Future Disciplines for the Lead Change Flunkee
So much is going well with Simon pants right now. He’s jumping with great form. He’s starting to relax with flat work. He’s even making strides with getting the strides (-1 points for over use of the word ‘stride’). There’s just one problem we’re still having… lead changes.
For the record, I officially hate lead changes and I don’t think it’s possible I will ever own a horse that does them.
That being said, I love my Simon and I’m trying to look on the bright side. There are always other career choices for us if we become official lead change flunkees… right?
You don’t need changes until like level 8 with dressage, right? We’ll probably die of boredom try something new before we get that far 😉
Endurance could work. If I get over my fear of trail riding. That could be a potential snag.
I have always wanted to drive! Even though I have no cart, no harness, and no access to any driving instruction.
Surely if my horse can do a turn on the haunches, he can do a pivot.
At least his head position is already ready for saddleseat classes! Just gotta work on that trot now.
None of these look all that appealing… guess I’ll do more praying to the lead change gods that they improve soon.
24 thoughts on “Future Disciplines for the Lead Change Flunkee”
Die of boredom???!!! That can’t be possible…
Thank you! What’s this ‘dressage is boring’ mentality hunter riders have??
Love the photoshopping!
Maybe . . . . you could try working Eq, but that also uses lead changes. Maybe you should change how you think about them . . . make them your best friend.
I love the doctored photos. Too funny!
Can you avoid them if you land on the correct lead all the time? Probably easier said than done, I know.
I do not know what your training has included, but sometimes upping the rpm’s can help. I love flying changes, but Harley still likes to do them when he feels like it. 😉
Eventing! We don’t need no stinkin’ lead changes in eventing! Tris pops ’em while galloping when he wants a new gear but I’ve never felt the need to ask for them. 🙂
I love that Simon can do dressage in a snaffle with two sets of reins. Who needs lead changes when you have that much talent??
LOL
Eventing! And we already know you had a lot of fun XC schooling. 🙂
Awesome post! I’m with you and other disciplines, even though I used ride dressage (zzz).
Love the photo “edits” 🙂
Oh my gosh, the edits. :)))) Red and I worked on lead changes for like a month…he’s seasoned and knows what he’s doing but I pretty much said “to heck with it” and stopped because…I have zero reason to do them and I pretty much ride for fun anyways. :))
Good luck! I think you guys could fit right in on any of these!
Bahaha “level 8”! (It’s level 3. I wish we had level 8!)
I’m gonna be honest, it took me a minute to figure out what was wrong with that dressage picture. 🙂
You’ll get the changes. I always find myself reading everything under the sun about a movement I’ve been struggling with. It seems easier when I understand it inside and out.
Time for the REAL fun stuff – jumpers!
Bahaha the edits are AMAZING!!!
Oh man lead changes were a beast with Henry. I’m sure you and Simon will get them 🙂
Haha, I didn’t even realize you doctored the photos until I read a couple comments and went back to look more closely. Well done, hilarious!
I have ridden and leased horses that ranged from difficult to canter on a particular lead, forget changes, to only simple changes, to the classic “I will do the change but I have to buck to do it.” But my horse is truly special in this realm. Even when I first brought him home last year at 3 years old and barely started, he understood lead changes. Now, he is 100% auto-change. I don’t even think I get much credit for this…I honestly think he just understands and is athletic enough to do them smoothly.
Funny thing though…he understands too well, in a way. Often he can see that he *will* need to change before the next turn (an exaggerated curse when you have no choice but to ride inside in the winter), so he does the lead change long before the turn of his own accord. While I don’t see why that should be a fault, apparently in some hunter divisions they want to see the lead change right at the start of the turn. So I’m trying to *prevent* him from changing until the perfect pretty moment. How’s that for irony?
Thankfully during an actual hunter course it’s easier to contain than when I’m just working on the flat.
Helloooo, eventing? Lead changes not needed, and you KNOW you loved going XC schooling last week and secretly want to do it more. Plus, you’re lusting after one of those rhinestone-covered show bows you get to wear for dressage. And just think of the outfits Simon can wear XC and stadium! Seems like a no-brainer to me. 😉
HAHA OMG DYING FROM YOUR PHOTOSHOPS! With eventing, lead changes don’t happen until like intermediate or something. And that’s 3’9″ fences. SO. I think maybe you should give eventing a chance 😉
Funny because when I was doing hunter/jumpers my guy didn’t really have a lead change. Then when I’m trying to do eventing, my horse just is naturally born with them. WTF.
But good luck with the lead changes… my trainer always says they are her least favorite thing to teach. (well, that wasn’t encouraging huh?) but, good luck…
OMFG.
It took me a second to realize that you had photoshopped all the faces. HILARIOUS!
I love the photos. You honestly had me thinking it was you for a few minutes. I was like “wow, she’s awesome!” Apparently I’m easily duped by technology
Oh my GOSH I was like three pictures into this before I realized the photoshop job and now I’m laughing/crying from laughing so hard. This is HILARIOUS.
And can Spenny and I join you in the “Lead Changes Blow/Who Needs Them?” club? Gahhh….
I have to laugh only because it is a pet peeve of mine, but there are no “levels 1,2,3” anymore in dressage – it’s first, second, or third level etc. I know this is a joke, but I just have to get that off my chest! LOL Dressage is not boring when you do it right 😉
Aside from that, there are lots of tricks out there to help with changes…hopefully you two can figure it out together – and when you do- just think of how sweet the victory will be!
Hahaha, I love the edits! And I second jenj above^^
Also, I think you should buy Misty who has flying changes 😉 (Jetta does agree with you on the whole changes thing though… after all, why change when you can canter perfectly fine on the wrong lead?)
It took a year to get them with Pops! You’ll figure it out!