@kim: Hi Kim. The timing for the lead change is pretty simple. When the horse's hind feet are on the ground, move the horse's hips over in the direction of the desired lead. In a split second, the hind feet will be in the air and the change will happen. Make sure the horse's shoulder moves the opposite direction or the hind end may not change.

Larry T.

hi larry, i'm wondering about lead change timing and foot fall of the horse? do you have an article like the one with the stop, but showing a lead change and how the back foot catches up to the front in a lead change. I thought the stop article was very good by the way.

what i'd like to see explained is when and how (lets say horse is loping on right lead) the "Da" hind foot (from ta-da-dump) which hits with the opposite front foot (or 1/10th second before if you're a stickler) speeds up and changes the sequence of foot fall (thus the phrase: "the lead change has to come from behind"). & how the hind leading foot "ta" catches up to the "naming" (in this case right) front foot the "dump" foot? hope you could follow that, read it again it's confusing.

I understand the general princple of a lead change but no body ever really breaks it down into each foot being in each one of 4 phases: 1. hitting the ground (heel contacts) 2.on the ground (weight shifts over the foot) 3.leaving the ground (toe pushes off propelling the horse forward) or 4. in the air (you can only cue a foot that's in the air – can't tell one where to go if it's grounded); and how this all takes place.

thanks.
kim

ps i once took some lessons from you when you were in penngrove. and i'm still trying to perfect them. thanks for those too.