Help! Left canter problems!

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clarehawes

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Can anybody give me any ideas? Im having dificulty getting my horse to strike off on the correct lead on the left rein. We have had a sucessfull showing season but l would like to try and improve this re accuring problem! He is worked about 5 days a week with around 3 days split between the lunge and the school and the rest hacking. He is definatley stiffer on the left rein and finds it harder to flex to the inside but is light in my hands. He is lunged in side reins and can often strike off on the wrong leg even on the lunge going left. He is very willing to learn and l have had his saddle and back checked. Does anybody have any tips to help me try and fix the problem? I have tried canter off 15mt circles, 10mt circles, comming off figure of eights into the corner and asking, spiraling out of circles and asking for canter etc etc but more often than not he will strike off with the wrong lead!! His right canter is wonderfull and he will strike off on the correct leg everytime! I would love to try some pre lim dressage this winter as he would do a really lovely test but am panicking about left canter! Thanks for your help!
 
A v annoying habit!- firstly maybe check that you are sitting 100% balanced and sitting on each seat bone, check that your horse is not making you unknowingly take your right leg off before you ask for the transition, and try giving them the left rein (not throwing the rein at them) so that the left hind has room and can swing through.
Transitions and plenty of them should help, halt/walk to canter, rein back to canter and any exercises that will make the horse sit and use the left hind leg, and balance.

If it persists, may be worth getting an opinion from a good trainer /rider who can help, also if it continues to rule out any hock/hind limb probs. gd luck.
 
I have had similar issues with the right, started with a pelvis issue then became habit.

You need to not over think it, I think it is very easy to try to get too much inside bend in desperation to get the strike off.

so suggestions are,
on the point of asking flex horse in opposite direction, I didnt believe it but it worked, apparently it allows the inside shoulder to come through easier as you can end up scrunching horse up too much.

I could use canter poles, horse had jumped a lot and would always strike off right it there was a jump about but didnt really help flatwork.

I spent a couple of months working very hard with an instructor, we only asked for canter when everything else was right (to try and break the habit) so horse was listening and most importantly straight and in a good rhythm then we asked. We slowly went from getting it not at all, to 20% of the time, to half the time to all the time. Ifwrong stopped immediately and went back to it, if right lots of praise!

this was about 3 years ago and no problems since
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Though I am quick to get his back checked as soon as he gets disunited a bit more often jumping.
 
Hi,

I have the same issue with my mare, however, the little madam is fine cantering on the left 99% of the time when we're out competing, in fact we were xc'ing on sunday and she spent most of her time cantering on the left!! My instructor is getting us to do a lot of lateral work, to strenghthen and flex her muscles, lots of leg yielding, we're starting simple turns on the forehand etc. and i have to say she is improving to a certain degree, and we're getting the correct lead more and more. I tried asking for canter over a pole, but unfortunatley it didnt work for me. however, it did work wonders for my friend! best of luck - it is very frustrating!
 
It is also worth ruling out tightness in the back. If that is the problem then lots of stretching on the lunge and ridden plus a haybar and a feeding bowl on the floor all help.
 
Try cantering in the middle of the school so he cant lean on the fence

Also this worked for a while then my boy cottoned on try going into canter from rising trot on the wrong diagional - dont ask but it worked!!
 
I have the same problem with my mare. Her problem is not that she can not do it - it is that she is lazy and argues with my commands and by the time I have got through to her, she has missed her stride.

Using a pole on the bend helps and when the pole is there she canters well and for the rest of the training session but next time we school we are back to square 1!

The biggest misconception people make is thinking you are helping by tipping forward and encouraging the horse forward when actually you are making the task trickier. Sit central anddrive the cantre from behind as the lead comes from the back leg not the forehand.

I find that by dotting cones around the school and doing fun fun transitions - they do not have to be on the bridle and posh, but just as long as the horse strikes of when told and listens and does not get bored.

Try it - might help.

Kate xx
 
Have you tried asking from walk? I used to have the very same problem but after changing it to asking from walk I can now get the correct strike-off nearly every time.

I find it gives you and the horse time to get aids and legs in order. It's given my horse lots more confidence in it as she tended to fret before. Now she's confident in trot to canter too as she understands the aids better and I've learned to be more balanced.

You don't need to give a big aid, just the same as from trot. The horse should just neatly skip up into canter without any major effort. Aim for a nice active walk, without being excessively collected so that the back and neck is free to do it's thing.

Good luck, hope it helps.
 
Okay, I had the exact same problem but what I did was just gave him a LOT of left rein and at the same time as my right leg was squeezing behind the girth I gave him a smack on the left quarter. Weird I know, but it worked for me. Good luck!
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