I have a 3 yr. old quarter horse that I show reining on. This is the first horse that my trainer allowed me to train all the way through, usually I just break them and get them going so she can get on and start the reining manuevers. So it has been really exciting to accomplish this and we actually won green horse and got reserve for youth for the end year awards. But my major problem is his lead changes. He is really good until I come to the middle to switch my leads. At first he would never change and always trotted and then picked up the other lead. Now he charges through the middle swithes in the process and then immediately calms down. When I try to hold him it gets worse and he gets more nervous. Any suggestions for making lead changes not a big scary thing?
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Verified answer
A young horse often doesn't have enough balance to do a flying lead change. He needs to get enough muscles in his hindquarters so that he can switch leads more comfortably. If you watch dressage competitions, at the lower levels, you always change lead through the trot. It is not until you reach higher levels that the flying lead change is introduced. Keep working the lead changes through the trot - no need to rush this training and stress out your horse.
work him in small circles A LOT. Bend bend bend. this will strengthen him up. Then, just do them. all the time. on the diagnoal, on the straigh aways, cut across the middle. Just do them all the time. eventually he'll get muscled up and used to it and it'll be no big deal, but u have to do them a lottt.
Have your trainer work the horse, or ask the trainer who is there to see what really needs to be done.