How to stop my horse chainging on to the wrong leg....

trina1982 said:
I think everyone was offering advice because thats what you asked for in your original post?

It sounds as if you know what the problem is, and you feel confident your instructor is helping you sort it. I'm a little confused as to what you actually were hoping to hear?

Anyway, hope you get it sorted and it's just a little niggle to iron out. :)

Trina x
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i just wanted also to hear if anyone has the same type of problem and how they have/are fixing it,

like thundermacd said her horse was taking the mic, i have since had another lesson and again she just said he is taking advantage of me as im not very strong once he realised i am in charge he stops!

sorry if it came across wrong but its one of those things thats hard to understand i have realised without witnessing it
 
Steorra said:
Okay, assuming it isn't you, and the horse doesn't have a problem, this is what I'd do.

Lots of work over raised poles to build muscle on his quarters and get him really supple behind. Turns, changes of direction, lateral work and transitions will all teach him to 'sit' better and engage his quarters rather than changing lead to escape having to use himself properly.

If he struggles when tired then you need to build strength and fitness gradually, so that he can cope better with what you are asking of him. And remember to give him rests when you are riding - 10mins of good work followed by a few circuits in walk on a long rein then 10mins more - don't let him get to the point where he starts evading.

Make sure that you keep only a light contact with your inside hand, and do not turn by using your inside rein. Please don't take offence at me saying this - obviously I haven't seen you ride! But if you block your horse's inside hind with your inside hand then that would cause him to change leads. Be prepared to give this hand forward and send him briskly on when you feel him go to change.

Finally, be very aware of sitting centrally and contolling your weight when you ride. Some horses are trained differently to others, so what has worked with your other horses might not do for this one. An experienced friend of mine got flying changes all over the place when she rode my horse, because he changes from a flick of my hips, and she uses the same aid to send a horse forwards! It wasn't that she is a bad rider but purely a communication issue.
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thanks steorra, yeah i agree i always keep the contact but be soft and light with my hands
 
My horse went through a phase of doing this down the long side of the arena. He also did a little hop-skip flying change. He has been checked by a vet and chiro also and they found nothing untoward. He doesn't do it on the lunge. He doesn't do it jumping or cantering on a hack in company. He does do it cantering alone on a hack when he feels he has cantered far enough!!!
When I first got him he came with a whole manner of evasions, chiefly being lazy. Once I got him going forward, he continued trying a range of other evasions - striking off on the wrong leg, spooking and spinning, bucking, falling in etc etc. My instructor put it down to him being a very sensitive and intelligent horse who likes to work out how to evade me, as I am not the best rider in the world! Unsurprisingly enough he doesn't do it when jumping or cantering in company - his favourite pastimes.
Once he had tried all other evasions and been thwarted in his attempts, he started doing the leg change thing. Initially I foolishly went straight back into trot every time he did it - so teaching him to do it! My instructor recommended I haul him to halt immediately when he did it.
However I have found the key to preventing him changing leg is to maintain inside bend down long sides , looking with my head turned to the other side of the school (ie look 2 markers ahead), keeping hip pointing up and inwards and even contact, inside hand open and slightly raised. Legs and body TOTALLY still. If I even move slightly he will change leg. Obviously the horse has to be going forwards as even a light touch of leg will cause a change. I have done a lot of work through the summer on cantering in circles then moving to long sides then back to circles again, so he never knows quite where we are heading. If I forget to ride my canter like this he will change. Not good in dressage! So I have to concentrate!!!!!!
Good luck!!!! I do know how frustrating it is!
 
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