[Endless Journey Girl]

Any suggestions on helping your horse get the proper lead after a jump or ground pole? My lease pony didn't have a huge problem until I fell off him in Late December. I broke my ankle and am still unable to ride. His owner was home for the week from university and rode him and was having trouble picking up the proper lead after jumps and poles. Any ideas on how to help him get the hang of it again?

 

[kathryn]

When my leased horse was having trouble with the same thing, my instructor set up a jump in the center of the ring and we did sideways figure eights over the jump in the middle, turning a different direction each time. Like we would come around on our right lead, turn in the middle and jump the jump going the long way down the middle, then turn to the left and come around and do it on the left lead then turn right, etc.

When I was over the jump, she said to look slightly to the side I was going to turn and to subtly give the aid for the lead I wanted. It took a few tries, but in the end he was picking up his lead just based on the way my head was turned.

 

[corporate pride]

i got taught to look to the side u wanna get the leg on 3 strides up to the jump so that ur body is going towards the correct lead. if that makes sense

 

[My Beau]

Like the above posters mentioned, use your head

Your head is actually very heavy (can't remember how much) and horses can feel the weight shift, so if you want to turn right after a jump, look right while you're in the air. You can also use your legs to help your horse turn in the air a little bit.

Figure 8s over a single jump is the best exercise to practice this.