If you are learning to canter, your instructor is telling you all about canter leads. However, if you are too curious before cantering, or are having trouble understanding it, or just wanna read more about ’em, here you go.
To understand leads, you should know a little about how the canter goes. For example: First the right hind, then the left hind and right foreleg, then the left foreleg. Then suspension, then again, Right Hind, Left hind, Right Foreleg, Left Foreleg. So the leading leg, in this case, is the Left foreleg. This means he is on the left lead. If the horse would have been on the right lead, then: Left hind, right hind and left foreleg, then last, right foreleg. So, the leading leg, is the last to take off BEFORE suspension, and the last to land AFTER. It is important if you are riding in circles or arenas for you to make sure you are on the correct lead, and we will come to that now.
If you riding in circles, or in an arena, you need to be on the correct lead, which we will mention in a while, but for now, why? Well, the cantering lead plays a major role in the horses balance. For example, if you are tracking to the right, then your lead should be right lead, so that the horse can balance herself in the turning. If you ride on the wrong leg/lead, it will be more uncomfortable for both you and your horse, and she may fall more easily on corners and turns. Being on the right lead will be easier for the horse to shift the balance to the inside as she turns, keeping herself balanced. So, how do you know when you are on the correct lead?
Well, whilst riding, you will look to your inside, and have a good look at the inside leg and shoulder. If you see it sort of leads the stride, you are on the correct lead. If you cannot understand, have a look to your outside, too, and see which of the two goes more forward in the stride. If it is the outside, then you are on the wrong lead, and you must change; if it is inside, then you are on the correct lead, you may continue enjoying the canter! After a while, though, you’ll be able to tell by the feel of the canter. The picture features a horse on the right lead. You can see the leading foot, off of the ground, being the right one.
Now, how to change anyway? Well, it is simple. Bring your horse back to trot, and trot a few strides, around 8-10 strides, then sit and ask again. Gradually, decrease the amount of strides you trot, till you barely trot and are cantering again. some horses will just not get the correct lead at all. It takes time and patience with those type horses.
Some horses even can do flying lead changes, if they are trained to do so. That is that the horse adjusts his stride, bounces off of his leg and switches leads, if i am not wrong. I am not so sure about flying lead changes, though.
Some horses are even trained for specific cues to cue him into the correct lead, but that varies from horse to horse, as how they where trained.
So that is it for this weeks thing, and I know it should have been uploaded yesterday, but I didn’t get time to finish it yesterday, but here you go.