Changing lead in one corner

Lozturner

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15 April 2017
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On the right rein (never on the left) my horse changes lead in one corner of the arena. It’s always the same corner. We managed to go around one lap today without it happening but next time around it started again.
Is there any exercise that would help with this? Could it be something I’m doing or a balance issue with one of us?
 

Theocat

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Anything in that corner YOU find spook-worthy and that could be causing you to shift balance and focus, and tense up? Or maybe something odd like a shadow on the surface that your horse keeps interpreting as something that needs a pop to get over?

For exercises, I would try lots of shapes that avoid going large into that corner, like circles elsewhere, figures of eight with simple changes, picking up canter shortly before the corner rather than a long run in, or throwing in 15 or 20m circles on the short side or demi vault from the corner to give you something to focus on rather than the corner itself.

Can you ask your instructor to ride Nd see what happens?
 

Shay

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Echo that - I'd have him vet checked to ensure there is no pain. If this is the start of a larger issue catching it early will make it easier to treat. And yes - it could be your balance too - you might want to think about seeing a human Chiro? It could be something like an irregularity in your saddle flocking cuasing a momentary pinch.

For exercises - to be honest you are probably best off with a good instructor who can see what is happening and make recommendations. At this point it could be the horse, it could be you. It could be physical, it could be behavioral. It could be environmental. Any recommendation we might make will be stabs in the dark at best.

Reading back - I know the usual mantra is rule out pain first. But if this is relatively minor and there are no other issues I would personally go for the instructor first. There are too many variables otherwise.
 
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