How do you pick up the correct canter lead?

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#canter #dressagerider #horses
HOW TO PICK UP THE RIGHT LEAD CANTER!
Isn’t the canter such a joyful gait!?
The rocking motion and three-time rhythm are both elating and soothing!
It just feels RIGHT, am I right?
Except of course, when it’s WRONG. You think you've given the aids for the correct lead but lo-and-behold, your horse strikes off on the incorrect one and your aspirations for balance and smoothness hit the dirt.
Striking off on the wrong lead can feel like an inversion of all the loveliness that the cantering on the correct lead brings. It’s like looking at photo negatives, wearing your sweater backwards, or putting your shoes on the wrong feet.
The canter is the only non-symmetrical or “bent” gait - there is a left lead and a right lead. Most all horses usually prefer one lead (usually the left lead), so many horses find it difficult to pick up the right lead!There’s ALWAYS a reason your horse is picking up the incorrect lead, and it’s really simple to fix by making sure to set the horse up correctly! In this week’s video, we break the canter-lead issue down into bite-sized pieces. Here are some tips on how to analyze your canter aids to pick up the correct lead!
Is your position ok? Are you giving the correct aids? Most of the time, this is the root cause of why our horses are striking off incorrectly. Your inside leg should be On The Girth and your outside leg Behind The Girth. The inside leg creates impulsion and stops your horse falling in, and the outside leg indicates the correct lead. Get someone on the ground to check that when you think your leg is “behind the girth” it actually is! If it’s not working, put the leg further back to emphasize the point to the horse. Also sit a little on your inside seat bone. This helps the horse bend by putting the rider’s weight over the side you want the horse to lead.
Be clever about where you ask! DO NOT ask you horse to pick up the canter on the straight away. Our horses want to canter on the right lead, we just need to create the right conditions. Put them on the circle and use the rail to indicate the lead. (check out the video if this sounds confusing in print!)
Leg yield into the canter. The leg yield gets them off the inside leg and fills up the outside rein and makes the correct lead a much more natural conclusion when asked from within the leg yield.
Green horses might not have even established the concept of the correct lead in their mind yet… Believe it or not, horses have a left and right trot lead. This is seen when they are slightly over flexed to the inside and they’re throwing their outside front leg with more emphasis than the inside. We want to subvert this, so (and this is a little counter-intuitive, but it’s great for teaching the youngsters!) ask for a little counter-flexion to put them back on the correct trot lead and then ask for the canter from there.
If any of the above is confusing, be sure to watch the video for extra visualization and clarification.
Let me know in the comments if this helps you with your canter leads! Also, sign up for Amelia’s Dressage Club on Facebook, it’s a super engaged community of equestrians and every query gets so much help and advice.
Thanks for watching and Happy Riding!
#Canter #CorrectLead #CanterAids

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Which lead do you and your horse prefer? For me it is the right lead!!! Check out my FREE mini course on Rider Position - it WILL help you: www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/riderpositionminicourse/

[@falizianme5846]

Definitely the right lead ! 👍🙃🦄

[@barbvernon9454]

For Vivaldi and me left lead is easy. Right lead is our challenge.

[@mintyy_eq.]

My horse prefers the left lead, thank you so much for this video! It helps me a lot :)😊

[@hillarymacdonald3229]

Went back to this video to help me with my walk canter and flying changes troubleshooting and BAM you reminded of what I forgot!!

[@suncoastacres]

Being new to the idea of getting dressage help online, or even posting a comment, I first want to say I appreciate your providing professional help through our 3 basic learning techniques - visual, auditory and written! It makes a difference. The slow motion segments help quite a bit. In this case, my horse usually takes the correct lead, but frequently fails to make the canter depart on my command in the first place. I have tried the leg yield and positioning, and am interested in your comments on (my) timing.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You need to ask for the canter when the outside hind leg is on the ground. I have a video on this that might help…. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHK8ZZKQnrSirKM

[@janetmcgee1769]

I love your tips! You are so good at explaining your movements.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thanks Janet and thanks for watching! By the way, I'm giving a free webinar on the Dressage Training Scale, you will find it really helpful with your journey! You can sign up at the link below! I would love to see you there! But if you can't make it, sign up anyway as we can send you the recording! www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/trainingscalewebinar

[@alisonwalker5921]

Thank you so well explained and it goes on from the video I watched where you show to ask for canter when the inside leg is forward and down. As if we were in the rise part of rising trot. Just got to take it from my head to the horse now :)

[@giselelucatto1841]

Your videos are always amazing ! You really can show that sometimes things that could be trick are simple ! Thanks 😊

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thank you Gisele! By the way, I'm giving a free webinar on the Dressage Training Scale, you will find it really helpful with your journey! You can sign up at the link below! I would love to see you there! But if you can't make it, sign up anyway as we can send you the recording! www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/trainingscalewebinar

[@gretchenlillie4424]

I appreciate the slow motion addition to the video, not many instruction video supply that visual aid.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! And thanks for the positive feedback- not everyone tells me what they LIKE about the videos. :)

[@Lynne2106]

This is so helpful. Thank you!

[@Currabell]

Having a real problem getting left lead canter. Getting it 20% of the time. Quit when I get the correct one. Thanks for the great tips.

[@juliefranck8510]

Ahhh this is very good, and the last segment helps me a lot. My 16 yr old Arabian mare has been a how horse all her life. The normal canter cue for them is to use the outside rein and leg when asking for canter. Hi Her left lead is her default lead. By learning about the trotting “lead” It helps me understand better why I do sometimes miss the right lead. She is very flexible, almost like a fish! And I think I over do the inside bend! Getting that left front toe popping out!! Thanks Amelia!! You are wonderful at explaining all of this!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thank you so much Julie! By the way, I'm giving a free webinar on the Dressage Training Scale, you will find it really helpful with your journey! You can sign up at the link below! I would love to see you there! But if you can't make it, sign up anyway as we can send you the recording! www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/trainingscalewebinar

[@1mdw63]

Like I commented before, my Friesian lease is difficult to (get to) canter but I was surprised by your comment - he does much better on his right lead. But I will keep on practicing your wonderful lessons. Thank you for doing this.💖

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You're so welcome. 🦄 By the way, I'm giving a free webinar on the Dressage Training Scale, you will find it really helpful with your lease horse! You can sign up at the link below! I would love to see you there! But if you can't make it, sign up anyway as we can send you the recording! www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/trainingscalewebinar

[@ricksherman34]

Great tips. My horse Sugar can drop into left lead with no issues, but she seems to resist right leads when we spin up to go on a shooting pattern. I'm going to start asking her on the rail and see if that helps our transition into the right. Thx for the video 🐴

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You’re welcome!!

[@sandystafford7124]

Great helpful video. Thanks!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Glad it was helpful!

[@coleman6203]

Thank you for this Amelia! I am trying to return to the show ring after decades away (adult eq.) and blew the right lead canter in both of my recent flat classes! What a waste! I will try these tips and see if I can't overcome my right lead issues.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thanks Liz! Good luck with that! 💖 🍀 By the way, I'm giving a free webinar on the Dressage Training Scale, you will find it really helpful with your journey back to the ring! You can sign up at the link below! I would love to see you there! But if you can't make it, sign up anyway as we can send you the recording! www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/trainingscalewebinar

[@coleman6203]

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage Thank you for responding! I love your videos and am a patreon member as well! I've gotten so many great tips. I will sign up for the recording.

[@OHNB13]

Thank you. Now, I learned about "counter-flexion".

[@delalex100]

👍🏻👏🏻 Got it will

[@TheEquiClubYouTube]

Nice video🐎

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thanks!

[@carolyneppler7638]

Thank you! This confirms what I am doing correctly and what I am not doing correctly, was really confused which seat bone to use. Does it matter where horse's foot placement is when you give the canter cue? I read somewhere inside hind needs to be forward, i think, but its not working for me there's so much going on i miss it. TY!!

[@carolyneppler7638]

OMG i just read the response to suncoastacres and will watch that video.

[@Miss-Laine]

I always say to my trainer I’m very good at asking for counter canter.

[@ltmartell920]

Would you be able to do a video demonstrating picking up the correct lead from the walk ?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thanks so much for the suggestion! I'll put that in my production list! And thanks for watching and subscribing!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Also, if you want a free mini course to get your position in the strongest shape to execute your dressage aids, take my free rider position mini course here www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/riderpositionminicourse/? I’m also on FB and IG facebook.com/amelianewcombdressage & instagram.com/amelianewcombdressage/ Also, and this is super helpful too, join Amelia’s Dressage Club on Facebook, it’s a really active and engaged community of riders and no question goes unanswered! facebook.com/groups/ameliasdressageclub/ And finally, there’s my website! www.amelianewcombdressage.com/ And you can also sign up here for weekly dressage tips sent to your inbox www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/subscribe/ Ok that’s the lot I promise. Have an awesome day! 🐴

[@noodles2531]

Can u give me a tip please, so if i do the sitting trot i bounce a bit but im on the otherside of the saddle in otherwords im almost falling out of the saddle while doing the sitting trot(is there any tips to help fix that

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Hi Uane, thanks for watching! Here's a really helpful video that will help you stay more balanced and straight in the saddle. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYa6oHWVjc-rqdk Also I'm giving a free webinar on the Dressage Training Scale, you will find it really helpful with your journey back to the ring! You can sign up at the link below! I would love to see you there! But if you can't make it, sign up anyway as we can send you the recording! www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/trainingscalewebinar

[@agnesandresen8500]

Should you not sit to the outside HindLeg when you ask for the canter, as it is the outside HL which lifts the horse in the canter and as such has to flex??? The purpose of the Leg Yield and Half Halts before asking for the canter is because you want the horse to take weight on the outside HL and flex that HL in order to get both the right canter lead and an more uphill canter- I least I have once learned it this way??? What are your thoughts Amelia Newcomb?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You need to sit on the inside seatbone to help engage the inside hind leg and create the bend.

[@dharmarachuri2821]

Super👍👍👍👍👍

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thanks Dharma!

[@mjgardiner4117]

Hi Amelia, why is a half halt going into the correct lead important? Thank you MJ Gardiner Manitoba Canada 8:33am

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Great question! Because the canter is the only naturally bend gait, and thus the biomechanics mean that we have to adjust our half-halt.

[@MehrdadAlemi]

All I hear isa out the seat and legs ,how about rein and the rider head? What exercises helps to canter with right lead when we go straight then?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Work on bending lines first, then try the straight line. It will be easier for you to get the right lead canter on a circle first. And check out my free canter course: amelianewcombdressage.com/canter-with-confidence-o/ It will help!

[@horselover4292]

Wait on which leg do I apply pressure, inside or outside?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Your inside leg!

[@horselover4292]

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage Ty!

[@ES-ch6il]

My Oldenburg has a much much more difficult time with ride lead canter. He picks up the right lead but switches to left. My trainer says it is because it is difficult for him. I would appreciate any ideas you may have.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Hi there, Thanks so much for watching! Here's a video on fixinf a crooked canter that might help you. It's something that requires a lot of consistent work and building up of muscle in the horse. But if you're patient and keep working on it it will come. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGnKeGiql9Z_mcU Also, if you want to further your dressage education, I'm having a sale until Saturday on my masterclass on the Dressage Training Scale if you'd like to sign up the link is here! Would love to see you on the course and it will help your journey so much ! www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/trainingscalemasterclass/?fbclid=IwAR0VbN0HaZqzSqu5nvCJfeITvoiovRkYxqtPFOrtUKrli3Y1YvRI0R_8_rQ

[@ES-ch6il]

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage thank you so much

[@jacquelinemargolis1]

left lead hard for the horse I ride

[@shivaraman7944]

I am having difficulty in turning my horse in the canter lead

[@amitkumarrealtor1]

WHAT ARE THE ALPHABET LETTERS ON THE RAIL STONES MEAN ? PLEASE.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

They're to reference different parts of the arena for accuracy during a test. Originally there was a letter for each member of the royal court, but because it's been translated into a standard language, it doesn't really apply anymore :)

[@debracarter7680]

Hi Amelia, my horse Jr canters, side passes,ECT great for his trainer, whim I've had train Jr for the last 12 month and now I'm only riding him and I'll tell ya, it's a joke he does not canter when I ask and most times he just takes off at a fast trot. This means I'm doing something wrong. But I'm trying.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Hi Debra, They can be such rascals for taking advantage sometimes but you can definitely learn to give him the correct aids to have him working well for you. I'm giving a free webinar on the Dressage Training Scale, I think you will find it really helpful with your journey! You can sign up at the link below! I would love to see you there! But if you can't make it, sign up anyway as we can send you the recording! www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/trainingscalewebinar

[@privatemailcall6011]

Lol, I totally agree with Amelia. Rascals, lol. He has your #. But, truly, you might be asking for what you get, without realizing. If he's not simply being a rascal, it's your miscommunication. He isn't sure of exactly what you want. Not his fault. If he consistently picks up the canter, for others, your trainer, then he understands what they ask. He can. You'll get it. Stay softly connected, timing, & understand how to ask. If he's running, forward, you asked him to, in the mix & you left out the distinct canter aid, while asking for the go. Be concise, be clear. You're probably anxious, which he feels immediately. He knows who knows what. Smart cookies. Relax, you'll get it. Silly rascals, lol. Have fun!!!!

[@Your_fav_eq_Trumpet]

The right is harder for me

[@horseez1]

L or R lead depends very much on status of EPM

[@privatemailcall6011]

I'm sitting here thinking... Interestingly enough, I never had canter issues, lucky me, right! I'm in bed at moment, ha, but am imagining how I asked for the canter. I simply think it, like think canter, & subtly ask.Connection & communication. Softness, & giving upon obedience. Don't hang. Slight inside eye, half halt outside, slight outside lower leg slightly back, don't grip in your seat, but a slightly felt engagement, seat ask, hardly noticable but effective communication to my horse. It's all together & very fluid. Very quick, ask & get. If they don't understand, or evade, or start running forward in a trot, or it all just goes to hell, or nowhere.... Don't react... Collect your horse, softly, no frustration, get a nice walk, horse listening, have your thoughts in order of execution. Don't start before ready. Be positive. It will come. Don't keep trying begging & hoping, if unsuccessful. It means the communication isn't there. Ineffective. Get some help. It's far worse to screw it all up in the horses mind. Wait for help. Professional. Not a friend whose horse picks up the canter, & has leads down pat. The horse probably came with the canter attached already. If you start confusion, between yourself & your horse, it will lead to more confusion & frustration. The horse knows you don't know. That's not good. Get a trusted, competent, soft handed trainer to help. It's very easy if you know what to do. How to. It's not a long process. It will be problematic, only if you cause it. The horse wont be at fault. It doesn't understand what you want. Have patience. Know when to stop & praise. Get help if you need. As Steffen Peters once said: Don't fk it up. Lol

[@laurend3074]

Audrey, 11 years old wants to know how do you proceed to pick up the Canter by squeezing when you feel that your leg is not strong enough? I am trying to avoid kicking so that I can smoothly transition to the canter.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Being sure that the walk-trot transition is really effective, and then using the same priciples of waking up the lazy horse should help. Try these videos: amelianewcombdressage.com/dressage-training/how-to-wake-up-a-lazy-horse/ amelianewcombdressage.com/dressage-training/the-trot-canter-transition-2/

[@sharonpetrone3964]

how to make sure he takes the lead from the hind leg and not the front!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Try and ask when the outside hind leg is on the ground! Here's a video I made that will help! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHK8ZZKQnrSirKM By the way, I'm giving a free webinar on the Dressage Training Scale, you will find it really helpful with your journey! You can sign up at the link below! I would love to see you there! But if you can't make it, sign up anyway as we can send you the recording! www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/trainingscalewebinar

[@kimberlyperillo9990]

Is Joseph Newcomb your brother?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Hi Kimberly, He is. Dressage in the fam! 🦄 🤣

[@kimberlyperillo9990]

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage that is cool. I just saw a couple of his videos and was curious. Thanks for all that you do! I find your instruction is most closely aligned to what I am taught in my lessons, more so then any other channel, which makes it easier for me to practice and remember the info.