Help! Canter on wrong leg, how to correct?

exracehorse

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Hi, this is an ex race horse, had him 2 years this summer, didn't do anything first years as he had a horrific accident not long after bringing him home from Newmarket and had 6 months off, then went barefoot, long story! Now, we are really cracking along, sorted out the mounting issues, rearing, spinning in circles etc, the list is endless lol - he is now working in an outline, not chucking his heads about, has fantastic paces and is trying his little heart out, have done trotting poles, grid work and now beginning to jump. BUT, he seems to get himself into a muddle when it comes to canter, 1 in 3 canter strike offs result in him being on the wrong leg, despite my daughter giving the correct leg aids. Do we a, carry on cantering on the wrong leg or b, bring him back to trot and ask again. He is very very green, was used as a stringer at Newmarket for many years etc and was wooden to school and stiff but, is much more supple etc and working really well but, he doesn't seem to have a clue what leg to use, any advice would be fantastic as its frustrating for me to keep yelling 'wrong leg'!
 
http://s1069.photobucket.com/user/kaycomber1/media/MVI_4594_zps9d8e4b97.mp4.html

He is actually on the correct leg this time but, I thought it would give you an idea. This is week 3 of him being re schooled so, am very pleased and he is trying very hard. He is stiff on this side as well as he fractured his shoulder blade when he had his accident so, finds it difficult. He hasn't been ridden at all for 5 months over the winter so, he is terribly unfit as well with a big hay belly!
 
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Hi, I don't know anything about schooling ex racers but when I first got current pony he simply could not pick up the correct canter lead on the left rein. I worked with my instructor on it and he told me to always correct when he picks up the wrong lead, bring right back to a nice steady trot and ask again. Really exaggerating the aid helped a lot ( in my case left rein very open and right leg back as far as I could get it along with some clucking), you can refine this when he starts to get it regularly. Also the old trotting pole diagonally over a corner and asking for canter as you go over it worked quite well. Good luck.
 
IMO, always bring back to trot until he can do flying changes.

You said he had an accident? Mine wouldn't strike off on the right leg on that rein and it's because he was in pain on the right hock: might be worth checking? Sorry, don't mean to worry you!
 
My fjord would not pick up the right canter lead, a very experienced instuctor told me to put my weight over to the right when asking for canter on that leg, she always gets it right now.
 
IMO, always bring back to trot until he can do flying changes.

You said he had an accident? Mine wouldn't strike off on the right leg on that rein and it's because he was in pain on the right hock: might be worth checking? Sorry, don't mean to worry you!

Its both reins that he strikes off on the wrong leg. Some days more than others. He is very green and doesn't see to understand and late at trying as well, as now 9 years. We had his teeth rasped when we had him as he hated any contact on the bit and they were very sharp, unfortunately he reacted quite badly and reared up half way through the rasping, flipped over onto the concrete yard (reared right up) and smashed his face, broke his shoulder blade, fractured his face in 3 places, displaced his eye socket, damaged the tear duct, had a slip shoulder and was told he may never ever be ridden again, all after just 6 weeks of ownership! - Hence, turned away to recover, then begun to rip his shoes off so there was no hoof left and therefore went barefoot, have been barefoot for nearly a year now and doing well. He used to be terribly stiff on the one side but, its now much better and I am power walking him out on his hacks most mornings to build strength and muscle etc, and try to lose his big big belly!
 
First, I would suggest that your daughter needs to be abe to recognise which leg he is cantering on for herself and if she can't should have some lessons on different horses until she can. Then if he has had 5 months off work over the winter I would question that he is fit enough to be cantering just yet. If he has had such serious injury in the past, he will need to be working correctly for his muscles to support his skeleton correctly.
I would certainly bring him back to trot if he strikes off on the 'wrong' leg but you do need to be sure that the rider is asking him consistently. Establish a steady rhythmic sitting trot down the long side of your school, ask for canter going into the corner, this will almost force the horse to strike off on the correct leg, if he needs more help put a pole in the corner, which should also encourage him onto the correct leg.
 
My horse who is completely sound has had a very easy winter with a couple of hacks a week. He had most of last summer off due to mild laminitis. He's now back in full work with his new loaner for the past month or 2 and even he is struggling to get a balanced canter and get the correct strike off. This is a horse that has done well in prelim dressage in the past, though it took a good year to get the canter right (I am not the best rider however!).
So I think you probably need to give your horse a lot more time. If canter is a weaker pace as in my horse's case, lunging really helps him as does lots and lots of transition work in the school, circles of all sizes, spirals, serpentines etc. If he's unbalanced he'll strike off on the wrong leg. I bring him back to trot and try again, even though he is able to correct himself. I try hard to set him up correctly in the first place. And I won't jump anything serious until his canter is spot on.
 
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