Canter leads

[4whitesocks]

OK the ongoing drama of correct leads continues...we now have lovely transitions on the left rein but right rein continues to elude....we have tried all approachs...only asking when he is really together and on the bit, asking on corners asking on straight lines, asking over poles....asking repeatedly (as in ask, wrong, ask again immediately etc.)
we have worked on circles, transitions. leg yielding.....

At the moment we are getting it right about 2 out of every 6 or 7 asks

Saddle fitter coming next week to check if I need a wider gullet on my wintec & is bringing lots of lovely leather saddles for me to try that I can't afford!!

Two things - he usually lands right after a fence and if I ask for the right lead while jumping (as in give him the aids going over the fence he gets it right)....also when he is being set up for a fence and asked for canter he is more likely to get it right....does this indicate it's a head thing with him - he naturally gets it right on these occasions but has some sort of block on other occasions (hasten to say not just me who has the problem YO has same issues)

second thing....it's not helped by my inability to 'know' what leg he is striking off on - it probably takes me a stride or two to know we're wrong, in theory I shouldn't let him strike off at all if I know he's wrong so can anyone explain in simple english how exactly I shoudl be able to tell which leg he's striking off on (sorry for the dumb question!)

Thank you!

 

[Tempi]

this isnt much help to you, but i know how you feel!! My new horse is having canter issues atm and will nearly always strike off on the wrong leg, ive done the same as you, really overbending him around my inside leg, leg yeilding into the transition etc. I know he can do it fine when he wants hes just going through a difficult stage! I find it hard to tell what leg hes gone off on as hes got a massive shoulder! But we're getting there slowly. it really is just lots of practise to see what works best for your horse.

 

[4whitesocks]

Thanks PG - it's just that it seems like we make progress and then it goes again....all the other bits are really coming together we have a nice balanced canter (rather than a flat race), he is really starting to work on the bit in trot (with some firm instructions!) his walk is spot on, trot transitions almost retaining the collection (head still shoots up a little but we're getting there)...downwards transitions are less 'collapsed', jumping is very consistent and relaxed (think that has improved because we our getting much more consistent with the pace & balance in the canter)....

I am actually hoping that it might be a saddle problem (which sounds a bit silly but at least that's fixable!) but back man two weeks ago didn't notice any saddle related pain so.....

 

[the watcher]

I was struggling to guess when you said 'right' whether you maent a directional reference or 'correct'..are you saying it is one sided or the strikeoff is incorrect on either rein, sorry,couldn't work it out

 

[KatB]

Could be related to your position when asking? Sometimes we try so hard, subconsciously we're giving mixed signals!!
When asking for right canter, do you make sure you kep you head up, and looking at least half a circle infron of you? This keeps your shoulders aligned correctly, and can encourage to strike off correctly. Also, a strong outside leg aid into canter can help! I had exactly the same prob with my boy, but 8/10 times it was me not looking up, unbalncing him, so he fell onto the leg he found eaiest!

 

[4whitesocks]

Sorry! He always gets the correct lead on the left rein but struggles to get the correct lead on the right rein!

 

[4whitesocks]

Kat I did initially assume it was that but it actually seems quite random as to when he gets it and when he doesn't.....if my YO/trainer was getting it right every time then I would accept that it's me but she's an excellent rider & has the same problem with him (only she knows what leg he's going to strike off on and stops him before he strikes off on the wrong lead)

 

[KatB]

Fair enough!! I think it's just a case of finding out what makes particular horses tick... good luck with it.

 

[the watcher]

Got you, if it is one side then it may not be a saddle/back problem, could be an unbalanced pelvis (not the end of the world) causing weakness on the hind strikeoff. worth a check and usually relatively easily fixed with manipulation and stretching

 

[ecrozier]

Hi
Not sure if this is any help, but I used to have this problem, and used to really try hard to bend him in th correct direction...but was then told that if you bend them TOO much to the inside it prevents them from being 'free' to strike off with that lead.
Also had a friend who was told to open her inside knee away from the saddle to let her cob's soulder come through more easily- corrected the problem instantly for her, but that may have been specific to her horse?

 

[Bossanova]

I could only get right lead on Moon for a month or so by jumping a jump. Gradually I weaned her onto a pole and now, unless she's tense, she's pretty reliable on her own. I tell her off if she gets it wrong- once is an accident, if she doesnt engage brain after that, she gets a firm 'no' and she understands!!

 

[Parkranger]

arrrggghhh seems that alot of us are having this problem!

My instructor mentioned that most horses have a natural lead leg so worth trying to get him to lead on the 'bad' rein while out hacking too as apparently they get comfortable with one side

 

[Law]

this probably won't help much but I was struggling a long time ago with a particular lead and my instructor at the time (who was very experienced so I believed her) suggested that I physically look round to my horses tail. I'm not sure which way I looked but I know that it worked straight away- i'd imagine it would be to look to the outside to 'free' the inside shoulder for strike off but I honestly can't remember, sorry

 

[burtie]

Ok, difficult to know exact causes in your case without seeing you, but this how I teach horses and riders when having problems with canter leads.

Do the exercise the same way on both leads even the one they are usually correct on!

Put the horse onto the largest circle you can in your school, make sure there is always bend to the inside but that the bend is consistent around the whole circle and only slight, so that at no point are you pulling the horse around with the inside rein. Start to think a little bit towards leg yielding out on the circle but with the leg absolutely on the girth and the heel down, the inside leg must not be drawn up and back at all.

This will then encourage the horse to lighten the inside shoulder and be lighter on the inside rein, contact must be either even or a little more on the outside rein. Ride the trot really forward a bit more than working trot but don't allow the pace to quicken. You want the horse really thinking go go, but with out rushing onto the forehand. Stay rising. If you keep riding forwards into a contact the horse will naturally chosse to step into canter 8 out or 10 times and on the correct leg if you have got everything else right. Really only use the inside leg(but on the girth as above) to get more impulsion. You will learn to feel that moment you horse naturally wants to step up into canter the more you do this, as you do then you can start sitting at the moment and give that little extra squeeze with the inside leg.

Outside leg behind the girth is used to indicate to the horse which leg to canter on and can also be used to distinguise between walk to canter and walk to trot, but I never teach it when just getting a young or unbalanced horse (or rider) to canter in the early days as the circle and correct inside leg into outside hand will normally( but not always!), mean the correct leg is taken naturally.

Problems occur when rider sits to a normal working trot then starts to push for canter at that point, the horse rushes forward in trot, the rider bouces around a bit more (lets be honest few of us can sit nicely to a fast trot), the outside leg swings back and the horse falls to the inside then takes the incorrect leg as it has already lost it's balance and so has thr rider at this point!


Hope some of that waffle makes sense and helps you.

Burtie.

 

[burtie]

[ QUOTE ]
i'd imagine it would be to look to the outside to 'free' the inside shoulder for strike off but I honestly can't remember, sorry

[/ QUOTE ]

It would be to the outside , another very good useful trick with a rider who falls to the inside and helps keep that inside leg on the girth!

 

[4whitesocks]

Hmmm...yes he definitely favours the other lead - we suspect he injured himself as a foal (came up in vetting) on the hind he strikes off with for this lead so he naturally favoured the other lead....interesting about looking around...that would help shift your balance - my old YO used to tell me to look to the outside which actually helps bring shoulders up and shift balance

Thinking about the fence thing - maybe going over a fence I am more balanced (as opposed to collapsing one way or the other) and am therefore being clearer with my aids...arghhhh!!! There are so many bloomin factors to consider...have decided to ride another horse on the yard this weekend to get a proper 'feel' for the correct strike off and to see if it's more me than him....

 

[4whitesocks]

Thankyou Burtie


Off to to read that properly now!!