leads

[beauradical]

In a show, when you have the wrong lead, do you trot again and try to pick up the right one? If they get the wrong lead again, should you trot again and try to pick it up again? The reason I'm asking is because beau is a leftie..he's less devleoped on the right side, and he hardly ever picks up his right lead. I've been doing a lot of work in the right direction..but beau just gets frustrated when I ask him to canter, thing bring him back then ask again.so on when he has the wrong lead...everything else is good so far. I was thinking about just doing w/t because I can't get this lead thing right..any suggestions?

[Upandover]

A judge would rather see you try to correct a lead then carry on on the wrong one, for one it's dangerous to be cantering corners on the wrong lead, it leaves them unbalanced and in the worse case they could trip or fall over. If the judge sees you trying to correct the lead it shows them that you are aware of the problem, and have the knowledge to make it right.
to be in a class and the entire time be on the wrong lead, the judge may think you are not advanced enough to recconize that something is wrong, and it makes you as a rider look like an amature.

[chels]

Rightly said.
I suggest warming up on his good side, to get him listening, as well as supple. Changing his bend and doing suppling exercises on his bad side will get him more aware of his body. Helping him along with your body will help him pick up the right lead. A trick I learned a few years ago, was to support his inside shoulder with my inside rein, simply by holding it up and encouraging him to pick up his correct lead. Watch your seat bones too, make sure your inside seat bone is open and forward, also your head straight and up. I find circling makes the horse realize he's doing something wrong, because he may just be a little uncomfortable. He'll figure out soon enough that it's easier to pick up the right lead.

[Michelle]

Nick had the same problem as Beau. He had trouble picking up the right lead. My coach told me to try posting on the wrong diagional and asking from that, then eventually I could sit and ask him to do it. Keep him straight and sit on your outside seat bone then ask.

[beauradical]

A clinitian once told me to trot really really fast and bend him to the outside and ask for canter and he'd pick it up. He did pretty good today, thanks for the advice.

[Andrea]

Trot really really fast?
Doesn't make sense to me.
I'd slow to a trot, then ask for a canter on the right lead when in a corner.

[4x4]

beauradical said:

A clinitian once told me to trot really really fast and bend him to the outside and ask for canter and he'd pick it up. He did pretty good today, thanks for the advice.

Please don't do this. Balance is the most important key here and running into a canter is the WRONG way to achieve it. Steady, working trot, sit and cue for canter. Half halt, keep their head straight, outside leg slightly behind the girth, inside leg resting on the girth. Ask for the canter as you are just approaching a corner. This will encourage them to pick up the proper lead.

As another poster already mentioned, definitely correct your lead if you pick up the wrong one in a class. Might be frustrating, but I'd much rather see someone try to correct their lead in a class than blindly canter around unaware that they are even on the wrong lead in the first place.

Good luck.

[beauradical]

stephan lepoint is the one who told me to do this..anyone know him? He did end u[p picking up th right lead..thanks fo4 the advice

[happilyeverafter]

yeah he's also the one that punched cocoa in the face.
good old stefan.

[Sarah P]

..don't you guys still have him down for clinics?

[beauradical]

Why did he punch Cocoa in the face?? I mean I might have giving beau a smack in the face but for a damn good reason(i.e biting me really hard) and he's my horse...but hitting cocoa? he's a fragile horse already..beau can take it...thats nuts

[Joan]

no we haven't had him down for clinics after what happend to Cocoa, about a year and a half maybe more???

[beauradical]

explain more?

I mean..sometimes people overreact about these things. I remember at Rainbow May kicked me in the leg when I was picking her hooves so I kneed her in the stomach and everyone went around saying I abused and kicked all the horses there.

I don't know the story with this Cocoa buisness though, tell me more!

[happilyeverafter]

I did see it with my own eyes but everyone says the exact same thing and it is not an exaggeration.

Sarah P- Rainbow has not had Stefan in at least 2 years. We finished with him the moment he hit Cocoa. Clovelly (i think) had him in a few times after that but I dont think he's been here much since then.

[Vicky]

Hahaha good ole'Clovelly.

News of the face punching trvelled pretty fast....was Cocoa acting up or anything (though I dont think any "bad" behaviour deserves a punch in the face!!)