Correct canter lead?

Question

i'm almost embarrassed to ask this. ive been riding for a long time and showing and all. but im showing with this new horse and im actually pretty nervous. im second guessing myself through everything, and i have a lesson soon.

please explain in detail how to pick up the correct canter lead. my instructor will stop me from showing if i cant pick it up tonight ):

Answer 1

Horses are trained differently for this, so I will address the generic "most are trained for this" basic cues.

For left lead, cue with the right.  for right lead, cue with the left.

If riding on the rail, cue on the rail side...the inside lead is the correct lead unless they ask for counter canter.

Common cues are slight closing of right rein, and right leg just behind the girth to pick up a Left lead, and the opposite for a right lead.

A slight shift of your weight can accompany these cues, shifting to the right pelvic bone when the right leg cue is used, and opposite for left.  I know another poster said to shift your weight to the lead side....most horses are not trained that way...shift to the right for left lead, and to the left for a right lead. Keep your upper body straight, and "disconnected" from your pelvis, or your shoulders will be leaning. If the horse needs it, you may have to use your inside leg just in front of the girth to keep his shoulder up and bending around the leg...I think you have enough to do without worrying about that for now.

Answer 2

You horses head has to be bending to the inside. Use your inside rein and inside leg. If you can look down and see your horses whole inside leg going forward, then your on the correct lead.

Answer 3

use your inside rein(only) and only kick with outside leg that is what I was taught and it works every time

Answer 4

Put your weight on the lead you want.  Bend his body around your leg  and/or rt or lt lead you want him to pick up

Answer 5

inside leg on, outside leg back never fails me

Answer 6

turn your horses head towards the rail and he should pick it up. why don't you ask your instuctor?

Answer 7

http://tonyonehorse.weebly.com check it out articles and tips for free. anyway, if your horse does not pick up the correct lead on comand and with the slightest cues, you should not be showing anyway, but I will now tell you an easy way for a horse to take the correct lead. your horse must first be pretty good at leg yielding, take him down the track, rail, or wall and put him in a traver position (hauches in) when you hit the short side of the arena cue for the canter, the horse will have no choice but to take the correct lead because he is already in the position to do so and no extra effort will be made on his part.

Answer 8

Looks like your question has been answered, but I thought I would throw you another tip.  To tell if you got the correct lead, glance down your nose and look at your horse's shoulders (do NOT turn your head down as not only will that throw you and your horse off balance but, by the sound of your instructor, will get you yelled at, too).  The inside shoulder, the one which is to the inside of the arena, will be slightly leading or in front of the outside shoulder if you have the correct lead.  If the outside shoulder is in front, you have the wrong lead.  Also, if you have the wrong lead (as long as your horse isn't the smoothest horse ever) you will feel like you are being thrown to the outside of the arena (towards the wall), and it will be hard for the horse to stay cantering and to turn well.  Hope this helps.

Answer 9

Always have the horse bending around your inside leg, move your outside leg to just behind the girth when you ask for canter. Always try to ask him to canter on a corner, also dont let him rush in the trot before hand, because this could un-balance him.

Hope this helps!