Schooling Lead Changes...HELP!

I wish I had more technical info on training for lead changes.  I want to say that I love where you're riding.  Reminds me of Montgomery.  Also I have an OTSB and his right front is sort of clubbed but he the joint is fused, no flexion and his ankle is WAY enlarged.  He's not rideable - well, his leg could go out and it would be unsafe.  There may be a reason for your horse's reaction to the right lead that has to do with that foot.  How much do you expect from him?  He may not really be the best choice for hunter jumper but would do fine on trails or in the field on a hunt.  With time and correct trimming, maybe his foot can be improved.  My horse's foot has improved since I got him.  Again, I'm not an expert on anything but PLEASE don't throw heavy shoes on the back to try to make him do something that you're not positive he can comfortably do.  I'm glad he has you. 

Different people will teach different ways. Hunter changes are taught different than western and different from dressage.

I have taught all my horses the following way and never had any problems.

I never try to get flying changes from the canter/trot. The possibility of cross-canter, rushing and an unbalanced canter is too likely to happen.

My preference is walk to canter or halt to canter and I think you will find that a disunited canter is EXTREMELY rare under these circumstances.

I also keep in the back of my mind that horse are notorious for learning something in certain areas of the arena and once done in a certain place and way will repeat that pattern over and over again. That being said I simply teach the horse a pattern.


I will canter a few strides then walk, then counter canter a few strides then walk. I will repeat this exercise for as long as it takes. I usually start on a circle and the amount of canter strides is unimportant in the beginning. If the horse gets excited (some do) then go on with something else and try again later in the ride or another day.


When the horse accepts the back forth pattern on the circle go anywhere in the arena and I find the straight side is very good. In some cases the horse may respond better on the straight side first before the circle and that is also OK.


Slowly shorten the number of canter strides between each change of lead. If you can "feel" your horse you will almost "know" that the horse is ready for the first change from the counter-canter to the regular canter and if it is done on a curve ( corner) you have a very good chance of getting a clean change (front and back). Go back to your "pattern" and wait for the next "opportunity". I prefer at this time to try to go to the halt canter to halt--then counter-canter halt---canter halt--etc, Again when the opportunity offers itself the flying change from the counter canter. It is important to ensure that the horse is walking or halted and not rushed back to the opposite lead too soon. The length of time between each canters are shortened as you go along and the possibility of 2 changes could be possible.

I am sure that you understand that you will need to switch direction from left to right rein so that your counter-canter opportunities will able to be exercised on both leads.
   

Hunter has a good point, many OTTBs have issues with lead changes, they are most comfortable goin on one lead.  Some have injuries or issues that mite not be known that prevents them from doin it, and they can't say 'hay, that hurts,' so instead they avoid it.  I would lunge or roundpen, whichever you do, to see it he does it without a rider.  Patience patience patience.  He hasta build up the muscles to do it, and carryin a rider, so let him build up.  Using some cavaletti would distract him and help him with timin, much like it is used to teach to jump.
 
Another big thing with lead changes is knowin when a horse can change, knowin the rite timin to ask for the lead change, and knowin how to use your balence as a rider to help encourage him to change leads.
 
And finally, a common exercise I used to help accustom a horse to lead changes is to make very large figure eights, slowly makin them smaller, but don't go for more than 3 or four rounds and you let them trot and stretch out.
 
Good luck!![]

He CAN do the changes. He has done then clean before with no issues but it was more when I asked him for the change he would kick out or buck and swap the lead back and forth and get very excited and prance around. We have the correct length for his clubbed foot and shoes on the front feet. Someone had told us to put very heavy shoes on the back feet but i don't think it is a great idea. I think we should at least work our other options before more is put into the picture. I will put a video of us jumping on here and i slowed down a change where he kicked out.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx-xpLE3_ms
 
you can see when we come to the left and pass the one jump he only gets the front and counter canters until we get infront of the blue tubs, then cleans it up and ends up knocking the back rail. I had him fix the lead and we went back and did it again. I slowed down the next lead change where he gets the front perfect and he kicks out for the back. That is now what he does most of the time. I have just been trotting him in the corners because he anticipates a lead change even when he doesn't need to get one.
 
I have started a routine to the left where i go from the walk to the canter in a certain corner so now he picks up that lead perfectly! I have to start that routine now to the right and hopefully that will help with the lead changes.
 
If anyone has any other tips feel free to leave them!

How is he to handle the rest of the time?  Little things, like feedtime and such?  It makes it easier for me to figger out what a horse's issues when I have 'em here, and I can see them, interactin with other horses and whatnot.  Do you know much about his track history?  I had an Arab, that you would ride along, and she did this really weird thing with her left hind leg where you as a rider would lurch suddenly to one side (and she did it all gaits.) You cuddn't really see it from the ground, it was really strange. We never could find out why, she was conformationally perfect and it was quite baffling.  She was completely responsive and submissive and sound in every other way. 
 
I don't know much about horses with clubbed (hooves? legs?) so I cant help much there.  But I would try and rule out any physical issues first (back pain, common with OTTBs from bein overused when their back ent grown properly yet, and of course the club thing), then focus on trainin/relationship issues. 
 
Best of luck with him!

He is perfect. He just turned 8 so he is still playful and loves attention from people. He always wants to be around other horses and people. He takes his grand old time eating because he is in his own field. This is because he would try and play with the other horses and tear blankets off or leave holes in them but otherwise he got along quite well. He likes anyone and everyone. He's good to tack up and is quite while riding unless he jumps and pulls a nail
(which he has a tendancy of doing at least once a month WITH bell boots on) and lands on it and it obviously hurts, so he will crow hop. But he has an overall great attitude toward everything. Thank you for your help!

Great video and you guys look great together!!! 
 
I'm dying to get my horse therapist on him.  I think he's got a hip issue.  My horses will make the same move when Carla works on them if they are popping their own hip back into place.  On the other hand, he looks AMAZING!
 
What part of the world are you in?  You can borrow Carla! []

I live in Maryland. Is Carla a chiropractor?
And what did you see with his hip?
Thank you on the compliments. We are trying hard.