Trouble lunging my horse on the left lead?

Question

I just bought an 11 year old gelding 2 1/2 months ago and he's a great trail mount, however he has some trouble in the arena. So I've started him out with lunging to help him slow down a bit and work on his circles. He lunges fine to the right. But to the left he only walks and trots. I try not to use whips when lunging if i don't have to. I try to just swing the end the lunge line towards his rear to get him going and when he starts to lope I stop swinging. Every time i try to get him to lope on the left lead he just trots really fast and when he reaches the gate he stops, turns his butt towards me, and goes the opposite direction. He's even burst through the gate. Every time he does this I stop and try to turn him back to the right direction before he can turn the opposite way but it still doesn't help. I even try to stop, take a break for a minute or two and have him do it again, and this does nothing. Can anyone give me any tips? I need to get him to stop this bad habit because he does it to me when i ride as well. Help, please!

Answer 1

my experience has been that horses don't like the left lead when lunging.  or possible (if you are right handed) it will just take more practice on the left to control him.   this is probably just a matter of practice for you and your horse, and patience.  try lunging on the left lead only at a walk or trot.

remember, a lunge whip is not inherently bad.  you normally have to only show it to them or give a quick flick behind them.  with practice, the whip will never touch your horse, but he'll still know it's there.  

Answer 2

Hmm there is a possibilty that its lameness. But my first reaction would be preference. It the same as most of us being left handed and right handed. Obviously he's right 'handed'. He probably doesn't want to canter on worng lead and doesn't want to canter on right lead (cause its awkard- like us writing opposite hand) and decides a fast trot is easier. This leads way back to when he was first broken. He was spoiled using the right side. Never done left, now doesn't know how to do it. The best thing is if you can let him free style to the left in the arena. Just go aroung after him with the lunge whip (no need to hit) and push him into canter (lope). Do this as often as possible and then add troting poles. He'll get used to it. Otherwise its a lameness. He may try to go on wrong lead. You can correct that when riding. Hope i helped

Answer 3

My first thought is that your horse has some sort of lameness issue going on.  He doesnt have to be head bobbing lame to have a problem.  I've seen problems similar to this and they are almost always caused by something like hock, pelvic or back problems.  

Try having a vet out and checking out his hocks and tendons.  If nothing comes up there get a chiropractor out.  I once worked with a horse that would go absolutely ballistic everytime he was asked to canter - didnt matter what direction - but he was truly dangerous to try to canter, even for the "cowboys".  Had the chiropractor out and it took two sessions but the horse had no trouble cantering quietly and calmly after that.

Answer 4

This will take time and lots of patience.  Your problem stems from a respect issue.  Since you have only had him a couple of months he is trying you out!  He is testing you to see what he can do to get out of the work. They are very carefull to test every aspect of your knowledge.  This is not a bad sign for it shows he is intellegent.  He is working hard to train you to what he wants.

As for solving the issue I would first start with basic ground manners making sure you can move each part of his body when asked for example you can disengage his hind quarters with no hesitation!  This is extremely important for your problem.  When you have him on the lead can you walk towards his rump and have him turn and face you?  If not this is where I would start.   There are many issues that may need to be addressed before getting to the lungeing.

But when lungeing work on getting him to turn and face at the walk and trot to keep him locked on you.  I would work him in a round pen or the corner to have the fence to help to control him.  I would use a whip not to hit him but to extend you reach to get his attention when he starts to wander into his own world.   You need to give purpose to lungeing and I will post a great site to give you some ideas and it may help to watch the videos to understand what I am saying.

It would also help to have a trainer come and help for this is just an issue that shows where there is weakness in his respect for you and it is hard to explain over the computer where you would understand so much faster to be shown but watch the videos and it should help.

Sorry not to be easy fix but I wish you all the luck and don't give up!  You can win the battle and without hurting your horse just be patient.

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Answer 5

Your horse isn't respecting you on his left side. If he knows how to lounge and knows how to work circles, he might have just tested you one time and you didn;t realize it until he turned and then he got away with it by letting him stand and rest. If you have a roundpen working at liberty would be great a first. Get him moving w/t/c/g on both leads around the roundpen. To do this first point him to the left (which you say is his bad side to go around on) and ask him to walk by first kissing to him, if he doesnt go then pick up a lounge whip and show it to him, then still no movement then tap the air with it, then tap him, then wack him. those are the steps that you need to use to get this horse moving and respecting you. once you have him walking to the left use the same steps to get him to trot. then try the canter. ask him using the same steps and if he trys to turn around really get after him and i mean really really. you want to show him that "turning around is very uncomfortable and then i have to work really hard !" so if he does run to cut him off and chase him back to the left and everytime he does this do the same thing, but let him do a relaxed lope to the left when hes doing the correct thing.

after he isn't trying to turn around on his own then start asking him to turn by stepping in front of him then backing up and asking him to turn in towards you. this will help him from deciding to kick you if he turns toward the fence and faces his hind end to you. its okay at this point if he turns toward the fence since right now the thing you want to be working on is getting him to move on that left lead. eventually teach him to do turns towards you tho, as these are much more safe and also provide something interesting to do. once you feel comfortable working him in the roundpen and hes working consistently (it can sometimes take up to a month of regular roundpen work) then try with the lounge line. he should understand better of what you want him to do and shouldn't try to turn around anymore.

hope i could help (:

Answer 6

The best answer is probably those long lunging whips. I know you don't like to hit him, but he has to know that he can't do that. Snap the whip behind him, and it will make a crack. If he really wont listen give him a smack with it, after a little while just the sound should work.