Horse won't pick up left lead! Help!!!

[sauvignon1008]

Hi, I have a 7yr old OTTB mare who I got in January. She is an amazing horse and very smart. She has absolutely no health issues and is totally sound.

The only problem is her left lead. She has a beautiful canter to the right however she will not pick up the left lead. She will get it on the lunge line ever 20 times or so but its rare and she breaks out of it soon. If I ask in the ring, she will always pick up the right lead, even on a tighter circle.

Its not like most horses where she picks up the wrong lead and will fix it after I ask a few times, she just does not get it. However there is nothing physically hurting her and all of her tack fits. I’m assuming they race on their left lead so shouldn’t she get it?

My trainer has ridden her and is helping me and she also struggles to get her to pick it up. She also is slightly dead to the leg on the left (but also right) side, would that be making a difference?

It has also gotten to the point where she picks up the right lead so much that she has become much stronger so that doesn’t help - since that side is easier then trying to do the left so I’m just digging myself into a hole. Should I not canter for a while and just work on strengthening her left side?

Are there any exercises to help with not being responsive to the leg? Should I do lunging? I also had someone suggest that she may have a weak stifle… are there any exercises for that? Has anyone had this problem?

Thank you so much and any advice is more then welcome! She is 100% sound and in great health so I don’t believe that has anything to do with the problem. I also have lessons consistently with my trainer. Thank you!!!

[SuzieQNutter]

I have been through this with a few.

Starting with lunging. I lunge in side reins. I ask for canter, if they go disunited or incorrect lead. I say incorrect or disunited and ask for trot with the lunge rein. If they go off on the correct lead they get Good boy or Girl and are encouraged to continue. Even if it is just a few strides they are halted afterwards and made a fuss of. Stroking not patting. Praise with voice. Change of direction is also a reward.

Eventually if they go off incorrect or disunited as soon as you say the word they will trot and go correct for you. This gets better as they get stronger.

Under saddle you find what works for that horse. The one that really mentally seemed to not know we started with a too fast 10m circle to unbalance him and ask for the canter and ask to turn in. This did not work until after we had him cantering immediately on the stride asked and not a stride later. He would get the correct lead but surge so if your horse does that do not accidentally pull on the reins as that is punishment for doing the right thing and will confuse her. Get off the back if she is not strong enough to carry you and PRAISE.

Later with that horse we found that opening the outside rein with strong outside leg right back and inside leg right forward worked and now there is no surging. Then you refine the aides later.

The other horse none of the above worked for him. Instead you had to get your outside leg right back and have your inside leg right forward,as in front of the girth. He was much easier as he learned pretty quickly that going in that direction meant that lead.

[sauvignon1008]

Thank you! I have tried lunging and every time she picks up the right lead, I stop her then immediately ask again for the left but it will take her 8 or 10 times to get the left lead. I always stop and praise her but she doesn’t seem to realize that that is what I’m looking for. She also is difficult to lunge because when she does manage to get the lead, she is unbalanced and just gallops around with no control. I also noticed that she only will gallop when I ride or on the lunge line and I’m not sure that she knows how to canter that way…? When I ride, I have tried unbalancing her but due to her lack of response to the leg, it takes her several steps into the canter (when trying on the left) and she is able to sway her weight to pick up the right lead.

[c0608524]

My OTTB was the same way. Took nearly a year to consistently correct it. That being said, I’m nowhere near a pro and someone more consistent/a better rider probably could have fixed it quicker.

Set out a trot pole in a corner. Ask over the pole. He would get it nearly every time that way.

The other way he would pick it up is if we went straight towards the wall, at B or E, and at the last minute turn left and ask. It was almost like playing ‘chicken’ with the wall. It wasn’t pretty, but then we could get it and canter on, building up strength. We wouldn’t drill it, as he got tired he’d struggle more and it was counter productive.

Lastly, as he was starting to really get it, we’d almost counter flex to open up the inside shoulder and ask. It seemed so counter productive in my mind but it did work.

Its tough and I really feel for you. You’ll get it, it just takes time.

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

I saw this a few time as a working student. Sometimes, it’s the horse. Sometimes, it’s the rider and how the rider is asking.

I’m assuming you ride hunt seat? Are you giving the cues correctly? Sit up straight, deep seat, leg at the girth and the other slightly behind, giving a half-halt to mentally ‘warn’ her that something’s going to be asked of her? Riders, too, are one-sided; you might be leaning forward or tipping to the outside when you ask for that left lead. I did this a lot, because my right leg was so dominant.

To strengthen her overall - lots and lots of cavaletti. Long and low stretches at the walk and trot (while still engaging the core and hindquarters) to help her topline. Shoulder-in to get her balanced and responsive on both sides (serpentines are good for this, too).

If she were mine, I’d lay off the canter under saddle for a bit and work on the basics, to get her developing on both sides and stronger so she can pick up and maintain the canter on the left. Was she raced up until January? If so, she has some developing to do. I didn’t start cantering my OTTB for several months after he came off the track.

[Angela_Freda]

Has the vet and or chiro looked to be sure it’s not an actual physiological issue?

[S1969]

@Angela Freda

Has the vet and or chiro looked to be sure it’s not an actual physiological issue?

Agreed. My OTTB ex-broodmare has this same issue but it is definitely physical…it could have been race/training injury or a breeding injury, or something else. I got her as an emaciated 11 year old with a foal at her side…so I never did diagnostics to identify the cause…vet/farrier and I are not entirely sure where it originates and what is compensation. We rode her lightly for a few years and she was reasonably sound but there are other signs that show up when she is overworked - toe dragging, shoulder stiffness - all on the same diagonal pair. As a retiree she appears entirely sound but even at leisure she will choose the right lead 99% of the time.

I’d at least try to rule out a physical issue before you assume it’s a training issue. Maybe not a full diagnostic workup but at least a basic lameness evaluation by your vet.

[Palm_Beach]

It’s related to her not responding to leg. Typical English rider problem. Teach her correctly via groundwork, then get on and work on the same thing at the halt, walk and trot. The problem will disappear.

[Angela_Freda]

@sauvignon1008

Hi, I have a 7yr old OTTB mare who I got in January. She is an amazing horse and very smart. She has absolutely no health issues and is totally sound.

The only problem is her left lead. She has a beautiful canter to the right however she will not pick up the left lead. She will get it on the lunge line ever 20 times or so but its rare and she breaks out of it soon. If I ask in the ring, she will always pick up the right lead, even on a tighter circle.

Its not like most horses where she picks up the wrong lead and will fix it after I ask a few times, she just does not get it. However there is nothing physically hurting her and all of her tack fits. I’m assuming they race on their left lead so shouldn’t she get it?

My trainer has ridden her and is helping me and she also struggles to get her to pick it up. She also is slightly dead to the leg on the left (but also right) side, would that be making a difference?

It has also gotten to the point where she picks up the right lead so much that she has become much stronger so that doesn’t help - since that side is easier then trying to do the left so I’m just digging myself into a hole. Should I not canter for a while and just work on strengthening her left side?

Are there any exercises to help with not being responsive to the leg? Should I do lunging? I also had someone suggest that she may have a weak stifle… are there any exercises for that? Has anyone had this problem?

Thank you so much and any advice is more then welcome! She is 100% sound and in great health so I don’t believe that has anything to do with the problem. I also have lessons consistently with my trainer. Thank you!!!

I wanted to ask who suggested a weak stifle?
based on what?

Bringing along an OTTB, retraining them, takes time. This horse has been with you since Jan. You don’t clarify if she raced only all this time, had any time off in between her racing carrier and coming to you or has had work before coming to you prior to Jan, in between.
Also, ime at 7 she’s likely still growing and maturing, she could be very sore from this change of way of going combined with that growth.

If even your trainer can’t get the left lead, there’s definitely something wrong, with the horse or the trainer, or both.

[Beck]

Leads are all about balance. All.

A horse that resists taking one lead consistently is telling you there is a problem. It hurts to do so, they are too weak, the leg/back/muscles mechanically simply cannot do that, the balance is not there (the horse is not straight and/or supple enough): it is our job to find out which one(s) apply.

[Dressagelvr]

I would be willing to bet there’s an undiagnosed physical issue here.

Time for the vet.

[Showbizz]

I start a lot of horses, and many, many of them start off one-leaded. Likely in the pasture, that’s the lead they chose and got stronger at.

It’s a hind end issue. What kind of body control do you have? Most missed leads include a dropped inside shoulder due to flailing the hind end to the outside. Fix the outside hind leg, direct it underneath the horse’s center, and you get the lead.

Work on lots of turn on the forehand to the left, encouraging her to put that right hind leg deeper under her center. When that gets easy, school haunches-in at the walk. Make sure you encourage true bend by keeping the front end straight or slightly tipped to the left. Do not let her just leg yield and take her nose right at this stage.

It will take time to build up strength and muscle memory, but this should give you your left lead.

[mydogs]

We had a horse similar to that at the barn. No problem picking up the left lead but rarely picked up the right lead. No obvious soundness issues either.

Did some chiro work and he had something out of place, I think a rib or something around his hip. His shoulders are also super tight and needs a super light touch for massaging. Everything was great after the chiro session but as time went on, the issue came back. He apparently needs regular chiro sessions until his muscles stop pulling things out of place.

[Haylter]

if she does not even get it on the lunge she does have some sort of physical issue.

[RainWeasley]

@sauvignon1008 I had a few horses with this issue. Do lots of stretches on the ground, especially carrot stretches. Lots of suppling and lateral exercises at a walk and trot. Turn on forehand, leg yield, shoulder in, both sides. It sounds like she just has one side that is really weak or tight or both. Maybe some hill work or cavalleti / trot and walk poles. Really focus on relaxing at the walk and trot too, if they are tense you won’t be able to work the muscles correctly.

And racehorses actually tend to run on their right lead oddly enough. They might switch to left on the turns but not always. My last two OTTBs struggled to get their left, they just had to build up strength and loosen up.

[no.stirrups]

Another vote for it being an undiagnosed physical issue. I’d also bet that the horse isn’t well balanced in the walk and trot. That should be fixed before bothering with canter work because the canter won’t be good if the preparation for the transition isn’t adequate.

[S1969]

@Palm Beach

It’s related to her not responding to leg. Typical English rider problem. Teach her correctly via groundwork, then get on and work on the same thing at the halt, walk and trot. The problem will disappear.

Maybe.

Most race horses are trained to pick up leads correctly. Not sure what this horse’s background is, so it may be premature to assume anything…for the good or the bad. I wouldn’t assume that this is an English rider issue. (What does that mean anyway?)

OP what has this horse been doing for 7 years? Racing, breeding, something else?

[Palm_Beach]

@S1969

Maybe.

Most race horses are trained to pick up leads correctly. Not sure what this horse’s background is, so it may be premature to assume anything…for the good or the bad. I wouldn’t assume that this is an English rider issue. (What does that mean anyway?)

OP what has this horse been doing for 7 years? Racing, breeding, something else?

Not off the leg, it’s more of a weight shift and rein squeeze than anything. If the horse is not responding to her leg, that needs to be worked on first, before she can expect the horse to pick up the correct lead, which begins with the outside hind leg.

[merrygoround]

If you are sure she checks out physically, I would do two things. First I would go on the longe, with side reins. If you get the wrong lead ,immediately stop, and restart her. sometimes taking a step forward or giving an inch or two on the longe line will help put them on the correct hind leg to strike off. If and when she gets it, praise, praise praise. Let her go, if she can for at least a full circle. As far as the galloping on the longe and u/s, balance, balance, balance. The more she longes ,trot,as well as canter, the better her balance will be. Then the canter will come.

The second thing I would do, is have an instructor there when you do get in the saddle, to be sure you are always correct.

[sdlbredfan]

Just in case it is a muscle weakness issue, OP should make sure that she is posting both diagonals, not just always on a particular pair of legs of the horse’s choosing. (Most horses do prefer to use a particular pair of legs, and will often make that very clear to the rider.) I agree more Veterinary and/or chiro attention is needed.

Since a left lead canter starts with right hind, OP should ensure optimal strength of right hindquarter muscle (which affects the stifle on that side of course), by posting with the right hind/left front diagonal pair, especially if has not been used as much in the past.