My 5 year old QH gelding won't pick up the right lead from a walk, or trot for that matter. He'll always take his left.
I've had him for two years and he has never picked up the right lead when I asked for it. The only way he'll get it is out of a rollback.
I've trained him (western) for the two years I've owned him. We've done a ton of lateral work and he moves off my leg easily and is soft in the face. I do a lot of body control exercises so that I have the tools to ask him correctly, but he always finds a way NOT to pick up the right lead.
I've tried setting him up into the shape he needs to be (push his hip up slightly, tip his nose, put my outside leg back). I've also tried just leaving him alone and seeing if he would figure it out by himself, like in a corner, but nope. He can countercanter tight circles on his left lead and never think about changing!
On the ground (lunging) he'll sometimes get it, sometimes not.
I assumed that maybe if he had more practice on his right lead, he'd take it more easily. I'll get the right lead from a nice, correct rollback, and then I'll lope circles and let him practice that lead and get comfortable on it (he actually lopes and collects himself better on the lead he doesn't like!). That's definitely helped, but not enough to where he'll take it reliably from a walk.
I still always have to ask from a rollback to get it, and obviously eventually he'll need to get the correct lead from a walk!
Any tips? I'm quite at a loss here!
PS: He should be quite capable of getting the correct lead physically. He's sound, moves every part of his body when I ask into the shape I ask with ease.
Thanks in advance!
I've had him for two years and he has never picked up the right lead when I asked for it. The only way he'll get it is out of a rollback.
I've trained him (western) for the two years I've owned him. We've done a ton of lateral work and he moves off my leg easily and is soft in the face. I do a lot of body control exercises so that I have the tools to ask him correctly, but he always finds a way NOT to pick up the right lead.
I've tried setting him up into the shape he needs to be (push his hip up slightly, tip his nose, put my outside leg back). I've also tried just leaving him alone and seeing if he would figure it out by himself, like in a corner, but nope. He can countercanter tight circles on his left lead and never think about changing!
On the ground (lunging) he'll sometimes get it, sometimes not.
I assumed that maybe if he had more practice on his right lead, he'd take it more easily. I'll get the right lead from a nice, correct rollback, and then I'll lope circles and let him practice that lead and get comfortable on it (he actually lopes and collects himself better on the lead he doesn't like!). That's definitely helped, but not enough to where he'll take it reliably from a walk.
I still always have to ask from a rollback to get it, and obviously eventually he'll need to get the correct lead from a walk!
Any tips? I'm quite at a loss here!
PS: He should be quite capable of getting the correct lead physically. He's sound, moves every part of his body when I ask into the shape I ask with ease.
Thanks in advance!