Why do we fear (the) change?

Flying changes have become the first Holy Grail of dressage. How on Earth did this happen? When people are horse shopping, one of the first questions is “Does he have a change?” We stand on the rail and analyze the changes on Third level horses, disregarding, for the most part, the other 95% of the test. We talk about late changes, flat changes, crooked changes, croup-high changes, and drop changes with the fervency of an obsessed movie star fan.

Meanwhile, over in Hunter Land where I grew up, almost every horse–from lesser quality New Holland finds to the purpose-bred warmblood–has a change. People don’t talk much about them (and they certainly don’t obsess), except in the rare case where a horse consistently cross-fires. The only descriptor you might hear is “auto” as in the horse who will automatically change to the correct lead after a line of fences.

Huh? How can something so “important” in the dressage world seem to come so easily to our hunter compatriots? Why do we struggle with something every single horse does over and over again at liberty in the field?

I already hear your counter argument. “But hunter changes aren’t the same as dressage changes. They’re flat. They’re on the forehand. They lack impulsion.” I’m with you– it certainly seems that way, at least with the “non-elite” hunters. Now, thinking back to everything you’ve learned about the canter in dressage–shouldn’t this make their changes harder to get (and clean)? And yet, we struggle while every 12 year old on a pony is blissfully kicking through a clean change in each round.

I don’t know about you, but this all has been making me feel empowered. Of course I can teach Bravo the changes–every horse can do them, he does them in the field, and he is certainly athletic enough! As a teen, I acquired my hunt seat equitation mount when he was a 4 year old–I no longer have recollection of teaching him the changes (although I must have since he was not in any sort of training) and we had a long and semi-illustrious career not-thinking-about-but-managing-to-accompish MANY flying changes over the years.

So work the changes we have! It’s one part correct canter/counter canter, one part change of bend and direction, and occasionally brute force–lather, rinse, repeat. Sometimes they are effortless, sometimes they are explosive, sometimes they are absent, and sometimes everything in between–but I have definitely seen progress in the last couple of weeks. I have my monthly clinic with Anne this weekend and can’t wait to get her opinion, help, and perspective. Her advice so far was the inspiration for this journal entry–whatever happens, do not get negative. Do not have failure as an option in my mindset.

Fair enough. I just need to channel my inner 12 year old.