Cantering on the correct leg

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alicep

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morning all, im currently riding a friends gorgeous 14.1 welsh sec D -hes fab, however it seems that he cannot or will not canter on the correct leg on the left rein. on the right hes fine what tips have you all got for me tro try? apparently he has done this for as long as the lady has owned him but hes never really been ridden daily until now ive come along. oh and saddle, teeth has recently been checked & he hes seen a back man not too long ago. my feeling is he has not been taught how to do it properly. ta
 
Yep my boy ended up in counter canter twice yesterday by mistake. Asking for canter on a bend or circle seemed to help.

I would be interested in the replies you get though! Does it matter what stride you ask for canter on?
 
im not sure about what stride but a friend told me yesterday to make sure i wasnt putting too much weight on the forehand when asking. i tend to lean forward a tad when asking so i suppose sitting a bit straighter would make sense.
 
I found a pole helped my youngster, also lifting and giving slightly with the inside hand ( he tended to fall in or out depending what way you go).

I have the pole positioned so I ask going into the fence as this helped too (more success at the right lead) at the advice of my instructor.

have you had any lessons as this might be the best solution as they can tell you what they think would help the most.

Does he do it on the lunge? Try the poles on the lunge too if so

good luck.
 
Thats exactly right, don't lean forwards or collapse to the inside - something I'm guilty of sometimes and have to remind myself (or instructor reminds me) to sit up! Make sure you open the inside hand, inside leg on the girth, outside leg back and ask on a corner or a circle. You could try a 10m circle in the corner before asking and always make sure the trot is ryhthmical and balanced, not rushed, and you can try a little half halt before the transition to balance him and let him know a new movement is coming
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I used to have a mare who did this. Try leg yielding in trot from the 3/4 line and then ask for canter when you reach the track. All the usual as well think about your balance and make sure the aids are clear.
 
My mare found it difficult on one rein to canter on the correct lead whe I first got her, and my instructor gave me a simple trick that I use even now when she goes off on the wrong leg. I literally just bend her to the outside when I ask for canter and she literally just "falls" onto the right leg
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I have just gone through exactly the same and now have no problems.
DG2007 has hit the nail on the head exactly! That is exactly what I did and it worked!
Would also suggest having yourself checked out as I went to a chiropractor and found out that my pelvis was slightly twisted which put more weight onto my left side and tipped me forward slightly. This obviously added to his issues. However, once cricked, pulled and generally man handled back into place it has helped no end!

Good luck!
 
Also a good idea from DawnF! Think I need to go to a chiropracter too. We're forever getting our horses checked but forget the problems could lie within ourselves! (I'm a bit scared though, being cricked pulled and generall manhandled sounds a bit scary!!!)
 
Don't worry you can teach an old dogs new tricks (well horses to lead on the correct leg) he's just favored the same leg and now it feels comfortable, like us being right/left handed etc and has no doubt developed more muscle in various places than the opposite side.
You need to make sure when hacking out (once you've mastered the below) that the horse sets off with either, also changing the diagonal in trot to even him up, does he feel uneven when trotting on a certain rein? its usually the case.
Work on a 20 meter circle in your ménage (if you have one) only ask for a canter at a corner in a sitting trot like everyone has said, don't be tempted to peep or lean forward to see if he's struck off on the correct leg, you should know by the feel what leg your on (have a practice on a school master and close your eyes and see if you can tell (can quite be fun) always ask with the outside again ditto above really, bring the horse back to sitting trot again until he doesheleads correctly, don't ask in a fast sitting trot (as your horse will just canter for the sake of feeling uncomfortable) working on a smaller circle will encourage the horse to naturally use the inside due to the laws of physics, i.e. balance. Once he's doing it only do a few laps and leave it on a good note, horses have a good memory and this will act as a reward, I'd lay of cantering on the other rein for a week or so until he establishes what your asking on rein your working on then resume both equally again. Plenty of time and patience and will come.
 
I have read all that with interest and will now print that off to remind me, as my 5yr old struggles with the right rein canter. It is so nice to know that we are not alone.
 
i found that putting 10m circles in a corner and as i exit the cirlce ask for canter, as this encourages the, to bend around your leg, also like sum1 said further up bending them to the outside helps, controls the shoulders from falling out, but make sure once they start to pick up the correct lead you correct the bend otherwise once they have got the hang of it u might find they start picking up the wrong lead again!
 
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