(“Don’t kick the boards.”)

If you are doing FEI tests on your horse, then these observations are not directed to you. But if you’re at that stage where you’re puzzling out the flying changes and trying to explain them to a horse who doesn’t know them very well either, then here’s an idea.

Chances are you’ve already read all the recipes. You know not to slam your new outside leg on the horse at the moment you want the change. You know about pre- positioning your leg a stride before. You know about keeping him straight. You know about balancing him stride by stride on the way to the change. You know about “counting down” to the change. And other than figuring out the timing through trial and error, you know where your new outside leg goes and that the half halt must be into the old inside/new outside rein.

And yet, it still doesn’t work!

Many times it is just because your aid lacks conviction. That does not mean it should be violent. But they have to be given with enough definition that the horse is convinced he is supposed to change.

As I told my student, it’s like learning to give your horse an injection in the muscle. You can be wimpy and tentative about it and push the point of the needle slowly against his neck until the needle starts to bend. Or you can just STICK IT IN and depress the plunger. The first way gets you an irritated, confused horse. The second way gets you a flying change.

In the lesson, light dawned on my rider, and she was able to add another helpful analogy. She is a student of tae kwon do, recently having earned her black belt. As she explained, she had always had trouble breaking the boards as was required. Then her instructor told her, “Don’t kick at the boards. Don’t kick the boards. Extend your leg and kick through them, reaching as far beyond them with your foot as you can.”

That image describes the way a definite aid must be given — one that the horse will respect and find irresistible.