How do you get a horse to use their front legs?

Question

ok so my horse is too collected if that makes sense. shes three and she uses her hind end only. she has a hard time picking up leads and using her front end. you can tell because of how she moves and all of her muscle in her hind end. her head is not high it's normal level she just wont use her front end and the vet said she was healthy and nothing was wrong. do you have any suggestions?

Answer 1

do lots of trot poles. this will make them lift their legs look where their going and develop better stomach and back muscles. and it makes sense teaching her to lift her front by well lifting her front.

Answer 2

I am willing to bet this is at least partially conformational.  Do you have any photos of her?  She is young so she may still be growing, and she is also very inexperienced at balancing herself in a collected manner.  As for picking up leads...again, she's only three!  How long have you been riding her for, or are you just lunging?

Answer 3

well my horse has the same problem only

the opposite she only wants to use her

front end. so she picks up the wrong lead on her back legs only.

im sorry but im not too much help with getting her to use her front legs.

but some ground work u could try is making her

pivet(360 degree angle)on her back legs so she gets used to moving her legs more.

and if shes having a hard time picking up leads

try asking for leads.

if ur not sher how to ask

put light pressure on your outside ran.

and only use your outside leg to bring her to a canter.

leave ur inside rein and leg off of her.

tht pushes her to pick up the correct lead.

Answer 4

My little guy had this problem a couple weeks ago....my trainer said that basically for his problem it was because he was growing his back end, so he was driving with it as it was more powerful....as soon as he started evening out again he went right back to picking up his leads & turning perfectly....maybe just work with her for now the same you have been & maybe she will come back around

Answer 5

You may have worked on collecting her before you got the amount of forward impulsion that would allow her to reach with her front legs.  You need to back up a little and retrain for impulsion.....You leave her mouth alone while you leg her forward so she reaches with her entire body and all 4 legs, and you use your seat to bring the hindquarter into engagement, but let her forehand keep  reaching without engaging the bit.  She has to lift her forehand naturally before you engage the bit....she will drop her head when the rest of her body is in position to do it naturally....at this point she will be reaching with her front end, and then you bring her into the frame you want when you engage the bit.

ADD....I forgot you asked about leads.  The horse has to have these other basics intact to be working on the bit and become aware of it's own feet.  Once this is accomplished, and you have actual collection working, you need to learn to feel when each hoof is about to hit the ground.  Most of the stuff I read on here about training leads ignores the position of each leg when a lead is asked for.  To consistently ask for and get the proper lead, and not a disunited version...you have to be able to feel when the opposite hind hoof will hit the ground.  Leads should always be cued just before the opposite hind hits the ground.  But if your horse is already unbalanced and not collected, it's still a hit or miss effort, and confusing for the horse.

Answer 6

Being on the hind end is a good thing and it shouldn't cause wrong leads.

Work on flexion and bend with her. Do circles with her head to the inside, head perfectly straight and head to the outside. Also work on changes in flexion.

When picking up the canter, bend to the inside and ask for the canter. If she picks up the wrong lead, let her canter on it for a few strides. She's young and needs to learn the difference.

Remember, she's only three and leads are always difficult on a young horse. Don't work her on too small of circles or too much heavy canter because her joints are still in development and you want her to be sound for a long time.

Good luck!