Teaching flying changes: step by step

Prerequisites for the flying change

Before you even think about a change in canter, your horse must be firmly grounded in three fundamentals. First: a clear, rideable canter stride with a well-defined three-beat rhythm. Second: reliable simple changes through trot — where the horse walks calmly and without rushing through the trot steps. And third: lateral suppleness, so the horse responds to the leg aid and the shift in weight. If any one of these elements is missing, the flying change won't sort itself out — you're building on an unstable foundation. Take your time with each step; horses introduced to flying changes too early often become tense or start to anticipate.

Preparation: exercises that really help

A few targeted exercises build the right reflexes:

• Shoulder-fore in canter: improves the activity of the inside hind leg and stabilises balance.
• Renvers and travers in canter: supples the horse through the loins and teaches it to respond to the outside leg aid.
• Simple changes on the diagonal: three trot steps are enough — this trains timing and self-carriage.
• Canter depart from halt: establishes a quick response to the leg without forward momentum becoming an escape route.
• Changing rein in canter without trotting: tests whether the horse truly stays 'in front of your leg'.

Asking for the first flying change

The most widely used method is changing rein on the long diagonal, just past the centre of the arena. Ride an active canter, sit slightly deeper, shift your weight towards the new inside, and simultaneously apply the new outside leg aid — just before the moment of suspension in the canter stride. Timing is everything: the aid must come while the horse is in the air, not once the forehand has already landed. Many riders give the aid too late, causing the horse to change late behind or execute a half-change. Does the change succeed? Ride quietly forward, give a pat and don't repeat it immediately. Three to four successful changes per session is plenty in the early stages.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

• Too much rein pressure before the change: the horse blocks and cannot change the forehand in time.
• Giving the aid during the support phase: the change comes half a stride late and feels disjointed.
• Horse anticipates: vary the pattern — change on the circle one time, then on the diagonal, then not at all.
• Half-change or crossing behind: build more energy and give the outside leg aid more clearly.
• Horse becomes tense: go back to simple changes for two weeks and only progress once the horse remains calm.

Training frequency and tracking progress

Working consciously on flying changes three times a week is realistic for a horse in development. More is not better — horses drilled on changes every day tend to become nervous or dull. After each session, note in your horse's EquiSight profile what went well and where things went wrong: was it timing, balance or a responsiveness issue? Over four to six weeks you'll see a clear pattern emerge and can make targeted adjustments. The calendar feature also helps you alternate training sessions with recovery and conditioning days.

When is a horse ready for tempi changes?

Tempi changes — for example, changing every four, three or two strides — are only appropriate once the single flying change is consistent, relaxed and straight. That means a minimum of six to eight weeks of reliable single changes, equally good in both directions. Start with changes every four strides on the long diagonal. Can you do that ten times in a row without mistakes? Then you can move to every three strides. Don't rush this; a horse that changes in tempi with tension is far harder to correct than one that slowly but surely builds the routine. Use EquiCoach to analyse your progress and personalise the training plan based on your horse.