Quote:
Originally Posted by JPinMaryland
so what is the usual signal for that? He just taps them on the neck of something?
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Changes should be automatic. Well-schooled horses with the right mind will just automatically make their changes. Other horses need very suble signals, a slight shift in the rider's weight might be all that's needed .. or a push with a heel. Progressing along to the less subtle .. a rider will squeeze or pull a rein (either left or right) to displace the horse a bit to get him to switch .. still more aggressive would be going to the whip.
In races, I find in certain cases it's more disruptive to fight a horse into a lead change instead of just letting him continue on. Getting a horse to learn anything should never be a fight, but rather a clear set of right and wrong .. and during a race, if it's taking more energy to get a change, than I feel the engery is mis-directed.