changing canter lead over jumps

[Becca-84]

Any ideas on how to stop my pony swapping canter lead when landing over jumps? I have to keep bringing him back to a trot when jumping a course as he swaps leads over each jump! He does it on both reins so is not just favouring one lead over the other.

 

[madlady]

If he is balance and forward regardless of which leg he is on why do you need him to stop? It may be that your lower leg isn't stable so you could be giving him an aid without being aware which is causing him to change legs.

Do you have an instructor - what do they say?

 

[Tnavas]

MAy very well be your position in the saddle that causes this - make sure you look straight ahead and not to one side - a common problem and causes the horse to change leads or drift on landing.

 

[claracanter]

Could it be you are losing his outside shoulder as he comes into the jump?

 

[old hand]

It is quite normal for a horse to take off on one leg and land on the other, you have to train him to land on the leg you want him to, e.g. if you are on a left circle on the left canter lead he will naturally land on the right canter lead after the fence. To ask him to land on the left lead use your right leg behind the girth, open your left rein slightly and the horse should land on the nearside lead provided you look where you are going. Think of the jump over the fence as a flying change and you will see why he lands on the other leg. Most youngsters tend to try to land on the leg nearest the fence too , so it is all about training. Start with poles on the floor to start with.

 

[piglet99]

Teach him to do a flying change and then you won't have to come back to trot?