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Cantering on the wrong lead

3K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  Patagonia 
#1 ·
Hi
My moms horse, Raven who i've been riding, wont canter on the right lead, i asked for the right lead, she picked it up, i asked for the left lead she did the right lead and i asked for the canter in general...RIGHT LEAD!!!! Is there somthing wrong with her or is she just testing me??

ANY IDEAS???
 
#2 ·
you can try several things although she may be testing you (does she canter for other people?)
try posting on the wrong diagonal
leg yield to the wall, and when it feels right ask for the canter
you could try "chasing" her into the canter or just get a faster and faster trot in till she canter - not my fav.
i think it works best if you leg yield into the canter, if she gets fast slowly down and ask again.
 
#5 ·
#6 ·
Thanks guys,
She is not shod, but i checked her hooves and nothing is wrong.
No one really rides her too much because she bucks and balks, i am the first one to canter her in about a yr and a half.
I didn't try to canter her on a circle, because it she canters too long, she bucks...but ill try!!
 
#8 ·
No one really rides her too much because she bucks and balks, i am the first one to canter her in about a yr and a half.
I think that's your answer right there. Give her some time. She's still getting back into it. I would start with some lunging. How are her other gaits? Work on these first and get them perfected before going onto the canter. You can't trot if you can't walk and you can't canter if you can't trot or walk, in my opinion.
 
#10 ·
Wrong canter lead

I used to find that when my older horse wouldn't go on the correct canter lead that i would lean down his shoulder and this made the problem worse because then all my weight was on his inside shoulder which encouraged him to go on the incorrect canter lead
 
#11 ·
You could try pulling the head to the outside while asking for the canter in a turn. It will force the leg forward. It does work but it's not the prettiest technique.

Your problem could be caused by an old injury or athritis, it could be a balance issue... it's hard to tell.....
 
#12 ·
exercize does wonders and communicating regularly will move the process on=Sonny does the same thing on his BAD side-he is so strong on one lead i cant post to the correct diagonal when he is on the other without someone screaming at me and him-on his bad side he always takes off on the wrong lead if we are not supervised-my trainer has me get him ready mentally so he knows what i am about to ask and yup you gotta go - I turn his head (i pull it to the wall while my body keeps his body going forward -crop him lightly on inside shoulder to get his attention there, then ask for canter-i touch his shoulder as i ask for canter always=there is no physical way if i am doing my job that he can move on the wrong lead. When i dont= he doesnt-for us counter clockwise we do not miss a beat-clockwise is a battle for us both. i think timing is a huge issue and knowing what you want from him and when-then communicate it-no going back-if yu ask for it-he will learn and give it-it cant be wrong. I spent a lot of time on this last spring-my miscomunication was my problem. Lots of people here helped me with this
hope this helps you
 
#13 ·
Im sorry but I want to make sure I understand correctly. Everytime you try to pick up the canter, whether you are asking for the left lead OR right lead, you always get the right lead. Is that correct?

If that is the case, Raven is not listening to your right leg. Make sure she is listening to you and she moves off your leg... not pushing back onto your leg. I would bring it back down to basics. While walking keep asking her to move away from the pressure. If she is evading your leg at the walk she'll do it at the canter transition.

Get her walking in a nice rhythmic pace and ask her to move to the side a little at a time...off of both legs individually. Try to circle around only with you leg and very little steering. You will feel how responsive she is with your leg.
 
#14 ·
Please understand that you are going to be testing her...and she may not like it. I read that she liked to buck a little. My horse and I went through a very similar time as well. He started not to move off my right leg, he wouldn't pick up the left lead, and when I started teaching him to move off my right leg he sometimes acted silly! I think he was mad at me for figuring out his trick!! Just remember...everything takes time and patience and it will all work out in the end!
 
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