I do not have a photo nor do I have any video. You will just have to trust me on this.
In my Thursday lesson Belinda has us work on leg yielding in trot and canter. For the canter work I would depart from the walk to the canter. If I engaged Biasini with a concerted push from the inside of my ankle and then gave him the aid for the canter depart he would sit and come up in front and spring into the canter. No pulling down, no pulling himself into canter with his front leg. Boom! Canter!
For the exercise we would leg yield away from the rail, just two strides, straighten and then leg yield back to the rail. Evenly on both reins and responding evenly to my leg aids on both sides. Toward the end of the lesson I asked for a flying change after we finished the leg yield.
I got the best flying change I have ever had from Biasini. Belinda and I both agreed that was a high point to end the lesson on. I turned to Belinda and I said: “That was a Statesman flying change!” “Yes, it was,” she replied.
Statesman is Naima Moriera Laliberte’s horse. He has huge and expressive flying changes. They are fabulous. Here is a photo.
To have Biasini give me such a buoyant, energized and airborne flying change made my day. Later barn manager Carl asked me how my lesson had been. I said :”Biasini gave me the best flying change I have ever had from him.” I didn’t know that Belinda was standing behind me when I said that. “Yes! He did!” She said.
So there you have it . This is the moment of pure joy for me in this weeks’ riding work. A Statesmanlike Flying Change.
Amazing! Congratulations! Flying lead changes are something I have never been able to get. I’ve wanted to do them for at least the last ten years, but when I was taking lessons we would only work on them occasionally …It is still something I am itching to do! One day…maybe…
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Flying changes are so different from one riding discipline to another. In the hunter world they want a lead
swap and no big deal made about it. For the jumpers it is a matter of the horse keeping their balance in preparation for the next fence. But in Dressage the changes are a Big Deal! In the lower levels they must be clean and all four legs off the ground at once. Then as the levels get higher there are the tempis and changes every 4th , 3rd , 2nd stride and finally the ones, changes every stride. What I was excited about was the fact that Biasini not only gave me a clean flying change it was a “flying” change. He can give me good clean changes but that was the most expressive one I have ever had from him. I’m sure if you want to learn changes you will do it. Don’t give up on that dream!!
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Wow! I didn’t realize how different flying lead changes could be!
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💗💗💗💗💗
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WONDERFUL! And you are right that you put in so much time and training to get to this point in time to have that Statesmanlike flying change!! Bravo!! It’s a grand feeling! ❤️
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It is a grand feeling. Thanks Diana!
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Congrats to you.
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Thank you!
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Gives a wonderful feel. Wish to see that in future training posts or in competition.
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I also am wishing to see those changes Subbashini. We are working on making them a constant !
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Feeling your joy through this post!
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Thanks for letting me know that😀
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Definitely sounds like grounds for celebration, congrats!
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Yes it is. It is an amazing sensation to be sitting on a horse that gives you a flying change like that.! Thanks for commenting!
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Your hard work really pays off. Here’s to more Statesmanlike Flying Changes!
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Thank you!
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That is such a huge win and a fabulous thing to be grateful for.
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It is. I appreciate your comment.
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Savour those moments! They are so special; usually progress happens so incrementally it is hard to notice, but huge accomplishments like that are what I love to see as a sport coach:) Congrats!
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Thank you! As I am sure you know months of work if not years have gone into getting that moment. I appreciate your comment .
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