Canter lead out hacking

[dwi]

My mare is quite one sided and always leads on the same leg out hacking altough she will canter on the right leg in the school. I'd like to get her to canter on different legs out hacking but she doesn't listen.

Do you think it matters? We almost always hack rather than going in the school as we have to pay for the school. If it was only occassionally I wouldn't be concerned.

What can I do about it?

 

[Sal_E]

I'd say if she's fine in the school (i.e. no apparent one-sidedness), then don't worry. However, if you are aware of a bit on unevenness when schooling, then you shold take every opportunity to work on levelling her up - along the lines of canter on the 'bad' leg twice as often as the 'good' leg for a while & continue to monitor how that affects/improves the schooling. With regard to HOW to get the correct lead out hacking, easiest thing is probably to put her onto a small circle at trot just before you want to canter (size depending on level of training/balance/fitness & condition of ground - aim for maybe 10 metres) & ask for canter on the circle - should be far easier to get it right, then you can canter off straight - presumably she's not then 'correcting' it with a flying change..?