Argh! It's been over a year - complete useless failure

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bex1984

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Oh god, just looked back through my saved threads and realised it's been over a year since I posted about Murphy not doing left canter...
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/sh...&PHPSESSID=

Depressingly, we have made no progress whatsoever on this in a year
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So much for me sorting it out over last winter
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I really appreciate all the advice I had at the time, unfortunately His Lordship had it all sussed and I am a complete useless failure
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I think I shall just give up and do right canter forevermore. Hmph.
 
I feel this way about Fudge, he canters on whatever leg he's asked too when hacking but wont canter on the right lead when schooling my RI and I have been struggling with this for a year also and it's still not great.
 
It took me months to crack my old Fell ponys inability to strike off in left canter. Don't give up!!! You'll get there eventually. Maybe you need to try some new tactics?
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sounds like it could be worth investigating it from a more medical prospective IMO, if he's that unwilling to canter on the left rein.

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it only seems to be a problem in the school though
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We went XC schooling for the first time in October and he cantered a mile and a half on the left lead, no problems, and he actually changed to the left lead of his own free will. I think he knows it annoys me
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Ah i see, i thought you meant he never cantered on the left rein! Definitely a balance problem then - im assuming your school is average size? I'd start by establishing balance on the lunge, then correct canter lead on the lunge too before moving on to getting it under saddle
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He never canters on the left rein when I ask him too
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but can manage it perfectly fine when it gets him where he wants to go faster!!

We're working on lunging
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It's taken me 2 and a half years to not have to lunge him wearing full body armour and carrying several whips, so we've made progress, but at the moment asking for canter on the lunge results in buck, squeal, manic few steps, then back to lazy trot!! But I'll keep working at it
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Can you tell he's a character?! Typical stubborn cheeky pony mind-set!
 
Hi some one suggested on here to me to use a pole coming off the outside of the school to the floor raised about a foot on the outside edge to use the side onthe ground then with a slight raise to ask forthe canter over the pole, this was for my 4yr old that didn't like strike off onleft lead.
 
Maybe a bit of a shortcut but have you ever just for when your about to canter put a grass rein on one side, fairly tight, so his head has to face the right way, just to get him to remember how to canter on the left side.
 
I can vouch for the fact that Murph is the most stubborn pony I have ever met!

I think you have tried everything possible Becky....its strange that he cant do it in the school...but when he wants to go faster round the corners at the gallops he can miraculously change legs!
 
Rosie, I am still giggling about the fact that when we met Andrew Gould and he asked why Murphy wouldn't do it, you piped up "because he's a stubborn little sh*t"...ha ha
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so true! I agree I have probably tried pretty much everything! At least he looks pretty when he trots nicely!
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I love him really
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Might be a dumb question, but are you applying the aids properly and sitting correctly? Very easily to be sitting to one side or the other.

Try asking for strike off on 15m circle or 10m if he is flexible, it should be very hard to strike off on the wrong leg on a tight circle.
 
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Rosie, I am still giggling about the fact that when we met Andrew Gould and he asked why Murphy wouldn't do it, you piped up "because he's a stubborn little sh*t"...ha ha
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so true! I agree I have probably tried pretty much everything! At least he looks pretty when he trots nicely!
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I love him really
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And I'm still giggling about the fact you asked him to write on your autograph 'Muprhy - please do left canter!'
 
It's highly likely that I am sitting wonky and maybe not always asking properly as i am a novice, although when I've had lessons in the past I've been told I'm doing everything right
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He does the same thing for very experienced riders - much to their surprise he can canter 10m left circles on the wrong leg, repeatedly! He's an expert at evasions
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The only way to get it in the school is to take him totally by surprise, but he's very clever so that can be a challenge.
 
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Rosie, I am still giggling about the fact that when we met Andrew Gould and he asked why Murphy wouldn't do it, you piped up "because he's a stubborn little sh*t"...ha ha
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so true! I agree I have probably tried pretty much everything! At least he looks pretty when he trots nicely!
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I love him really
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And I'm still giggling about the fact you asked him to write on your autograph 'Muprhy - please do left canter!'

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worth a try! Didn't work though. And therefore Andrew Gould could not make Murphy do left canter!
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Maybe it's a Fell pony thing?! (actually, I suspect it's a stubborn-monster-pony thing!). At the moment I feel like I've run out of tactics
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Toby is half fell and WILL NOT do left canter either!!!
 
Honestly, by now I would be having him checked for a physical reason behind it.

I have an older Tb who struggles with right canter, he can canter on the right leg in the field, and often will canter correctly when jumping, sometimes he'll even change if you canter a circle, the problem he has is the actual transition and not being physically able to get his outside hind leg up underneath him - we are currently treating him for this, along with lunging and schooling.

It sounds like Murphy doesn't have a problem with left canter, but with a correct left canter transition, possibly worth having a thorough physical check up done?

Good luck!
 
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sounds like it could be worth investigating it from a more medical prospective IMO, if he's that unwilling to canter on the left rein.

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I too would consider this, a year is a long time to have no real improvement. Is he any better on the lunge?
 
He's not much better on the lunge (but as said above, doesn't really canter on the lunge)!

He has been doing this for 2 years and in that time has had back checks, saddle checked several times (has just been reflocked and refitted) and has teeth done regularly.

He just thinks about it too much - if you can catch him by surprise so he can't plan it then he strikes off on left lead no problem. Everyone who has ridden him says they don't think it's a physical problem, it's just him being stubborn
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I have a theory that he thinks if he started cantering correctly on both leads I might make him start doing dressage (which he hates!)
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If really experienced riders can't make him canter left then it's almost certainly a physical problem.

Although it is fun to talk as if he is doing it on purpose because he is stubborn, none of this really makes any sense with respect to a horse. Horses don't wake up one day and say "I know what!!! To annoy her I will not do left canter! I will be fine in right canter, but I will absolutely refuse to do left, that should be hillarious!"

I would get a vet to give him the once over and do a general back and lameness work-up, if he can't find anything to point to a problem he can refer you to a physio for a full work-up.

Good luck!
 
Thanks, I do see what you're saying but the weird thing is he can do it when he wants to, just not when he's asked to! He bombed off across the field in left canter this morning. I suspect he knows that if he goes on the wrong lead he will eventually get brought back to trot (unless I'm feeling brave enough to hang on round the corners!!!) and as he is a lazy so and so, that suits him nicely. He's done it so many times it has become habit. Vet is out soon anyway to do his jabs so maybe I'll ask them to take a look.
 
I agree with what you've just said as this is what I feel Fudge does, it's a form of evasion. My RI, vet and Mctimoney practiioner all agree with my theory as Fudge is perfectly happy to canter on both reins just not every time he's asked and I assume Murphy is the same.
I'm sure Bex has had all the necessary checks done and redone.
 
There are probably several reasons which are working against you in your quest for left canter-

The fact that he prefers right canter, and therefore does this more often when in work, will mean that he has much more muscle built up on this side, making it even easier for for him to keep on doing it. The muscles which work when he canters on the left rein are probably very weak if he is not regularly worked on a left canter circle.- making it even harder for him.

The difficulty and argument about cantering on the left rein probably means that you let him get away with it even more often, therefore making the problem worse. This can become a never ending circle unless you get someone to discipline you both, and help sort it out.

If you go to a well-respected instructor, they can gradually help you sort out the problem, by balancing him up again, using trot, and cantering on a much bigger circle, gradually decreasing in size etc. This will give you more confidence, and more motivation to carry on.

A good physio will probably point out exactly where he is weakest, and give you some in-stable exercises and stretches to help out on the ground. Whilst identifying if he is actually stiff or tight in any particular places.

Good luck- I have been in a similar situation, and its all about doing things really gradually and persevering with the help of a really positive trainer,whilst eliminating any physical issues.
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also just thought i would add....

its is perfectly possible that he would be able to canter in straight lines for long distances on the left leg without finding it particularly hard.... Cantering in a school in a confined space is much more physically difficult, as he has to bend and engage his back end, and be much more balanced. It will come over time if you gradually work from big circles in the field, to smaller ones, and then bigger circles in the school etc etc. Good luck!!
 
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He's not much better on the lunge (but as said above, doesn't really canter on the lunge)!

He has been doing this for 2 years and in that time has had back checks, saddle checked several times (has just been reflocked and refitted) and has teeth done regularly.

He just thinks about it too much - if you can catch him by surprise so he can't plan it then he strikes off on left lead no problem. Everyone who has ridden him says they don't think it's a physical problem, it's just him being stubborn
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I have a theory that he thinks if he started cantering correctly on both leads I might make him start doing dressage (which he hates!)
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Having his back checked may not show up a problem with a hock, which would be a prime candidate for causing this kind of problem. It's great that you do have him checked regularily, maybe next time get your vet involved as they see a bigger picture than just a Chiro/McTimoney/Whatever!

The longer this goes on for the harder it will be to correct.

I hope you get to the bottom of it soon...!
 
Many horses are stiffer on one side than on the other and will find the confines of the school quite challenging, but if I understand correctly this is a problem that has not improved in a couple of years and even extremely experienced riders can't get him to canter left in a school? If that's correct, then I would think there is something physically wrong.

The fact that he does it loose is further evidence of a problem as he is finding the school too difficult, either because of the surface or the small area. This could be a back problem, stiffle or hock or something different, but I do think you need a vet to have a good look.

Good luck!
 
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