Getting the correct canter lead

[CobsGalore]

We are struggling to get the correct canter lead on the right rein, and I'm at a loss as to what to do next. Any advice would be much appreciated.

He gets it right every time on the lunge, so it's not a physical thing. Back and saddle have been checked, and even my instructor struggles to get the correct lead when she rides him. But she eventually gets it by getting him to look to the outside, sometimes I can't get it at all.

If I put a pole or small jump up then we get it right, but without it goes wrong 90% of the time.

Any tips please?

 

[treacle_beastie]

you could try looking over your right shoulder/slightly behind it eg when at a look at c.

 

[CobsGalore]

you could try looking over your right shoulder/slightly behind it eg when at a look at c.

Thank you. Sorry if I'm being stupid, but can you explain why this might work?

 

[TigerTail]

Ok try going into canter from rising trot on the wrong diagonal - sounds weird but works really well due to altering your balance. Try really slowing your trot using your seat not your reins, so sucking up with your bum and holding your core, but keep the energy with your voice so he doesnt think walk, then ask on the corner from the wrong diagonal.

Once he is managing this regularly go from sitting trot, again collecting it before you asks o he doesnt run flat, if you can feel the outside shoulder rising more than the inside you are about to strike off wrong so stop asking keep the trot and go back to the wrong diagonal.

 

[CobsGalore]

Thank you TigerTail, I will give this a go

 

[Florrie]

Have you tried asking for canter on a corner? Tends to work well as the inside leg is the leg they are likely to pick up on because of the weight distribution on the corner. If it still doesn't work I'd say try going very deep into the corner with a lot of inside flexion as it will encourage him to pick up correctly. Good luck!

 

[EffyCorsten]

Have you tried asking for canter on a corner? Tends to work well as the inside leg is the leg they are likely to pick up on because of the weight distribution on the corner. If it still doesn't work I'd say try going very deep into the corner with a lot of inside flexion as it will encourage him to pick up correctly. Good luck!

This and perseverance

 

[Goldenstar]

The fact that when your instructor rides him using outside flexion is the way to get him to strike off correctly show that the horse is falling out through its shoulder .
So you have a straightness issue .
You must work at keeping his neck straighter with just minimal flexion and resist the temptation to drag his head round to the inside as it will make him fall out more.
This is why TT suggestion of going from the the wrong diagonal helps sometimes .

 

[CobsGalore]

Yes I always ask for canter in a corner, but will try going really deep into the corner with lots of inside flexion.

Funny though, because instructor tries to bend him the opposite way to get it!? Should I sack the instructor!?!

 

[CobsGalore]

The fact that when your instructor rides him using outside flexion is the way to get him to strike off correctly show that the horse is falling out through its shoulder .
So you have a straightness issue .
You must work at keeping his neck straighter with just minimal flexion and resist the temptation to drag his head round to the inside as it will make him fall out more.
This is why TT suggestion of going from the the wrong diagonal helps sometimes .

Sorry cross posted with you.

Thank you for explaining this, it makes sense now. He does struggle with straightness, so I will work on keeping his neck straighter, and try rising on the wrong diagonal when I ask for canter.

Thanks for the tips

 

[Goldenstar]

Yes I always ask for canter in a corner, but will try going really deep into the corner with lots of inside flexion.

Funny though, because instructor tries to bend him the opposite way to get it!? Should I sack the instructor!?!

No no the horse is falling out through the shoulder the more you bend to the inside the worse it will get .
Sometimes with this type of issue the best place to ask is just after x on a circle as that's where the horse is straightest .

 

[CobsGalore]

No no the horse is falling out through the shoulder the more you bend to the inside the worse it will get .
Sometimes with this type of issue the best place to ask is just after x on a circle as that's where the horse is straightest .

So going deep into the corner as Florrie suggests won't help then? As he will just fall out more.

Ok, so I should be asking after x, keeping him as straight as possible, and rising on wrong diagonal if I'm struggling?

 

[blitznbobs]

Leg yield into the corner to
Encourage the horse to put its inside hind under and as you get to the corner ask for canter. But tbh it sounds like your horses trot isn't good enough to get a canter so. Work on the trot first...

 

[alainax]

No no no! Dont sack the instructor! She has it right!

I have the exact same issue with my horse. He is super secure on the right lead, on both the right and left rein. getting Left lead canter is almost impossible. The absolute only way to do it is to flex to the right when on the left rein. If you can bear with me, let me try to explain.

He has built his muscles and way of going to be incorrect on the left canter over the years, so now I am working with my instructor to correct this.

Imagine if you will, that his right leg is his most powerful leg. That all his mucles are great on this side, and he just loves to lead with it, even on the left rein. So now, we come into a left rein corner, I flex him to the inside, and what do you know, he picks up right lead.. why?? Simples.... as I have bent him to the left, I have completely freed up his right side to be as stretchy, expressive and powerful as it likes, I have tightend and constrained his left side as it bends in on its self - why on earth would be pick up the left lead!

The only was to resolve it at this stage is to literally bend him right when on the left rein then ask for canter (this felt like bending him right, but was actually straightening him up)

At first it seems complete madness, but when you think of which leg you are allowing him to stretch with, it makes perfect sense. But dont fret, it wont always be this way. Once he develops the power and muscles to be able to work effectively on both legs, then it will be much simpler.

I know it sounds backwards, but truly it works. I had to physically bend my body to imagine it, and how it really would work. And it does

Inbetween my lessons my instructor has me trying to make as shallow corners as possible on the problem rein, hexagons and pentagons, your problem is goign too deep, the horse has to find a straightness. At the corner before C on the left rein, I ask for almost a right bend, he straighten up at C, I put the right leg (outside) on, and push him through the left shoulder. If I do it right, he pick up left lead.

 

[Goldenstar]

So going deep into the corner as Florrie suggests won't help then? As he will just fall out more.

Ok, so I should be asking after x, keeping him as straight as possible, and rising on wrong diagonal if I'm struggling?

You can try the rising it may well help .
I think leg yielding to the right will make it worse as if he's having straightness issue he's likely to lead with the left shoulder exactly what you are trying to stop..
Using the counter flexion is a good working way of getting through the issue but you need to remember the strike off is not the issue the issue with the straightness and the lateral bend is what's causing the issue improve these and he will strike off correctly.

 

[CobsGalore]

Thank you Goldenstar and Alainax, what you've both said makes complete sense. thanks for taking the time to explain

 

[AppaloosaPonyHorse]

Had this problem with my horse too, finally resolved. What works for him was when on right rein, half halt on left rein, sitting trot, ask for canter. If he went on wrong lead, pull on left rein and squeeze with inside leg at same time. At first may have to bring him back to trot (but stay sitting) before he can change lead. He will soon get the idea hopefully.

Have you had his teeth checked? As my boy had misalignment and noticed a big improvement after getting his teeth done (I only had him few months at this stage) in ease of getting correct canter lead.

He rarely goes on wrong lead now, if he occassionaly does, a half half on outside rein and pressure with inside leg and he switches himself usually.

Other exercises which tried to make sure he understood which lead was asking for was giving the aid for whichever lead wanted about halfway down centre line if he went wrong would go back to trot, then ask again at sharper turn off centre line.

Also everytime he gets it correct give him big pats on the side he is leading with correctly.

 

[CobsGalore]

Thanks Appaloosa, how long did it take for your horse to 'click' and get it?

Yes he has regular dental checks, and the dentist has never found anything. He's pretty good at taking the contact and doesn't fling his head or anything, so I don't think there's a problem in his mouth.

 

[Love]

I've always found changing the rein across the diagnol in trot and then asking for canter just before hitting the track again works best, whilst the horse is still straight

 

[MrsNorris]

I'm having the same problem, have just started schooling again after a few years of doing nothing but hacking, and really struggling with right canter (no issues in the past when horse was schooling regularly).
Have just checked my recenty re-flocked saddle and noticed that one panal is quite a bit flatter than the other, which must be distributing my weight heavily to one side. Am hoping that an adjustment there will help, mine too seems to be falling through his outside shoulder, which is understandable I guess, if that is where all my weight is concentrated!
Might be worth just double checking the balance of your saddle

 

[fatpiggy]

I had a pupil who had only ever hacked her cob and wanted to do a bit of low level showing and dressage on him (his head was no oil painting but he moved very well and was a real sweetheart) and seriously he could just NOT canter on the right rein - well he could but only with a left lead. He could canter on a tiny circle (on the lunge) but on the left every time. We tried the jump (on the lunge again) but he invariably landed on the left lead. He did once land on the right leg and I got his rider to really kick on but it was clear he wasn't happy and did everything he could to try to get back into trot. I decided that he was super one-sided in his head, so we went right back to basics and I got my friend to do all his work in walk and trot only for 6 weeks, with a two thirds/one third emphasis on his right rein to build up his muscles, ie use work on the left rein just to give him a break. After that we worked on striking off in canter in exactly the same place every time, using a vocal command and I asked my friend to look to the left, not the right each time. This freed up his inside shoulder and he started to understand and be physically capable of what we wanted. I can truthfully say that by 10 weeks you wouldn't have recognised his physique compared to how he started out, he was much more balanced and believe it or not, ended up better cantering on the right lead than the left. My friend took him to a local RC show and came 4th in the coloured class and he didn't put a foot wrong.

Interestingly, my own mare was far more balanced in canter on the right rein, but if I just left it up to her on a straight line, she 100% chose the left lead. When I did a figure of 8 at a show I always did my first canter on the left then changed to right across the middle to guarantee no mistakes.

 

[CobsGalore]

That's really interesting, thank you fatpiggy.

Funnily enough, once he gets the correct lead on the right rein, his canter is a lot more balanced than it is on the left rein.

 

[Goldenstar]

That's really interesting, thank you fatpiggy.

Funnily enough, once he gets the correct lead on the right rein, his canter is a lot more balanced than it is on the left rein.

This not unusual at all my 5 yo ID is exactly like this at the moment it's likely to be because you can maintain correct flexion easier on the side where he overbends laterally in the neck and drifts out on the shoulder .
Remember this a stage .
I would get his leg yielding started if you have not already to help develop the control and balance of his lateral bends .

 

[Annagain]

I had this with my share horse when I first had him - unless he was landing over a jump he'd never get it right. I started with simple changes through trot - so canter on the left, come across the diagonal, trot just after X and just before the corner go back into canter - that way he's straighter and his inside shoulder is free (cantering before seems to make him more aware of the change of direction and the need to change leg ). Gradually, come back to trot sooner so there's more trot in between and then do it all in trot, just asking for canter before the corner.
Once you've got that, try the simple change again but with half circles rather than coming across the diagonal so almost going B to E (or vice versa) back to trot over X, change bend and then off again in canter. If you get this, build it up the same way again by trotting earlier then gradually start cantering later until you're asking for canter in the corner. Worked for my boy, he gets it right 99% of the time now.

 

[AppaloosaPonyHorse]

That's really interesting, thank you fatpiggy.

Funnily enough, once he gets the correct lead on the right rein, his canter is a lot more balanced than it is on the left rein.

That's what I found with my horse, his right rein canter is much freer and nicer.

 

[Tnavas]

you could try looking over your right shoulder/slightly behind it eg when at a look at c.

Thank you. Sorry if I'm being stupid, but can you explain why this might work?

Rather than looking over your inside shoulder - try looking over your outside shoulder it tends to move your inside hip forward - it helps to prevent the horse falling in, helps you place your legs correctly for the aids (inside leg at the girth, outside leg behind the girth)

I've recently had this problem with a pupils pony - he would get the correct lead everytime on the lunge and generally wrong under saddle.

It was partly a balance issue and partly a straightness issue. He is slowly getting better through corrective work - lots of circles, loops and serpentines to increase suppleness and straightness. The more supple he is the easier it will become. He did also have some hind muscle problems which are also being worked on.

 

[Megibo]

I've had this issue with my 4 year old for a few weeks (came to me very green) with right lead canter. And as with your horse she can get it on the lunge and free schooling just fine.
What I've done that has helped her is a small circle at each marker and corner to get her on the correct bend, then emphasise having inside leg on girth and outside leg back plus making sure that I am in the right place before asking! We had a 30 minute argument over it the other day because she had the right bend but would then hop her quarters in and strike wrong. We finally got it, and last time I schooled her, she got it both times I asked for canter no problem! And the canter was actually lovely, better than on her left 'good' rein

 

[CobsGalore]

Thanks everyone, lots of exercises to try

 

[AppaloosaPonyHorse]

You will get there I know you asked how long it took my horse to 'click', I think for him half the problem was his teeth but he did get it before this, but seemed much better after. My RI was schooling him once a week too, which helped, he got it quicker with her as she is much better rider than me

Probably took him a few weeks (but was not riding every day) to get the idea and respond well if went wrong and corrected him. However was a few months (for when I was riding him) that he was 99% improved and going on correct lead all the time. I think in last month he has gone on incorrect lead on right rein about twice (and I ride about 4-5 days a week) but corrected himself with a half halt on left rein and inside leg on. Huge improvement on not going on correct lead at all or having to correct it 9 times out of 10.

Also I think what has helped is he has put on good condition and even some topline since I got him so this has helped him too as he is physically more able to do what he is asked.

Best of luck, let us know how you get on