Re: Changing leads and going disunited

[Amanda Perez <amandaperez@ureach.com>]

  here's the way I have dealth with this problem in the past.

1.  teach horse to cue to a canter from a walk.  I have found 
that this is really essential in teaching lead-changes and 
flying changes.  Horse has to learn control and balance to 
canter from a walk.  Best of all is if you can get horse to cue 
to a canter from a stand-still, but that's askign alot.  I find 
if the horse will not take the canter from a walk (has to 
be 'run into it) it is MUCH harder to get good leads and 
changes from them.

2.  Teach horse flying changes by circling tightly at a canter, 
stop,then quicly start a circle in the opposite direction 
(forming a figure-eight), cuing to a canter after 1 or two 
steps.  Keep repeating the figure-eight, halting at the cross-
over point each time and cuing for the correct lead after one-
two walk steps.  Through repetition the horse will learn to 
anticipate the lead change, so you can gradually eliminate the 
halt/walk at the cross-over.

3.  If horse  picks up the wrong leadm, cross-canters 
(is 'disunited) OR trots when cued to canter, IMMEDIATELY pull 
him up and verbally correct him with whatever your 'NO, Thats 
NOT what I want' command is ("NO!", "WRONG!"  "ANNT!" or 
whatever, but be consistant, and make sure verbal correction 
and reins are applied firmly and quickly so horse knows its 
being corrected and what it is for).

Take it slowly.  Make sure each step above is mastered before 
progressing to the next.  Review all steps often, dropping back 
to the pror step if you lose ground at your current step.  
Don't do too many repititions.

The above can be done both in the ring and at field.  I'd start 
in the ring, and once he is consitantly performing well there, 
then take it in to the field.

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