How to Perfect Your Lead Changes

Riders of all ages will agree that leads and lead changes are one of the trickiest parts about jumping coursework. Even if you’re great at finding your distances and keeping your horse or pony balanced at the jumps, it can be difficult to stay organized without having him on the proper lead. Lead changes are also an important part of dressage tests and equitation and reining patterns.  

Feel Your Lead

The first step to being successful with your lead changes is to be able to identify when you are on the wrong lead. Start by looking at your horse’s inside shoulder the same way you would look at the outside shoulder for your diagonal. In the same way, you’re looking for the leg that is reaching farther forward than the other. You may need to compare both of your horse’s shoulders to see the difference, which is totally fine.

From there, the next step is to practice feeling the lead you’re on without looking down. With your seat in the saddle, you’ll feel the canter stride moving like a wave underneath you. On the correct lead, the wave will start with the outside hind leg and end in the inside front leg. On the wrong lead, the wave will start with the inside hind leg and end in the outside front leg. 

Within a few strides on the wrong lead, you should be able to feel that your horse is unbalanced. It may even feel like he is pushing himself away from the arena fence. 

Being able to feel your lead takes a lot of practice, but it’s very important because this is how you will know that you need to ask your horse for a lead change in the first place. 

Being in tune with the canter underneath you will also allow you to notice when your horse may accidentally cross-canter: this is when he is cantering on one lead in front and the other one behind. 

Horses cross-canter when they land unbalanced after a jump or when they miss the hind-end part of their lead change. A common mistake in flying changes is for the horse to change his lead in front, but not behind. 

Simple Lead Changes

Once you’re able to tell which lead you’re on without looking, you can start to practice your changes. 

Doing a simple lead change means that you start out cantering on one lead and change your horse’s lead to the other one by bringing him down through a trot, walk, or halt. 

For example, imagine you’re riding down the centerline of the arena on the right lead and plan to ride a simple change through the trot. You’ll hold your horse or pony in a right bend with your right rein and right leg, with your left leg having just enough pressure to keep him from drifting left. 

Holding the right bend, bring your horse down to the trot and ride him straight for a few steps. To start with, this could be as many as 10 steps, but eventually you’ll want to get down to two to four steps. 

Then you bend your horse to the left, ask for the left lead canter, and canter straight down the remainder of the centerline. As mentioned before, simple changes can also be done through the walk or the halt. 

No matter the gait used, the most important part of riding a simple change correctly is being very clear with your horse about changing the bend and letting him know you want the opposite lead from the one he was on before. 

Flying Lead Changes

A flying lead change is when your horse is on one lead, then gently jumps into the air and lands on the opposite lead. 

Flying lead changes will help you keep the forward energy of the canter during your pattern or course. For example, if you were coming across the diagonal of the arena on the left lead, as you near the center of the arena, you would start to use your right leg to push your horse’s balance onto the left side of his body. 

As he gathers his energy, you should feel his canter get bouncier and more energetic. When this happens, you use your left leg just behind the girth to ask for the change. 

It’s important not to use too much rein other than to gently help keep him straight. If you have trouble with flying changes, it’s important to ask a trainer or other adult to help you, since some horses are taught to do flying changes a little bit differently. 

Key Takeaway

Lead changes can be intimidating, but if you take it step by step, they can become a seamless part of your riding. Lots of luck with your lead changes!

This article about lead changes appeared in the January/February 2024 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!