I have my third show ever tomorrow. At my first show, I rode very well and ended up with first place, but at my second show I messed up my canter lead. I am really paranoid about missing my lead again tomorrow, and I get the wrong one half the time in my lessons. I know I’m kind of psyching myself out, but it’s all I can think about right now. Any advice for picking up the correct canter lead on a straightaway, from the walk? And how to calm down about it and focus on being ready for the show?
I would suggest taking your time when you’re asked to canter. Don’t try to be the first to pick up the canter. Instead, focus on picking it up correctly. When the announcer asks you to canter, take a deep breath and think about about your aids as you apply them. Sit up and don’t lean forward or try to “help” your horse into the canter. That can throw him off balance, cause him to trot a few steps and then pick up the wrong lead.
The horse you’ll be riding may have very specific cues for picking up the correct lead. But I would say in general that I ever so slightly squeeze my inside hand on the reins (like squeezing a wet sponge) and then press with my outside leg behind the girth. That way, I’m being clear in signaling to my horse which lead I want.
As for freaking out: You are not alone. 
I can still remember a lesson I took years ago, right before heading out to a big show. I rode like an idiot to a jump and my horse— who never refused— slid to a stop. It was totally my fault and the horse was saving both of us. But I couldn’t sleep that night. I kept obsessing over that one refusal in my lesson. I kept analyzing what I’d done wrong. I was miserable! But guess what? I got to the show, my horse didn’t hold a grudge against me, and I was so determined not to make the same error again that we had a great show. So don’t worry! Mistakes are how we learn.
Good luck at the show! 
10 Likes
If you’re familiar with doing leg yields, you can ride just a few feet off the rail. When the announcer asks for a canter, then ask for a leg yield back towards the rail and cue for your canter lead as soon as your horse’s body starts to bend around your leg and before you actually get back to the rail to straighten out!
The timing on this is the tricky part, but you can practice it in the warmup. The key is to ask before your horse gets to the rail and straightens out again. Since you won’t be very far from the rail to begin with, I’d ask as soon as I get one sideways step from the horse. Like Paint_Party said though, don’t rush it. Take a deep breath, organize yourself and then ask.
If you pick up the wrong lead, don’t sweat it! Just come back to a trot and try again. Two things to keep in mind: 1) the judge might not even see it and 2) even if the judge does see it, as long as you promptly and calmly correct it, there’s a decent chance they won’t penalize you for it very heavily. What WILL cause you to be penalized is if you canter around the ring on the wrong lead or if you pick up the wrong lead and then frantically haul on your horse to get back to a trot and then rush into the lead again (and probably miss it the 2nd time too now). Calm, cool and collected is the name of the game.
3 Likes
If you are missing a lot of leads in lessons, perhaps your show entry fees and other show charges could go to more lessons? Kind of a waste of money when leads are a huge part of the show judging criteria? Meaning it’s one thing to miss one occasionally, as we all have, quite another going in when you aren’t solid most of the time at home and fear of missing looms large in your mind.
This is a situation where specific advice is impossible without knowing why this happening, cant fix it if we don’t know what’s broken. We don’t know what your skill set as a rider is. Is it your horse? Are you its only rider? Does the horse get its leads for ither riders? Do you get your leads on other horses? Is there a physical reason horse misses, sore leg/back/hocks?
The best answer without knowing specifics is more practice at home with basic flatwork, basic dressage. From an instructor familiar with those basics which are the same regardless of discipline. Would be a better use of horse money then showing when basics are not solid.
4 Likes
Ok I probably should add that I don’t own a horse and I will be riding a horse that I have never ridden before from the host barn. And there’s no warm-up since I’m just doing a flat class. I am very good with the canter in general, my position is good and my trainer has said I ride it well, but I do struggle with the transitions on straightaways. Please don’t hate on my trainer for putting me in WTC rather than WT though.
Don’t “hate” your trainer at all. Only know what you choose to share. I was always on too tight a budget to pay entry fees, coaching, use of horse fees etc if I was doubtful I could meet the class requirements. With the added info you’ve never ridden the horse and will not be able to practice or warm up on it? Not sure that sets you up for success and/or create a confidence and skill building opportunilty
3 Likes
This sounds like IEA.
It is VERY common in IEA to cut across the middle of the ring to get your lead if you are asked to canter while on a straightaway. Ask your trainer about this before you do it but it is pretty widely accepted in IEA.
7 Likes
OK, here’s the trick for you…
The usual rotation of gaits asked for in flat classes is walk, trot, walk, canter. That gives you the feared walk to canter transition. Then reverse, and do the same in the other direction. So you go into the ring, and do walk, trot, walk, and before they are going to ask for the canter transition, you need to “re-space” yourself on the rail, so, at the walk, you start to do a large circle, just “innocently”, as if you aren’t thinking that you are going to be asked to canter any time soon. And during that circle, “most likely”, the announcer is going to ask for “canter”. So, you get to ask for your canter transition on the circle, coming back onto the rail. This puts your horse on a bend for the circle, and looking at just coming back onto the rail… the most likely scenario for him to take that inside lead because his quarters are shifted to the inside for the bend with the circle. You have to start your circle BEFORE they ask for the canter to make it all look “innocent”, and don’t “rush” your circle. Remember, you are just repositioning yourself on the rail to show your horse off correctly for the judge, not being in a crowd of other horses, for maximum ability to be seen by the judge.
It’s not “guaranteed” to work, but if you get the timing right on doing your circle, and if the command for “canter” comes just when you think it is going to, you get a bonus. Good luck, and have a good show.
4 Likes
Replying to the post suggesting that you leg yield off your track. I think this is fine for practicing at home. But at a show, in a flat class, it’s rude to others to meander out of your lane.
And ultimately, your goal should be to have a straight horse. Straighten, shape a bit in the manner that horse likes, then ask.
2 Likes
Also, never squeeze, pull or tighten the inside rein when asking for your canter lead. That will only block the inside legs of the horse and if anything, encourage it to take the counter canter.
1 Like
Not meandering - deliberately choose your track to be about 3-4 feet off the rail all the way around the ring. No one should be passing you on the outside anyways.
If you’re meandering you’re doing it wrong.
1 Like
Welp, got both leads but the horse I was riding had an unbelievably bumpy canter and it was throwing off my position. Still got 4th out of 7 though.
4 Likes
IEA. Don’t worry, half the class will pick up the wrong lead in the wtc. Fix it quickly and you are fine. These are people’s school horses, so in general sit in the middle, look up, and use outside leg. If the horse needs more it will come with more instructions. And you can totally cut across the ring, especially in wtc.
2 Likes
Glad you got your leads! Tips for next time here are good, so I’ll throw my 2 cents in. I don’t ride in the track right on the rail in I can help it, rather just inside (not enough room for someone in their right mind to try to pass). This gives space to push horse off inside leg (baby leg yield for a stride or two at most, just to get the horse off the inside), open inside rein ever so slightly, and press with the outside leg for canter. MOST of your English trained lesson horses will pick up the inside leg this way. No leaning or tipping forward with the upper body!
Like above, no need to be the first to canter, but a good, prompt walk-canter transition is best. You can totally cut across the ring if it’s safe, especially at WTC IEA, but I would advise heavily against the circle tactic. I was always taught (by R judges) to never circle for space if you can help it. Much better to cut across a short end, turn on the quarter line, or last resort cut across the middle. Never circle!
