It's pretty difficult for me to tell between the right and wrong lead in the clockwise direction. I know I should be able to, but for some reason, I just cannot tell the difference at all. I've tried to look down at her shoulders and legs, but I still (for the life of me!) cannot tell when she's on the correct lead. Any tips, suggestions, greatly appreciated. Thanks.
when a horse is on the wrong lead(a counter canter) most are VERY unbalanced, unless you have a high level dressage horse. I can usually feel the lead from the beginning, you really have to cue for the correct lead, not leave the door open for the horse to pick up the wrong lead
not necessarily. i've met some school horses so balanced there's virtually no difference (balance wise) between counter-cantering and cantering on the correct lead.
If your horse is trustworthy, get in a half seat and stare at the shoulders straight down so you can see both at once. Just keep looking untill you think you know, then ask your instructor (or friend, etc.). If you are wrong look again, focusing on the shoulder they say lands first untill you see the difference
It can take a while to tell the difference, but once you do it becomes habit and you will tell easily with a glance, then you can start feeling for the difference and check as a back up.
Stormy: Sitting trot until a corner, small circle in the corner, cue by sliding back my inside leg. If she gets the wrong lead, we come down, then push back up right away.
You should be sliding back your outside leg, not inside. The initial step into the canter for the horse involves his outside hind leg. Your leg cue is to tell that leg to step into the canter. The opposite shoulder is the lead you're asking for. So if you want left lead (left leading shoulder) you slide your right leg back to activate his right hind. Does that make sense?
a tip i learned long ago & still use sometimes is when a horse is having trouble getting the correct lead, focus on getting your body in a position to help them. look to the outside, even drastically & it will naturally put your outside leg back & shift your weight
Thank you for explaining that. lol. And I cue with my inside leg because a.) my instructor told me too because b.) she understands that I would like her to canter with that leg- or something to that effect. I'm not very good at explaining such things.
Well, she is probably picking up the wrong lead because she is getting confusing signals from you. You press at the girth with your inside leg to secure the horse pushing to your outside rein, leaving your inside rein the "open door." You slide your outside leg just SLIGHTLY back, and squeeze into the canter
you'll get it!! it happends to me once in whille too!! and i have been rideing for over 20 years...lol
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