My horse has the hardest time getting her right lead sometimes...?

Question

even on a circle and fully bending she cant get it. Ive tried everything. sometimes if she does have it she switches it around the turns. any ideas on balance work or something like that

Answer 1

Even though you cannot do this in a show ring, try turning her head out to the outside (works best on a straight-away)... it will throw her balance so that she'll have to pick up the correct lead in order to be comfortable.. don't forget to cue her with your outside leg as well.

Answer 2

You are telling me my life story with my barrel horse. My trick is: ride him in a small circle to the left and when you're ready, swiftly turn him to the right and put him into a lope. They have no other choice but to pick up the right lead or else they would fall over...and vise versa for the left lead. Keep them in the right lead as long as you can. If they switch, shut him down and start over again. Your horse needs to realize that the right lead is what you want so don't let him get away with the left lead going to the right. A lot of horses have a "side" and it's a constant battle getting things to happen on their weak side. Try that out and I bet with a little practice, you two will be loping in the right lead. Hope that helps!

Answer 3

my mare does too. I know it is kinda wrong but for now to build her strength on her left hind i counter bend her and ask her off my outside leg. I kinda leg yeild her into it. This probably isn't the best method but when my mare gets out of shape i do this until she is inshape and more balance again and then ask her correctly.

I also found luck with working over a pole and asking her when we are going over it. The pole puts her on her hind end and helps her get the lead.

My mare is old and arthritic and that probably is what contributes to her not wanting to get her lead more than anything. I have found these methods effective for my mare.

Good luck getting your lead. If you have a trainer or more experiance rider ride her they can tell you how to do it too. I would reccomend troting her too to strengthen her hind end and make it easier to push off her outside hind and into the canter.

Answer 4

Circles, circles, circles! Teach her to use your inside leg for support and bend around it instead of dropping her shoulder into the turns. She should be able to successfully walk, trot, and canter a circle without falling in toward the middle. Support her with your inside leg -- always keep it on her through every turn! Help her bend around your leg. If you find that she's better in one direction, work more circles in the other direction until she's strong in both directions. Figure-8s will help her keep her balance while changing directions once she's balanced both ways. This will help her get her leads.