Getting youngster onto the correct lead?

[JessPickle]

A friend of mine has a lovely little 4yo which her and her mum have brought on themselves. He has lovely trot work, balanced and rhthymical, canter on the left rein is also pretty good overall, he occastionally tries to go too deep into corners of school but apart from that its a nice canter Problem is on right rein he just will not go onto the correct lead and they are really running out of ideas for him.

Someone else rode him with an instructor who pretty much told them to keep him on wrong lead and legs on, which has made him feel balanced on the wrong lead. Even on a small 10m circle with an exagerated inside bend he is on the wrong lead. Same when asking for canter over a pole! He isn't the most speedy horse, which makes changing lead quickly hard as well!

So any tips? Owner has tried lots of things, had lessons, lunged. Even seeing if he'll go onto right leg on hacks but he won't. Saddle/Medical checks are all done

 

[alicetikko]

my friends pony was like this and it turned out his muscles was very tight on the inside of his left leg, and i no ur friends horse is only a youngster but try having a physo out and looking at all his back, legs and tendons

 

[smiffyimp]

i wouldnt want to be doing 10m circles on baby! Most horses are left handed and right is difficult. Try approaching corner, and keep weight over to right with correct leg aids. Keep outside rein and then give when he canters (but dont chuck reins away). Wouldnt worry about problems, all babies do this Itll come

 

[Balibee]

Just from personal experience, I used to find it easier on the straight asking for canter. You could try leg yielding from the quarter line in a good active balanced trot then ask for canter. or a few strides of shoulder in?

Be careful of asking for the correct leg off a tight circle. I find if the horse feels as if he is tipping in will automatically go on the incorrect lead to compensate.

 

[smiffyimp]

Just from personal experience, I used to find it easier on the straight asking for canter. You could try leg yielding from the quarter line in a good active balanced trot then ask for canter. or a few strides of shoulder in?

Be careful of asking for the correct leg off a tight circle. I find if the horse feels as if he is tipping in will automatically go on the incorrect lead to compensate.

Agree here (straight lines didnt work for us tho, but he is a wiggly worm leg yields, however do, big circle, yield back to track and ask.

 

[JessPickle]

Just from personal experience, I used to find it easier on the straight asking for canter. You could try leg yielding from the quarter line in a good active balanced trot then ask for canter. or a few strides of shoulder in?

Be careful of asking for the correct leg off a tight circle. I find if the horse feels as if he is tipping in will automatically go on the incorrect lead to compensate.

forgot to mention this was in fact just what has occured in past, it wasnt approved of, was an instructor who I certainly lost respect for because of this stay on wrong lead tiny circles lark!

 

[NicoleS_007]

My horse had the same problem as a 4yr. What i found worked was getting a nice balanced circle in trot, over exagerate the bend through neck for a stride then ask for canter. Also placing a pole in the corner of the school, circle over and ask for canter. And when he went on the wrong leg bring straight back to trot and repeat until you get the right leg and lots of praise and pats. Worked perfect for mine

 

[MinskiKaii]

We have had a lot of problems with my young mare, we put the inside end of the canter pole on a crate, that works for her. What also works is bending her to the outside before asking for canter and again, this used to work.

 

[MontyMonster]

We have had a lot of problems with my young mare, we put the inside end of the canter pole on a crate, that works for her. What also works is bending her to the outside before asking for canter and again, this used to work.

Agree with the pole on a crate thing (in a corner). This worked for our pony. Trot him up to it, and then over the pole ask for canter with inside bend. This might work better than a flat pole on the ground?

I'm not sure if this is appropriate for a youngster (please correct me!) but what also worked with our pony was doing a small figure of eight at the top end of the school, but the wrong way around (if that makes sense?) so that riding up through the middle of the figure of eight would be towards, for example, C.
First couple of times turn left and ask for canter, trot before you reach C again. Repeat. After a few times turn suddenly sharply right (almost into the fence) while asking for right canter.
This worked for us, but again, not sure as people have said no tight circles?