Training Tips: The Lope & Lead Changes, Part 1, eXtension

This video discusses the lope and execution of lead changes on a western horse. It is part of the Fundamental Training of a Horse video.
In this set of videos, basic ground work, longing and handling methods are demonstrated, as well as numerous suppling and basic training maneuvers are shown to develop quiet, broke horses.
Presenters: Gary Stauffer and Monte Stauffer, UNL Extension Educators
This presentation was given at the 2007 Equestrian Academy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. For more horse information, visit www.extension.org/horses!

[@SaraElizabethNJ]

Thank you so much for this video! I am new to Western, although I've ridden English primarily. I've always been mystified by the concept of lead changes, but this really spells it out. Thanks so much again, this is really helpful!

[@aluminumtrim]

barrelhorserider7, in my experience in loping circles, i explain it to people in a different manner. If the outside leg of the direction you are circling hits first, then you are in the correct lead. So if you are loping to the right, you look down at the shoulders and see if the left leg lands first which is followed by the right leg "leading" that left leg step. So my easy way of knowing if you are in the correct lead is to see if the outside hits first.

[@soullover123456]

His left lead is wonderful, but his right not os much. I make sure I am very calm but firm when I ask him to canter, in which I hardly ask him to very easily. But, he becomes out of control and hard to maintain in which his canter is very fast and nerve wracking. It a shame, because he has such great potential, and as well is a very good looking horse with great bloodline. This video surely gives me a better idea on possibly try to the fix the problem. Thank you so much for posting this.

[@ExtensionHorses]

Gary Stauffer is the presenter in this video. He along with Monte Stauffer presented on Fundamental Training for Horse & Rider at the 2007 Equestrian Academy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. They are both Extension educators there. This is just a segment of their presentation.

[@ExtensionHorses]

When cantering in a circle to the right, the leading leg should be the right front leg. The footfall pattern for the canter, on the right lead, is left hind, right hind and left front simultaneously, then right front. The opposite foot pattern represents the left lead as follows: right hind, left hind and right front simultaneously, left front.

[@soullover123456]

Wow. I have a 7 year old quarter horse who never fully developed well into his canter. I try to get him to settle down and make it relaxing and enjoyable for him, but it seems that when we go into canter, it's a hard process by by slowly building up to that momentum. He grows anxious and nervous in the canter, making it uneasy for him to collect well.

[@zipposrevelation]

Yeah, I noticed too...

[@nags2bitches]

But, if you'd watched the other videos you'd know the horse is green and is being trained in these videos ; these demonstrations are about training the horse, not training a rider. If you listen to the commentary, the rider explains exactly what he is doing to work the bad behaviour out of the horse.