Check list of things to have in place before starting to teach flying changes.
Before I start teaching my young horses flying changes, I have a clear “check list” of exercises that I like my horses to be confident in and have a thorough understanding of.
Can my horse confidently perform both trot and walk to canter transitions, both on a circle or on a straight line?
Can they pick up true and counter canter easily?
The application of this aid will be the same aid that I will be applying when indicating my flying change signal.
By using this challenging exercise, picking up counter canter using the long sides and circle, it is a great indication of the clarity that my horse is truly understanding of my aids.
To get the perfect timing of the half halt, of which I will be indicating the flying change, I make sure my canter to walk is clear and direct. This is the moment of suspension, when all the horse’s legs are in the air and off the ground.
That’s the precise and only time to apply the aid to the flying change. If I have a pupil new to changes, I will get them to count the strides and moment of suspension into the walk.
I need to make sure my horse shows an efficient balance with enough collection to perform the changes without losing confidence. To check this, I make sure my horses can easily perform counter canter on circles and turns.
I then add into my counter canter changes of flexion to prepare the horse for the change of position required in the flying changes.
By doing these changes frequently he doesn’t anticipate the flying changes with every flexion change. Ownership of the preparation leading into flying changes will help keep your horse more confident and stop anticipation and potential confusion.
Another exercise to keep my horses clear and obedient to my aids is to incorporate canter leg yield to and away from the rail. This will help keep the horse clear in his understanding to remain on that chosen canter lead, but also will be used throughout training to Grand Prix and Zig Zags.
I also need to be able to ride a confident shoulder fore to traverse, moulding my horse around my legs. The traverse position will help clarify that the horse is to remain in that canter lead, with my horse learning not to change until signalled by my change of leg position for the actual flying change to come.
Half passes will also be a regular part of my training.
The final part of my checklist is being able to ride a shoulder fore and then changing the flexion to create a shallow reverse. This should be done by not changing my hips or legs, only my shoulders and hand position.
I then repeat it back to shoulder fore. This exercise indicates to the horse the new position, but they are again not to change until I change my leg position and apply the aid. This is my favorite lead up exercise.
Then once my above is totally understood and in control – the fun begins!
Here is a wee snippet from Vanessa’s training at home in Season one of ‘Master your Dressage movements’, showing how to introduce canter walk on your way to teaching flying changes.
Get access to the full program here ‘Master your Dressage Movements
Want to learn more? Check out these articles.
Preliminary level competition mastery
Learn how to improve your canter walk transitions
Check out all of Vanessa’s online programs here
Want to improve your dressage riding off your horse?
Check out our sister site Dressageridertraining.com
Improve your riding posture off the horse
Glute strengthening exercises for dressage riders
Learn the details of how to train the canter zig zag and tips on improving it.
As you move up the levels of dressage you begin to see more complicated movements like the canter zig zag. The art of training this movement comes with all the foundations that are laid before it through the levels.
Vanessa runs us through in her online program what all those building blocks are and then how to introduce each part to your horses training.
Learn all the details that aren’t talked about and how to set your horse up for success in your training.
Here is a wee snippet from her training at home in Season Two of ‘Master your Dressage movements’, discussing those finer details of the movement.
Get access to the full program here ‘Master your Dressage Movements
Want to learn more? Check out these articles.
Preliminary level competition mastery
Learn how to improve your canter walk transitions
Check out all of Vanessa’s online programs here
Want to improve your dressage riding off your horse?
Check out our sister site Dressageridertraining.com
Improve your riding posture off the horse
Glute strengthening exercises for dressage riders
Learn how you can be more accurate in your training at home
You hear the word ‘accuracy’ a lot in the word of dressage and for very good reason. This is what you are being marked on in a dressage test. But what details are important to know?
Vanessa runs us through in her online program all the details that matter both in your training and in a competition environment.
Learn exactly what the judges are looking for and what pitfalls to avoid.
As part of the program, she talks us through all the individual differences from horse to horse and how she sets each one up for success.
Here is a wee snippet from training at home in Season Two of ‘Master your Dressage movements’, discussing all the ins and outs of how to be more accurate in your test training, this applies to all levels, not just PSG.
Get access to the full program here ‘Master your Dressage Movements
Want to learn more? Check out these articles.
Centre lines and halts season one
Learn how to improve your canter walk transitions
Check out all of Vanessa’s online programs here
Want to improve your dressage riding off your horse?
Check out our sister site Dressageridertraining.com
Improve your riding posture off the horse
Glute strengthening exercises for dressage riders
Come behind the scenes as Vanessa talks us through her PSG competition warm-up.
Here we get a glimpse into all the decisions at a competition. From choosing where you want to warm up through to preparing the horse you have on the day in the best way possible.
Watch Vanessa complete the warm-up, talk us through her ‘on the spot’ decisions, and then discuss her test.
Learn how to structure your warm-ups for specific tests and handle all the obstacles that can pop up on the day.
As part of the program, she delves into everything she does to prepare for competitions, including what she packs in the truck and secrets to learning and remembering tests.
Here is a wee snippet from her PSG warm up and some of the test.
Get access to the full program here ‘Competition Mastery
Want to learn more? Check out these articles.
Centre lines and halts season one
Learn how to improve your canter walk transitions
Check out all of Vanessa’s online programs here
Want to improve your dressage riding off your horse?
Check out our sister site Dressageridertraining.com
