# How can I tell if i'm on the correct lead in a canter??



## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

More experienced riders can feel it, but it kind of comes with practice. If you look down, your inside foreleg should be stretching forward further than the outside.

So if you're going left, the left foreleg will be stretching forward 'leading' the horse and right is just the opposite.


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## LindseyHunterx24 (Nov 1, 2010)

So if i'm going to the left my inside leg should be the one extending the most? and same with the right?


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## TurnNBurn625 (Aug 19, 2010)

if i were at a show and on the wrong lead i would fix it right then. not wait.


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## LindseyHunterx24 (Nov 1, 2010)

TurnNBurn625 said:


> if i were at a show and on the wrong lead i would fix it right then. not wait.


Okay thanks cause I've seen them take points of for horses that are on the wrong lead and go to a trot to fix it and they took points off for that since it was an only canter. But thanks


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

Yep! 

And at a show I would also fix it immediately.


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## LindseyHunterx24 (Nov 1, 2010)

Okay thanks! I'll try it later today


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## Tymer (Dec 28, 2009)

I used to always have trouble with figuring out how to "see" leads. I can feel them now most of the time, but then it was a big issue. If you're counting the beats in your head (1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3) I found that the leading leg would land on the second beat, which made it easier to tell which leg I was looking for if the extension was minor. This may not be the case. If you're counting with the back legs first, it will be the third beat, and if you count the leading leg first it will be first.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

If you count canter, the leading leg is always counted as three because genereally it feels like it lands the hardest and because after that foot hits and rebounds is the moment of suspension before the rear leg begins again.

(kind of 1,2,3 and tiny pause, 1,2,3)


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_I glance down if I cant feel it. If I am at a show, I do it sneakily so the judge doesnt see._

_I look to see if the inside leg is "leading" the way. If your horse feels all wonky going around the corner, then you are probably on the wrong lead._

_For a flat class...fix the lead as soon as possible....with either a flying change, or a simple change. For a hunter class over fences, most people change the lead in the corner after the jump if they did not get it over the fence._


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

LindseyHunterx24 said:


> So if i'm going to the left my inside leg should be the one extending the most? and same with the right?


The horses inside leg, not your own will extend further if you are on the correct lead.


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## barrelracingstar121 (Dec 1, 2010)

I started out on a pony and his leads were SO hard to feel. little choppy pony strides. Then i moved to my Big saddlebred arab and his strides are so big and moving, it was easy to feel and see. It just comes with time and practice


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## RhapsGirl (Nov 28, 2010)

Also... a lot of horses get a much more awkward stride when they're countercantering or crosscantering. I'm at the point where I can pretty much feel it on my horse, but if it's an unfamiliar horse then I glance down.

My trainer also said that your inside hip will swing forward more.


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## boxer (Feb 20, 2009)

I always used to have trouble knowing if my horse got the correct lead or not, I used to try and work it out by looking down and seeing which leg was leading but could never really figure it out that way. I decided instead to try and see if I can feel which hind leg is landing first and found this soooo much easier. I can now feel if it's the right lead every time. The outside hind leg lands first. Also as someone else said the horse will feel wonky in corners if they are on the wrong lead, if you think it's wrong try riding a 20metre circle to see how it feels.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Can you feel what lead you are on based on which way the horse is rocking you? 

In other words, if my horse is on the right lead, I'm being rocked (or kind of jerked) to the right? 

I just trail ride, and I have no one to watch me and tell me what lead I am on, but I kind of think I can feel it, based on which way I'm being rocked or jarred, if that makes sense? Maybe my horse is just really rough, but he tends to jar me to one side or the other when we canter, so I assume the direction I am being jarred is the lead we are on, because I picture that leg being out in front, so I get rocked that direction. Does that make sense, or am I incorrect thinking that way? 

I am pretty clueless on leads, but luckily my main trail horse always switches leads when we switch directions and seems to know what he is doing. Ha ha! I can tell when we switch leads because it is like a car being shifted with a jolt. :lol:


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## sitbacnroc (Mar 3, 2010)

On most horses you should feel a little unbalanced and your horse will be choppier if he's on the wrong lead whereas if on the correct lead he'll be smoothe and comfortable. If you're feeling like the canter is not smoothe or a little off you're probably on the incorrect lead. If you want him to pick up the correct lead, try bending him to the inside and ask for the canter in a corner. This can encourage picking up the correct lead. When showing, unless you and your horse can correctly do flying or auto changes then you need to come down to a trot, only take a few trot steps and then ask for the correct lead again. Try to do it quickly and not when a judge is watching


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

On most horses I could feel it. On some horses it was quite difficult. On an unbalanced horse there is a deffinate feeling of wrongness, the canter is uncomfortable and going round corners is hair raiseing. On a balanced horse that has been taught counter canter then you realy have to be able to feel the movement of the shoulders beneath you.

Stan was extremely balanced in counter canter and I could only tell a tight corner. So I routinely looked on him, not that I needed to as he was taught that when I asked for canter the leg that went back indicated which leg he was to strike off on and he NEVER got it wrong.

At a show if a horse struck off wrong I would fix it immediately so that it doesnt become a problem fo the future. Dressage and flat classes it is imperative that you correct the canter, jumping not so much but it does make it easier to do corners and judge striding if you are on the correct leg.
So come back to trot, rebalance the trot, make sure the bend is corret and then ask for canter again, this can all be done within 1 or 2 strides. Make sure your outside leg is behind the girth and your inside leg is on the girth, that the pony is bending to the inside and that the trot is balanced and is of good quality. You will not get a good quality canter if the trot is not right first and if you run through your transition (ie, just get faster and faster untill he has to go into canter, rather then a crisp clean strike off) then you are not likely to get the right strike off.


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## TexasBlaze (Oct 4, 2010)

I look at my horses shoulders to see which lead they are on. While i am going to the left her left shoulder should move after her right shoulder and it should also go out farther. If we are going to the right, her right shoulder should move after the left shoulder and move out farther. 

And definitally fix it. I was showing once and my mare hit the wrong lead but she was having one of her days and if i broke it down i would never get her loping again. Afterwards i was talking to the judges and one of them asked me if i even realized she was on the wrong lead. So definitally break it down or they will think you dont know the difference and count off more that if you broke them down


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