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About This Week’s Lesson

Lead Changes in Experienced Horses

By:

Syd

Date:

2010-Jan-18 at 02:27PM

My mare used to show in western pleasure all the time with her previous owners. So she knows how to do flying lead changes on her own. Which can be a major problem when I'm riding her. When I'm riding her in the arena around the turn, out of the blue she switches to the outside lead. I know that horses, and the rider, is more comfortable when it's negotiating a turn on the inside lead. So I figured out that I might be giving her the incorrect leg signals. One day I payed close attention to my leg position, and my horse just switched leads out of the blue on her own. I even took my feet out of the stirrups and she did the same thing. Does anyone have advise for what I should do to get my mare to stop?

Kicki -- Sweden 2010-Feb-08 at 12:49PM

It's hard to know when you don't see what is happening, so I am just making a wild guess that you have a super nice horse there, who is only very good at doing what she has been taught to do, and will take responsibility for the action when *she* thinks it is appropriate.

Have you tried being extra extra clear with your aids so she understands that she must wait for your cue?
Be very specific about the lead you start off in and if she changes without being asked, gently stop her and go off again on the lead you want.
Do this in both leads and also make sure that she understands your aids for the change and answers promptly when they are given (= lots of reward!)and chances are that she will learn to wait for you to tell her what to do and when to do it.