at the time). I started by doing figure eights and simple changes, decreasing the amount of trot time, and then asking for a flying change. I think he learned it in a matter of days and soon after that had beautiful, automatic changes. I don't remember ever having any issues with him not doing it, resisting, etc.

My sister's old hunter, however, was another story. He was a more "dull" horse to begin with, so motivating him to swap was a challenge. She had him for several years and I think he had just begun to do it when she sold him--and by "do it" I mean he'd done it once or twice. The mare she has now is the same way--she's owned her for nearly 3 years now and she's just started getting them this fall, and not consistently or easily. My mom's AQHA gelding is also like that; I tried to teach him (same way I taught my old jumper). He--a very calm gelding who has probably never bucked in his life--actually started bucking every time I'd pick up the lope after just a few attempts. Since flying lead changes aren't really necessary in his line of work, I didn't bother with it--I probably tried for a few weeks and gave up. Just wasn't worth making him mad. Granted, he was also slightly arthritic and definitely set in his ways. My own AQHA gelding is much more athletic, but his problem was that he was/is easily irritated. He learned the process pretty quickly (especially from right to left, which was his preferred lead), but after a few attempts he'd decide it was more fun to start bucking or throw a fit instead. He also learned to do a very fancy simple change--a very quick trot step--to avoid the effort of a flying change, and he'd do that just about automatically as soon as I'd shift my weight. Creative, but not really what I had in mind. Still, he learned them within probably a week or so--but not consistently (he'd get it sometimes, other times he'd act like he had no idea what I was asking for). Then he got hurt and was laid off, and I haven't tried it again--we mostly do WP and HUS and don't need a flying change; they're a nice touch in Eq/HMS classes at the higher levels, but he's not quite ready for those yet anyway. I had initially started him over fences, but after showing one Hunter Hack class (and he actually did the change for that!) he got hurt and that's when I stopped teaching the changes--and I haven't started him back over fences, either, which is when he'd most need a flying change.

So in other words, it depends on the horse. I think the easiest horse to teach is one who is naturally very forward and responsive (like my old jumper and like my current AQHA gelding) but also willing and easygoing (otherwise, they get an attitude or resist instead of trying something). A horse who is dull or lacks impulsion will have a harder time getting the energy from behind to do a flying change, and one who has an attitude is going to throw fits instead of calmly swap.