When other people, better riders than I, ride my mare, she picks up the right lead *most* of the time. Not always, but maybe 80% of the time. So she's on the wrong lead about 20% of the time. Some days she's better than others.
When I ride her, she almost never gets the right lead. We're hitting the wrong lead about 90% of the time.
Obviously, the fault is with me. She's being ridden a lot and is very muscled and pretty supple. The ortho says she has zero problems with her back and the farrier says her feet are great. Her saddle is perfect. She rides fine with experienced riders on her back, so I know it's something I'm doing wrong.
My instructors tried several things to help us:
1. Reins shorter to support her head more: This worked a couple times, but then she went back to the wrong lead again. Now it doesn't help at all.
2. Over-cueing with the outside leg really far back and the other on the cinch: made no difference.
3. Only cueing with the inside leg: no difference.
4. Only cueing with the outside leg: no difference.
5. Starting at trot while posting to the wrong diagonal: Worked 3 times then stopped working altogether.
6. Using the reins to push the shoulder to the outside while cueing normally: She takes off on the right lead, then after two steps, trots, transitions to the wrong lead, and goes like crazy on the wrong lead.
What would you do if you had this problem? I'm desperate for help. :?
When I ride her, she almost never gets the right lead. We're hitting the wrong lead about 90% of the time.
Obviously, the fault is with me. She's being ridden a lot and is very muscled and pretty supple. The ortho says she has zero problems with her back and the farrier says her feet are great. Her saddle is perfect. She rides fine with experienced riders on her back, so I know it's something I'm doing wrong.
My instructors tried several things to help us:
1. Reins shorter to support her head more: This worked a couple times, but then she went back to the wrong lead again. Now it doesn't help at all.
2. Over-cueing with the outside leg really far back and the other on the cinch: made no difference.
3. Only cueing with the inside leg: no difference.
4. Only cueing with the outside leg: no difference.
5. Starting at trot while posting to the wrong diagonal: Worked 3 times then stopped working altogether.
6. Using the reins to push the shoulder to the outside while cueing normally: She takes off on the right lead, then after two steps, trots, transitions to the wrong lead, and goes like crazy on the wrong lead.
What would you do if you had this problem? I'm desperate for help. :?