Flying change exercises for an Icelandic horse

Hello! I would start by teaching the horse to trot and canter on loose reins, so he becomes attentive to your seat. To control the speed, teach the horse to slow down by flexing the neck and coming onto a smaller circle.

Once you can trot and canter a circle in a calm canter with no rein contact (it is important to let the horse use his neck to balance himself), start riding a figure of eight. Each time you change the rein in the middle of the figure, ask for canter with your seat, return to trot on the circle, then strike off into a new canter in the centre on the other rein for your seat. Gradually make the trot section on the circle shorter and shorter until you can make a change. 🙂