Wrong leg in canter- help!

[Hot-to-trot]

I have two TBs with whom i'm having trouble getting onto the right leg in canter. both of them go on the wrong leg on both sides- i know it's me but i don't know what i'm doing wrong! My aids for canter on a circle are inside leg on the girth, outside leg behind the girth, weight on inside seat bone and stirrup and inside shoulder back. Has anyone got suggestions, please!

 

[AppaloosaPonyHorse]

I had this problem just on right rein when got my new horse about 2 months ago. He is much better now. I worked on it in some lessons with my instructor and she was able to show/tell me what to do to try get correct lead. Maybe get a good intructor or someone experienced to help you from the ground.

One exercise we did was to ask for canter on the straight down centre line with the aid for whichever lead you wanted, if he cantered correct lead big pats and then continue around arena in appropriate direction. If wrong leg straight back to trot and ask again. Sometimes easier to get off sharper corner like turning from across arena or down centre line as bit of a sharper turn than corners when 'going large' around arena.

The above might depend on ages of your horses as I know when they are young horse learning to canter usually don't ask on straight? Could be wrong about that though

Depending on your horses' age/training if they can do nice walk to canter it can be easier to give a very clear aid for canter going from walk (at the corner) as you are not having to rise then sit before corner etc and your lower legs can be more exact and clear in the aid.

If your horse canters on wrong leg, trot as quick as you can and ask again immediately. One thing I was advised was if you go back to trot and then continue on trotting the horse may think 'well if I don't follow aid can just trot about' but that was about my boy who is 8 and a clever cheeky chap

 

[Micky]

Find yourself a good instructor try looking to the right ( with just your head) when you ask for left rein canter and the opposite when you ask for right rein...lots of work in walk and trot, the canter will come

 

[Pearlsasinger]

A good instructor will help but otherwise, try putting your weight into your outside seat-bone to 'push' your horse onto the right leg.

 

[showjumper1998]

I alao had this, first try putting your outside leg back further to ensurebthey are not getting confuaed with 'go faster' and also if you are in an school on the short side ask for canter at A or C as the corner can get slightly confusing - found this with my ID x TB - if they get the correct lead MASSIVE PATS and maybe a bit of apple/carrot etc and most importantly, PRACTICE AND REPETITION - not until it gets boring though
Good luck

 

[booboo]

I have a pony previously used for polo so he naturally canters on right lead and does a perfect counter canter on right lead when turning left!

I asked for help on getting left lead and the 3 things that really helped me were

- double triple check comfort with teeth, muscles, tack etc before expecting a bend or anything else for that matter

- spend hours (and it was hours - no quick fix here) feeling which of his hooves is leaving the round at any time in all gaits. Then you can ask for canter when the rear hind (for the lead you want) leaves the ground. So basically you ask at the point he can offer the right thing for you

- and finally ask on the straights as others suggest and ask for a gentle outside bend when you ask. This combined with the timing issue as in point two seemed to do the trick.

I also learnt that when he/we got it right I just asked for a few strides. He seemed more keen to offer it next time then.

I hope something here helps.