cant ever remember the correct canter leg!

[amylou_84]

in lessons when i am cantering im always asked if im on the right leg. even if my instructor explains to me five minutes previously i can never remember what leg should be leading the canter. is it the inside leg that should be leading?
is there an easy way to remember?

amy :D

[IrisSilverMoon]

the inside leg should lead.

You can tell because its the leg that is comming forward the most and has the most movement in it during the canter. Just as in getting the correct posting diagnol you should be able to look down for a sec and see the difference (if you can't feel it, many times hte incorrect lead will feel very odd and off balance)

[Calsanjo]

The "leading" leg is the last leg to hit the ground!

You will be able to see that shoulder go forward a bit more than the other one from the saddle.

[*MiRi*]

the inside leg i think should lead. it should go out the furthest when you are cantering. I hope this helps a wee bitty!
xox

[vjwuk]

Being a very lateral thinker (and having to understand teh mechanics to remember words etc) I always remember that as you corner in trot or canter the horse needs it's inside leg out front to carry my weight and keep balanced. As said before a quick glance can confirm this.

It also feels wrong (although some horses counter canter well) if they are on the wrong leg.

[carrie160]

i remember it by thinking you check you diagonals in trot on the out side, and the canter is the opposite on the inside

[amylou_84]

i remembered what the right canter leg was today, but had a little difficulty actually telling if the horse was in the right leg. i can kind of feel the difference now though. im gettin there :D cheers guys :D

amy :D

[Ruffiane]

But isn't the aid you give to canter with your outside leg?

[Rips]

Yes it is, but putting back your outside leg to ask for canter shifts your weight so the horse is encouraged to strike off on the right leg(ie with the inside leg leading)

[*MiRi*]

i cant feel if i am on the ight diagonal or leg??!?! i once had to feel when rowan was putting her hind left leg up or her hind right lef etc but i kept getting it a leg out :p. i have to look :rolleyes: is that a bad thing?
xox

[hometrotter]

No, that is NOT a bad thing. A quick glance down to the inside shoulder is fine. Besides seeing the inside shoulder moving more forward at the canter I can even see the inside front hoof reach forward and that is what clinches the deal for me. Actually I found out that learning the diagonal at the trot is a little harder and you might learn that quicker by feel than relying on looking at the shoulders because there is a distinct difference. (I've just realized that riding is the one sport where we all must learn to receive information through our behinds!)