left lead

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xpectpeas22
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left lead

Postby xpectpeas22 » Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:11 pm

my horse is having a hard time picking up his left canter lead any reason this may be from racing?? he has a small bone chip in rt knee which is well encapsulated in good tissue so not going to be removed. any suggestion to fix this so he picks it up??
thanks all
hang on for the ride of your life!

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madelyn
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Postby madelyn » Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:56 am

He may be just VERY one-sided. You could try spending a lot of time working him to the left, walk and trot, and doing serpentines. When he can trot a good serpentine, move to figure 8's. You could also check his back for soreness, also his right hind (leads off for the left lead). Does he canter on the lunge? Can he use his left lead on the lunge? Tough to pinpoint without seeing the horse...
So Run for the Roses, as fast as you can.....

xpectpeas22
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Postby xpectpeas22 » Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:19 pm

he can canter on the lunge line i will have to look at him. i try not to do too much canter on the lunge because he can get carried away. i will also take your suggestion about the serpetines and figure 8. thank you. i think he may just be weak on that lead. onesided as you said. i have been working with him since i posted this with a friend of mine and he has started to pick it up.
hang on for the ride of your life!

larrygene
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Postby larrygene » Thu Apr 20, 2006 2:17 pm

Now nobody is going to believe this but why do you think in Europe and most of the rest of the racing world they run clockwise!! It's because just like humans, who are the majority right handed, the majority of horses are right legged.They naturally want to lead with their right legs.
Remember, the TB originated in Europe. The Europeans have about 100 plus years more experience than we do.
The reason we run counter clockwise in this country is because when this country was in it's infancy, as colonist, we wanted nothing to do with anything resonabling the "king's traditions", even when it came to horse racing. That's why we run clockwise. I have trained many horses and have found most have trouble learning to lead with their left leg. So, now you have a history lesson and probably why your horse doesn't like to lead with their left leg.

and as FOS says, "Respectfully"

Sheikh
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Postby Sheikh » Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:05 am

Never considered that about the thoroughbred Larry ! In Europe we race in both directions now. It's funnyn how a horse can be great going one way and need stabilisers going the other !