can't get right rein canter!!!!!

[jes_nibley]

Grrrr!!!

I've tried everything i can think of. I've schooled, lunged, long-reined, tried with side-reins, without side-riens, with one side-rein and then the other. I've bent inwards and outwards to free up shoulder, i've tried standing in stirrups to 'free-up' everything. i've tried in school, in field, on hack. i'm truly stumped!!!!

I don't have access to a school so do most of my schooling out hacking, and some in the field although it's resembling a swamp at the moment. and once in a blue moon i hack to a friends school but it's an hour away and i have no transport so that's not ideal.

his saddle is fine (recently bought new one) fitted by qualified saddler, and teeth rasped recently.

all i can say is.... help????!!!??!?!?!?!

thanks guys, x

 

[Llwyncwn]

Have you had his hind legs checked out?

 

[jes_nibley]

in what way? checked out for what?

the most annoying thing is that he has a fantastic left rein canter. right down to being perfectly balanced for counter canter, he can do circles and figures of eight forever, but he just refuses to strike off on the right leg!!

 

[Mistyrocks]

have you had his back checked for discomfort, or are his hips out of alignment, his reluctuance to go on that lead could be he is sore or slightly unsound.....

 

[bellgave]

I had a similar problem with an old horse of mine, exact problem actually. If poss' get some on else to ride him to check its not something you are doing, or a habit he has gotten into with you. Otherwise you may want to get a back person out to have a look at him.

 

[Super_Kat]

Mine does this but she won't pick up left canter!

Get the back person out to check your ned's pelvis and all along the spine (I had McTimoney do mine and they were very good) then I got told to build her up on the lunge. I know you said you've tried this but how long for?

 

[MillionDollar]

Im not saying it is this but when my mare kept going on the wrong leg it was me as i kept collapsing my hip. Just a thought though, just make sure it isn't you leaning. Prehaps get someone else to ride him and see what happens?

If not this get back checked and then legs. Hope this helps

 

[Jemayni]

[ QUOTE ]
Im not saying it is this but when my mare kept going on the wrong leg it was me as i kept collapsing my hip. Just a thought though, just make sure it isn't you leaning. Prehaps get someone else to ride him and see what happens?


[/ QUOTE ]

Yup, same for me too; random, but have you tried looking over your outside shoulder as you ask for canter, can sometimes help!

 

[_jetset_]

I had this problem, but with the left canter, with Hannah.

The more of an issue I made of it, the more of an issue it became. The way I resolved it was putting a small jump up in the corner of the school which made her strike off on the left leg when she landed.

With Grace the problem was there with the right canter as she has not done much of it... so I did not make an issue of it this time and concentrated on getting her straight (she would throw her left shoulder at you which is why she went on the wrong canter lead). Because I didn't make an issue of it, we are now cantering right every time we canter and that is in less than 2 weeks.

My only advice would be to get the horse 100% straight before you even think of asking for th canter lead, and don't make a big deal of it if they strike off on the wrong leg. Just do a few canter strides and come back to trot... you don't want them to become worried about going into canter, which is what happened with hannah a long time ago (I was learning as she was, so I have learned from my mistakes)

 

[TGM]

How well does he work on circles and bends on the right rein? If he is stiffer to the right this could explain why he doesn't want to canter on the right lead. I had a similar problem getting the left lead with my mare and found that lots of suppling work on her stiffer side in walk and trot made it much easier to get the correct lead.

 

[Kezza]

try using a small jump or pole on the ground ...

 

[flyingfeet]

I do the same thing and collapse on the hip just enough to get the wrong lead on my younger horse.

Solution - pump the wow saddle up laterally and now I always strike off correctly. Now got to work on getting me less crooked!

 

[jes_nibley]

i guess it's probably me then - i had quite a serious riding accident 6 yrs ago and am still suffering through my lower back and, lo and be-hold, my hips. i wonder if i do something to restrict him. i'll have his back checked anyway and will prob be asking for lessons as xmas presents - it's difficult to correct yourself when you're not entirely surewhere you're going wrong!
he's quite good at circles and suppling work and stuff but hates schooling so quickly gets in a strop.
he hasn't started jumping yet, was working on getting canter sorted first - shall i combine the two or sort the canter first - just thinking about the jumping into canter advice.
thanks again. x

 

[Flipper]

Although it might be your hip problem, he must learn to strike off on the right lead for you - your hip will not go away. When you can use a school or set up an arena in the field try putting a pole in one corner, with the inside end on the track (ie pointing in to the middle), with the outside end resting on a small jump block so it is about one foot off the ground. Ask for canter as you get to this corner. It fixed our very one sided youngster, and when he learned it is possible to strike off on both legs he never looked back. Good luck