My horse won't...PLEASE HELP?

Question

pick up the right lead.she can pick up the left lead. she is only four years old and i am still training her. this is how i ask her for her lead:

tilt her head towards the rail and ue only my outside leg...she will pick it up in a round pen...any ideas? will add aditional info if neccassary..

and she is sound.

Answer 1

The best way I was told was to make a circle at a fast trot and then cut it in half and as you go back to the rail (don't make a full circle just cut it half) and then right as you go back to the rail make a semi-sharp turn and ask for the lead. You might really have to push them into it, use your body  weight, and legs. They just don't know the balance at that age, and it's just about letting them learn how to balance. I learned this way from watching Stacey Westfall and clinics and her different training events. If you do not know her, she is big into reining and known for her bridleless bareback reining, and its way cool. I suggest looking at her web site. It has really worked for me! Good luck!

Answer 2

No< No, No!  You do not need to go into using the corners, contorting you or your horse, or basically "cheating' to get your horse to do what you want it to do.  Go directly to the round pen, do not pass go and definitely do not collect $200.  Go back to the basics...teach your horse what leg aids mean, teach her to move AWAY from your legs when you ask her to.  Now, a lead will initiate with your using your leg aids to move your horse's hind end over to the right...at that instant, you pick up your horse and ask for the canter, using your left leg to get your right lead.  If your timing is correct, your horse has no other option than to stride out and come down in the correct lead, it's that simple.  During this time, you keep you and your horse's body straight and only move her hind haunches over.

Answer 3

just patients and consistancy shell get the hang of it some just take longer than others and if she does it in a round yard she nose wat you ,mean so just keep at her and the penny will drop some horses also favoure one side so she might not like that way but she will come around just keep at her leah

Answer 4

lol i had the same problem when training my 4 yo! I think it has a lot to do with them being young and just learning there leads. I worked on it and worked on it in small circles and when he took the wrong lead I would stop him right away and I would do it over and over again untill he took the correct lead like I asked and when he would finally do it I would let him canter and overly praise him. He just turned 5 and he takes the correct lead everytime now. They will figure out that it is easier on them if they take the correct lead with time.  

Answer 5

Try to pick her right lead up in the corner.

Pull her head inwards and give her a kick with your outside leg. She should pick it up because she will be kinda off balance and she will regain her balance by picking up her right lead.  

Answer 6

Head always faces the direction your going less your side passing.. which is a way you train them to move their body. leg yields will also prepare her to know the outside leg back means to move inside hip forward so when you lope off squeeze inside leg to arc the body and outside to push her hip forward into the proper lead. have someone watch if your unsure if she is. I had a horse that felt like she was cross cantering to the right but she wasnt..  

Answer 7

When you want a right lead, sit on your left seat bone, lay your left leg onto her, and shorten your left rein. Feel when her left hind hoof is about to hit the ground, and use these cues, and she will pick up the right lead.  Unless you are in intermediate dressage, and your horse is too, this is the way to cue your horse.