Canter leads

[spirithorse21]

Doc has been performing exceptionally well lately, except in one area--the right lead canter. I could really use some fresh perspective and ideas as to how I should address this.

Comments

[buymeaclue]

The canter stride begins with the outside hind, yes? Getting him to step up under himself with that inside hind is absolutely important, but the other hind leg is your first step of the gait.

So. Something that sometimes helps. Pick up your trot, get it nice and forward and on the aids, and go onto a circle left, maybe 10, 12, 15 meters, and stay there for a bit, getting that left hind good and engaged. Turn out of your circle, bend him right (without losing that left hind), and ask for a right lead depart.

[spirithorse21]

Thank you. This is certainly something new to try and that I will...tonight. :)

[half_a_cider]

We must be separated at birth. :). What you have written is the SAME as what we are going through. I have been using the exercises you have talked about. I got some great advice about it last week, but I was getting ready to post here on it also. Anyway, let me get to the point

[spirithorse21]

Good luck to you in your quest as well. I think I may try incorporating the jump more and asking him to hold that right lead canter. I've been very focused on getting him to take that lead on the flat that perhaps I have overlooked the benefit of using the jump to get the correct lead and then asking him to hold it and learn that he can balance well using the correct lead.
Thank you. :)

[half_a_cider]

Well, I was never getting the lead under saddle. I spent some time watching him in the field and noticed that he never picks up the right lead (he will switch to it after picking up the left lead...even going to the right).
So I decided to just give up on picking up the right lead for a while and instead encourage him to build his flexion, fitness, and endurance at the right lead. Once I can get a better balanced right lead I will start working on picking up the right lead on the flat.
I worried about it a lot and have now come to terms with it...we are right lead impaired. :)
Oh and by the way I cannot find a competent trainer in my area either. I had one, but it is just not working out. I think I am going to audit some clinics for a while and try to get an idea of who is good a bit further afar. I will probably have to travel an hour (if I am lucky), but it will be worth it even if it is only once a month.

[spirithorse21]

I totally hear you on the trainer issues. For the longest time, I was trying to find a show jumper trainer who used REAL dressage as the building blocks of his/her program. Not happening here in Indiana. I've come to the conclusion that I just need to find TWO really awesome trainers...one for dressage, and one for show jumping. Everyone is about two hours away (sigh) but it will certainly be worth it. I've got inquiries out with a well-reputed show jumper and a dressage training that I have personally witness her goodness.

[greenbirds]

Asking for the canter depart while you're trotting a 10-12 meter circle to the right might help -- once he's picked up the canter, you can go large and canter the arena or a much bigger figure, but the teeny circle makes it hard(er) for them to pick up the wrong lead initially, and far easier for them to pick up the correct one. This exercise worked like magic on my stubborn little pony, who used to be horrid about picking up her right lead (and would cheerfully counter-canter on the lunge), and also helped a friend of mine who was working with a stubborn little appy mare.

[spirithorse21]

It does not seem to work very well on Doc. No matter the size of the circle, he prefers to pick up the wrong lead. Sometimes he stay on the wrong lead, sometimes he switches. But he's not so keen on picking it up.

The strange thing is that he doesn't act like he's being naughty or confused. It's just the natural thing to do, in his mind, and he thinks I'm a little crazy for asking him to canter and then come right back down. I think he almost gets it, but not quite.

[bpeventer]

I would try haunches in. To the extent that you lose the bend in the front half of his body. The nose is where he body is going to go, but the haunches are going to determine how he gets there. I would ask on a lareger ( 40 meter ) circle basically just to vaguely have a round area. Then I would just ask him to bring his haunches in, but not just a little, a lot. When I do this I think about feeling like the hind leg is pushing my inside hip forward. Then ask, he might try to run into the canter becasue it is physically hard or he might pick it up. Keep the haunches in through the transistion, you might have to bring him back and ask again if you lose the haunches. This has really helped with the appy I ride, he is not trying to be bad, it is just physically hard for him to move through like that so having the haunches in activates the leg and puts him in the appropriate bend for the lead.

[spirithorse21]

Thanks for the description. I'll give that a try tomorrow night.