In the show ring what should i do??

Question

So if im riding western pleasure and the judge asks for a lope, but my horse goes into the rong lead. should i slow to a trot and get the right lead, or just keep in the rong lead and wait to impress the judges next time?

Answer 1

slow down to a trot then ask for the correct canter lead, the judge will notice that you noticed your mistake and fixed it.

if you keep going on the wrong lead they will think you dont know or that you dont care :)

Answer 2

as everyone else has said go bak to trot and go on the correct lead.

and as everyone else has said the judges will see u have corrected ur mistake and u have good horse knowledge u may not get as many points as if u did a flying change but u will get more  then if u went off on the wrong lead. and if they are really strict they may only deduct a few and not as many but im no western rider.

i love western but i only know english

love rokchik

Answer 3

Staying on the wrong lead with doc more ponits and if you fix it and the judge sees it he may give you some of the points back!

Answer 4

Always correct your mistakes! Never proceed in a wrong lead, even if a judge sees your mistake he is going to appreciate a proper correction then watching you continue with an obvious mistake. You will be out of the running for any placement but you will be inclined to work harder at home to make sure you dont make the same mistake again.

Answer 5

Yes always correct, the judge then see's that you know your stuff.

A tip to get the right lead every time, just before you ask for canter open up the inside rein away from the horses neck. I don't know why, but this seems to work on every horse I've had or helped train.

Then gradually you move the rein in, till the aid becomes hardly visable.

Answer 6

If your horse is capable of a flying lead change, ask for it. If not, then take him back to a trot and ask for a lope on the correct lead again.

Eh what do I know? I showed in Reining and Working Cowhorse. I have no clue what a Pleasure judge would want to see. Either way, you blow the lead, you're out of the ribbons.

Answer 7

Break to a trot and correct the lead. When asking your horse to lope on the rail, tilt is head to the outside of the rail. Sometimes it helps them to get the correct lead.

Answer 8

Everyone is right....you always correct the mistake....but not just because the judge appreciates it.  You do it to train your horse correctly.......you've already blown the class if the judge sees the mistake anyway, but the horse doesn't care that you are showing....the horse just notices whether you let him go on the wrong lead or not. If you have to, you can take him off the rail and circle to get it done. Whatever it takes, make him do it right.

Answer 9

A judge would rather see you fix it than continue on like you are clueless.

Answer 10

slow down to the trot for a second and then go back into the lope.

Answer 11

do the trot then lope dont worry i have had that same problem

Answer 12

i've actually seen a lady hop of her horse and demonstrate to it how to lope, she's in front of it loping and giving it instructions, then she hopped back on and the horse bucked her off...so hilarious

do that

Answer 13

Definitely slow down and trot to change. It will show that you caught your mistake and was able to fix it. If you kept going around on the wrong lead it would make the judge think you are inexperienced and don't know the difference. Plus, why not impress the judge now? This is a very common mistake and so many people are lower in the ribbons because of this, good thing you asked! =D

Happy showing!