Flying lead changes in hunter classes?

Sooo this is probably a really stupid question but...

I've been riding this 15 or so y/o OTTB for a year now, and before he was a race horse then put out to pasture for 8 years or something. Anyways, we have come a LONG way, and we are starting jumping now. He likes it so much better than normal flat lessons/classes because he can concentrate and focus all of his energy on the jumps and scoping them out, instead of running around because he's bored. I showed him last year in flat classes, and sometimes we didn't do great and others we did alright. I love jumping and I reaaaaally want to show him in hunter classes in 2010.

However, he does not know how to do flying lead changes, my coach isnt around often enough and I don't exactly want to teach him myself because I want him to learn it properly the first time around. This being the case, he will not be ready to do flying lead changes this spring/summer in time for the shows. Do you need to do flying lead changes in hunter classes? They wont be big, Im assuming we would be doing the small x-rail, 18'; or 2'0 classes. Will any of the other horses be doing simple lead changes in these classes, or will they all be doing flying ones? Will I get disqualified if I trot for a few steps, or just lose some points? If I try really hard, he will usually listen and change leads over the jump, but I dont want to depend solely on that. Any advice would be awesome!!Flying lead changes in hunter classes?
Changing the leads over the fence is your best option in any ring. It shows an obedient horse, skilled rider, and a clean round. If you can work hard to get every lead over every fence, that will be better than a simple or flying change on the ground.



If you miss the lead over the fence, do what your horse does best. If he can fly very well, do that. If he is better at the simple change, do that. Don't pick based on you think the judge wants, pick based on what you know your horse can perform better. You may get points off for having to change on the ground, but you will lose less if the change is done flawlessly. Whichever you chose should be done quick, clean, balanced, and be as quiet and unnoticeable as possible.Flying lead changes in hunter classes?
At a small show doing just 18'; crossrails, the majority of the horses will be doing simple lead changes. Just keep it neat and tidy, keep the trotting to a minimum, and it will be fine.
I've seen horses at the lowest levels doing simple changes. I think you'd be fine for those classes.
In the smaller classes simple is okay. Although, flying changes aren't all that hard to teach anyways. You can start trying to teach him before the show and if you can't get it right then stop and just do the simple.



Heres the question I asked about lead changes:



http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;
Simple change will be fine.

Does he know his canter leads fine (if he doesn't get the correct one 100% if the time, he's not ready for flying change)? If not, work on that, do plenty of figure of eights, get to minimal trot steps in the middle. When my horse throws the wrong lead and I ask him back to trot in jumping, he knows that it's to change his lead and he'll drop back and immediately go into canter again on the correct lead. Cue him going over the jump so he gets the correct lead coming off it.