Left Lead @ Canter

[Horse Girl]

My horse will not pick up the left lead at the canter unless I turn her head around almost to my knee.I plan on starting to show her this summer and I can't turn her head in that far in a show.Also sometimes she want pick up the left lead win I turn her head in.I have even tried to ask for the canter as we come to the corner of the ring but that does't work.She will pick up the right lead with no promblem.Any suggestions would be very helpful.

Thanks,
Horse Girl & Spirt

[ej_dey]

I'm replying to this because I have the same problem - not to that degree but my horse won't pick up his left lead either. My gelding will do it sometimes but I can't get him to do it 100% on cue. All the advice I can give you is USE YOUR LEGS don't depend on his mouth. I have the same problem and I notice that when I rely on leg aids and barely any on his mouth he responds better. If you have enough money try to get a proffessional rider on (even your riding instructor). Sorry I can't be of much help but maybe the thought that there's the same problem out there might console you :p good luck

Elissa & Chinook

[Tikki]

Hi

You could try to improve har canter leads when schooling by trotting on a 15m circle, leg yielding out to 20 and once you're on the 20m circle then ask for canter. Walk to canter transitions might also be helpful. Do lots of transitions, only a few stides of each pace, on both reins.

[intouch]

It can help to put a pole at the corner where you intend to canter so that the horse will take its first canter stride over the pole. With any luck he will strike off on the correct lead over the pole, so you can build up an association with pole, canter aids, correct lead then when he is used to it, remove the pole. Worked for me!

[dreamer]

Okay, my advice differes a little from the others. Most horses are left sided, which means they prefer to do things that way like side passes, leg yealding, and canterleads, so I would first roule out any posibility of lameness or illfitting tack, trot him on a hard surface while someone watches and if his head bobs or he limps, I'm betting 9 chances out of 10 it's a leg on the left. If he's not lame, check for any stiffness or sore ness on his left side like on his back, and check your saddle fit. If that doesn't come put with anything, I'd work on that side more than the right, I like to teach leads on the lunge line. If the horse will take them on the lunge line, I would suspect it's something that has to do with the rider or equipment, if so, I'd try to figure out what it is by maybe lunging the rider on the horse without reins and asking them to cue the horse and see what happens. If the horse still won't pick up the lead, and you're sure there's no lameness, and you're not interfearing with him, I'd get on and ask clearly for the left lead usign seat, rein, and leg cue, if he picked up the wrong lead, I'd give him a quick snape with the crop and bring him back down to a trot and try again, repeating the process until the hrose picks up the left lead, then let him canter quietly, telling him he's a good boy and even scratching his neck in praise. drop him down to a walk, do a circle at a nice undemanding walk, pick up the trot, trot for a moment, the repeat the asking. If there's no physical reason for the horse not to pick up the lead, he's more than likely one of the few right sided horses and just doesn't want to take it, in that case, it's your job to tell him you want that lead. Hope I helped.

[Horse Girl]

HI!This is Horse Girl I want to say thanks for all your help. Dreamer I just wanted to say my insturtor and I have ruled out lameness and my insturtor has even rode her and she has the same trouble I do. I will try everyone eleses tips and see if maybe they will work.

Thanks,
Horse Girl & Spirt