[Horseemommy]

I am having an issue with one of the horses I am riding. These are not mine, just exercising them for friend. The gelding I am riding does not want to pick up his left lead. I try every trick I know, bend head in, bend head out, ask with left leg, ask with right leg, and he just keeps picking up that right lead. He picks up his right lead, no problem.

From what I am told, he is 5 years old, broke as a 'mexican ranch horse' (I am not sure what that is) and was used as a dude horse on trails. My guess is that I am the first to ask him to canter on a different lead. Other than that, he is a very quiet, good boy.

How can I get him to pick up that lead? Any tricks or tips?


*Edited to add update*

I worked the horse today and did circles and stretching at the trot. He did seem to improve a bit with that since the last ride. I took him to the roundpen just to see if he would pick up the left lead on his own. Once again, the right was no problem. I could not get him to canter on the left lead for the life of me! He cantered for about one second on, that was it. I chased him around and then he wore me out! I really don't know what to do here.

[Lopinslow]

When i have trouble with a youngster on a lead, i'll over exagerate hip movement as i'm asking them to go into it. (think of how your hip moves when you are in the lead, then over exagerate that)

[kaitlyndzn]

when you ask for him to pick up the lead try doing it in a corner...maybe figure eights so he feels the shift in the balance...just an idea

[EMZNELLZ]

perhaps move into a corner at a quick and active sitting trot and take a small circle (maybe 5-7 metres) and ask for the canter as you come off the corner....he will have his weight on his inside leg so make sure you have his weaker leg on the inside of the circle and then hopefully when you squeeze for the canter he will have to take that weight on his correct lead to balance himself?

[JBandRio]

Most likely the issue needs to be worked on at the trot first. He may be crooked enough that it's difficult to pick the correct lead up.

Make sure you can move his shoulders to the right, that you can keep his shoulders in front of his hind end, and, just as importantly, that you are not inadvertently asking for the right lead with your body.

[alquatic]

Have someone on the ground lunging the horse with you on his back and both of you ask for the canter over a ground pole. It's worked on every horse I've tried it on. Then once he gets the hang of that, just ask over a ground pole and eventually take the ground pole away.

[Horseemommy]

Thanks for the replies. I think for now I will try lunging him a little to get him to go on th left lead and trot bending work.

[raisethebar]

Originally Posted by JBandRio

Most likely the issue needs to be worked on at the trot first. He may be crooked enough that it's difficult to pick the correct lead up.

Make sure you can move his shoulders to the right, that you can keep his shoulders in front of his hind end, and, just as importantly, that you are not inadvertently asking for the right lead with your body.

Ditto, plus keep contact on your outside rein. It's a common mistake to throw away your outside rein and over exadurate inside bend.. all this does is throw your horse off balance and they generally pick up the correct lead to keep from falling over, it's merely incorrect and a cheat.

[Horseemommy]

Just wanted to bump this up because I added an update.

[JBandRio]

If he won't (or can't) pick up the left lead in the round pen, then first you need to rule out something physical.

Will he take the left lead in the field?

If we assume it's not a physical issue, as in there's nothing *preventing* him from the left lead (as opposed to just being a stiffness physical issue), then don't ask him any more in the round pen - you can't affect him enough.

It's something you'll have to work on under saddle, and you may need a really qualified rider to help get through this.