Young Horse Won't Get Leads!

[Shizzity]

I haven't posted on here in a looong time, but I have come across a problem that is frustrating me terribly! I ride a 3.5 year old draft cross that is having the worst trouble with his leads. In the summer, when I first began to ride him, he would hardly ever get his left lead. My trainer figured out it helped him to be counter bent to pick up the left lead, which is now how I get the left lead. However, the second time I ask for the canter, whether it is my 2nd time going left or if I have gone right first, he will pop his right shoulder out and bend himself to the inside. I have been working on getting him straighter when he does this, but it isn’t helping very much with our lead situation. He has also started picking up the left lead when on the right track, which he never did over the summer.

He is very compact, so he doesn’t seem very out of balance when countercantering. I want to start taking him to cantering shows, but so fat I have only been able to go to walk/trot ones…and I’m feeling a little bad when I always get 1st place to a bunch of 6 year olds.

What can I do to better help my boy with his leads?? Exercises, suggestions, comments… I’m open for anything!

 

[Naturally]

What can I do to better help my boy with his leads?? Exercises, suggestions, comments… I’m open for anything!

Well.... if you're open to suggestions . See if you can get hold of a copy of Linda Parelli's DVD, Riding with Fluidity. You don't need to do PNH to grasp what she is talking about, and it is an amazing result when applied.

Apart from that....

There is also an impulsion program we ride called a "Yin/Yang" pattern. Imagine the Yin/Yang symbol (the black and white symbol for balance)

You need to have a round yard or ride a really good circle without one.

Start your circle at point A ride around a few laps at your chosen gate then when back at point A bring your horse through in a sort of S pattern and come out on the other lead, going in the other direction. You should finish your pattern directly across the circle from where you started it. If you are at the canter, initially drop to the trot for the S lead change. After that is established, ask for it at the continual canter. It's a pretty failsafe way to get your lead changes established then you can work on them from there. But do make sure you drop to trot for the first entire session and make sure you do both sides equally, even though he is better on one than the other.

I have no idea what you are like as a rider, but also check that you are not inhibiting his movement by leaning onto the leg you are asking for the lead on. A lot of riders look down at the leg they want to lead on and inadvertently shift their weight, making it harder for the horse to pick up the lead.

Anyway, hope that helps and Ive explained it OK.

 

[teabiscuit]

try asking him for canter as you go over a trotting pole on the ground-this worked for me.

 

[happy highlande]

Slightly worried that you are asking quite alot of a baby here. At 3 1/2 years he may not be able to canter on either lead yet - especially as he is a draft X.
Belie ve it or not ( and it is true) my Highland Pony could not canter with me on board until he was 7 (yes seven!!!) In one year he learnt to canter, counter canter and almost change lead!!!

Can your lad/lass canter on both leads on a lunge line or loose? If not - work on that. If he can then first get your position checked - I am stiff on the left and it affects my lad. With young ones you have sit sooo correctly.

Then just keep it simple - if you sit correctly, give correct aids and he if is ready it will come. Try over a pole in the corner, try a 15m circle then canter. One exercise that really helped me was to work on trot shoulder-in (if you want the aids for this ask!) - once he mastered this he could canter!!

 

[Tangle]

Slightly worried that you are asking quite alot of a baby here. At 3 1/2 years he may not be able to canter on either lead yet - especially as he is a draft X.

I was wondering the same thing. There's a very good article by Dr Deb Bennet on the rate of skeletal maturity in horses. While his bones are still growing, he's continually going to have to relearn how to balance himself as the relationship between his bones and muscles change. Asking him to balance himself, and you, and canter in an enclosed space on the right lead is actually asking quite a lot of him at the moment

I'd do loose schooling or long lining with him, but I'd avoid too much lunging for now - working on a circle is really hard work for his developing skeleton.

I know this probably wasn't what you wanted to hear, but please consider it - it should help you to have many more happy years with him in the future

 

[Skyhuntress]

Don't feel too bad Alot of young horses have problems with leads, just because its difficult to balance themselves and the rider (and a draft cross grows so slowly as well )

I don't start working with my babies til about 3.5 years old to begin with (all the fun stuff on longing and learning what a bit of contact means LOL), but what really works for me for when we eventually get to the canter is a) making sure I have a lot of room. Even if you canter just down the longside and he does it right, that's great. It's awkward for them to get around corners b) Really, really making sure my legs are overexagerated. So my outside leg is back and my inside leg at the girth so its harder to pop out the shoulder c)I also really exagerate my bend so that its even harder for him to go into the wrong lead.

It just takes a bit of time-just make sure you stay constant in the saddle, no leaning, ect. Eventually he'll pick it up

 

[Shizzity]

Thanks for all your suggestions.

He isn't actually my horse, I am just leasing him/training him for my instructor. We mostly just do walk trot, but we are starting to do more cantering work. He is able to canter on both leads, I just have trouble getting him to pick up the correct one. My trainer has trouble with his leads too, so I think it is more of a horse problem. (I'm sure I am contributing to the issue too.)

But good news! I went riding today (after not having gone for several days) and he was so good with his leads. We cantered left first (which is his harder way) and he picked it up the first try. We then went right, and he also got it his first try. (Keep in mind, each canter is about 1 lap around a fairly small arena.) I decided to go left again since he seemed to be in a working mood...I'm the only one who rides him, and I think he misses being ridden. At first he was popping his shoulder, so we worked on trotting straight. When I asked for the canter the first time, he missed his lead, and we went back to trotting straight. I asked him again and he picked it up! I was soo proud. After that I decided to go on a little trail ride as a reward. He loves trail rides as long as he gets to be first!

Sorry for the long spew, but I am so proud of my baby! I think we are going to a show this weekend (probably just walk trot).

Thanks for reading (if any of you do) !!