Flying Changes

Music & Lyrics: Marie-Lynn Hammond

 “Flying changes” is the name of a dressage movement, in which the horse switches its lead in mid air. But this song isn’t just for dressage enthusiasts! It’s about the changes that life can throw at you, and the fact that “you can only work with the horse you’ve got.”

 

Big draft cross, Clyde and thoroughbred
bought him as a colt, got him for a song
figured I’d start him, have a little fun
till the money for a better horse came along

well the money never came so we kept on working
got him on the bit at the canter and trot
’cause if wishes were horses, we’d all ride champions
but you can only work with the horse you’ve got

Chorus:
Flying changes
switch your lead in midair
when you find yourself looking for a new direction
then a flying change is gonna take you there

Oh that big horse tried hard to please me
got a little rounder every day
but we never could manage a flying change
though I tried my best to keep out of his way

feeling discouraged, I thought about selling
’cause it seemed that goal was out of our range
and then one day when I didn’t expect it
that big horse did a flying change

Chorus

Oh it’s just like life, you look for a rhythm
and you have to stay supple ’cause you’ll need to bend
and sometimes you’ve got to change on the fly
but you keep moving forward until the end

So we’ll never rank in the top one hundred
never make it to the national team
but my horse now loves flying changes
so canter pirouette is our latest dream

Flying changes
switch your lead in midair
when you find yourself looking for a new direction
then a flying change is gonna take you there
Do it every stride and you’ll be dancing
ah, those flying changes will take you there