My 5 year old QH crossfires on his right lead, his front goes right and his rear goes left, which is horribly uncomfortable and he only does it int he roundpen, meaning he's unbalanced. He occasionally does it in the left lead but if I push him he will level out. Also if he is cross-firing his right lead, and i push him up, he does a flying lead change to his left(comfortable) lead. Am I asking for this some how or is he cheating because he is unbalanced and trying to be comfortable? I also thought that unbalanced horses couldn't do flying lead changes? He does not trip while cantering, walking or trotting so he knows to pick his feet up. He NEVER cross-fires while cantering in the arena, or down a straight section, even if we turn a corner in the arena he keeps his same steady lead.
What can I do to help him become more balanced? Someone said lunging a wide circle would help but I hate lunging... so I'd prefer alternatives.
I tried to work the problems out on his back but both he and I got frusterated.
Our training schedule:
Currenly he is being ridden bareback a lot, the only time I ride him saddled is when we go someplace new or I am doing mostly ring work.
We do serpentines at the walk, extended walk, jog, trot and extended trot about three times a week and I free-lunge him three laps of each gait (w/j/t/l/c) before every ride and that is all I do for lunging, and all I want to do for lunging to be honest. He is ridden at least five-six days a week for about two to three hours a day on the trails and he is ridden longer on training days (Mon, Wed, Fri), where he gets about an hour of training and then a trail ride reward where he can relax and be silly as well as ten minutes of just ground handling before and after each ride, turning on the forehand and hind end, side passing, and backing and after each ride we take a ten to fifteen minute walk down the riding trails to cool down and relax, and spend quiet time.
Is there anything I can incorporate or work on more or will just regular ol' riding and time help?
EDITED FOR- spelling.
What can I do to help him become more balanced? Someone said lunging a wide circle would help but I hate lunging... so I'd prefer alternatives.
I tried to work the problems out on his back but both he and I got frusterated.
Our training schedule:
Currenly he is being ridden bareback a lot, the only time I ride him saddled is when we go someplace new or I am doing mostly ring work.
We do serpentines at the walk, extended walk, jog, trot and extended trot about three times a week and I free-lunge him three laps of each gait (w/j/t/l/c) before every ride and that is all I do for lunging, and all I want to do for lunging to be honest. He is ridden at least five-six days a week for about two to three hours a day on the trails and he is ridden longer on training days (Mon, Wed, Fri), where he gets about an hour of training and then a trail ride reward where he can relax and be silly as well as ten minutes of just ground handling before and after each ride, turning on the forehand and hind end, side passing, and backing and after each ride we take a ten to fifteen minute walk down the riding trails to cool down and relax, and spend quiet time.
Is there anything I can incorporate or work on more or will just regular ol' riding and time help?
EDITED FOR- spelling.