I am retrainning my 5 yr OTTB...

Question
I am retrainning my 5 yr OTTB who came off the track in september. We have no problem getting
the right lead, just the left. I have tried to bend him slightly to the outside, and bend him to the inside
and nothing has worked. I have tried to pick it up in the corner or on a straight line. Ocassionally he
will pick it up on the straight line. I have tried to carry a crop (not use but just carry it) and when I do
he just throws his head up in the air and gets all fast. Or the only way he will may be get it is by
droping his should horribly ( I mean he almost falls over) but at the walk and trot he is balanced and
able to frame 90% of the time. HOw do I stop the shoulder dropping to? WHat do you suggest to do to
get the left lead canter?
He is riden in a mullen mouth eggbut snaffle should I switch to a loose ring? If I remember I think I
rode him in a dee ring when I first got him. He was fine to canter both ways when I got him so could it
be the bit? He seems to be confused, and I have tried to find his"button" but obviously am failing. I do
nothing different from how I ask for the right lead

Answer
Hi Heather, I answered this question before.  I'll send you the same answer again.
If you have new questions, or need more clarification or detail, please feel free to ask.

Answer -
Hi Heather,
Seems as if overall you are making good progress with your
relatively new
horse.  That's good. Don't worry, you'll eventually get
where you want --
re: pickin up leads.  It is normal to "regress" a bit if
you will -- you
say he used to pick up both leads, now he doesn't.  Don't
let it bother
you too much -- you will get it back! Here are some tips.

>>He seems to be confused, and I have tried to find
his"button"
He probably is confused!  Moreover, he might not have a
button!! You will
need to educate him, create a button.  His former training
may have holes
in it, and communication to his riders was very likely more
sloppy than
the type of communication you strive for in either dressage
or
hunter-jumper.

>> He is riden in a mullen mouth eggbut snaffle should I
switch to a loose
ring?
It doesn't matter.  I prefer eggbut because they do not
pinch the corners
of the mouth.  Loose ring can pinch.  Good hands matter.  
Also, I hope the
bit is not too thin, nor too thick. But mainly, I'll remind
you that the
*key* to canter starts and choosing leads is in how your
seat / legs cue
the horses HIND legs.   I can start my mare in a canter
lead of my choice
bridleless, from a standstill, or from a walk, or from
trotting.

>>I have tried to carry a crop (not use but just carry it)
and when I do
he just throws his head up in the air and gets all fast.
They use crops on the track.  No wonder he expects no good
when he sees a
crop.  Also, remember that in a race they *pull* on the
bit. Hands are not
necessarily soft and giving, nor gently supportive. (not by
my
definition!)  So horse sees crop, expects to be urged on
and hurt in the
mouth at the same time!!!  I would get crancky also if
someone did that to
me. I'll tell you how you may use a crop to your advantage
below.

>>I have tried to bend him slightly to the outside, and
bend him to the
inside and nothing has worked.
Heather, congratulate yourself on trying different
approaches :) don't
give up on trying new (gentle) ways.  Sometimes, very
little adjustmenst
in your own seat, hands, legs, etc, allow the horse to
adjust his back,
and get better.  Compare it to how small adjustments in a
heavy backpack
make a big difference to you, if you have to hike all the
way up some
mountain with that backpack.
That said, I can tell that you know that bending to the
outside is
incorrect.  Yes, it works for some "dudes" or for green
horses--
sometimes -- but it is not correct for many reasons having
to do with
balance and self-carriage.

>>HOw do I stop the shoulder dropping to? WHat do you
suggest to do to get
the left lead canter?
I'll give you some tips here.  Keep in mind I could write a
treatise -- as
many elements come together in a harmonious ride.
-- about the shoulder:
-------------------------------
   I teach the "bend" at the shoulder from the ground.  
Keywords:  move
away from pressure, yielding.  As soon as the horse yields,
release and
praise.
   At a standstill, in the saddle:  (I'll use "left" but
should work on
both sides)
--pick up left rein, bring horses nose around. (hand should
be a foot from
withers, right hand at withers) Hold.  When horse looks at
you, release.
-- if horses' head is not vertical, ask him to move his
hindquarters one
step over.  Wait for horse to look at you ("give") and
release ASAP.
Release does not mean let him pull the rein thru your
fingers. Release
means you open your hand ASAP completely -- we do not want
to teach him
that he can slide the reind thru your hand.
As you ask for the head to bend, watch the jawline. Where
does it turn?
Ask for bending of the head a lot -- John Lyons sais 500
times!!!
--- also at a standtstill, long reins:  can you turn your
body left, move
your left leg behind the girth, and very lightly tapp
behind the girth?
will your horse step the hindquarter over to the right
(away from your
left leg) *without* stepping forwards?   Stop tapping as a
reward for
moving, regardless, but if he steps forwards, pick up on
the left rein and
bend the head as above. Praise when he stops, softly.
-- do it to the right:  can you, with your right leg behind
the girth,
lightly tap-tap signal your horse to move the right hind
leg under neath?
One step only?  Again, with your right leg behind the
girth, ask your
horse to step his hindquarters, from a standstill, over to
the left (away
from your right leg behind girth.)  Tap as lightly as you
possibly can!!!
Even simply shifting my leg position can be a cue on a
finished horse.
When the horse steps over behind -- one step -- stop,
praise.  If he goes
forwards, pick up the right rein and bend his head to the
right, release
leg, wait with hand, release the rein when the horse looks
at you.
Do this a lot -- your goal:  be able to ask the horse to
turn his head
without him moving his feet.  Be able to ask your horse to
step over with
his hindquarters left of right, without him moving on, even
on long reins
Tip:  try these exercises after your regular warm up.  
Don't attempt on a
totally fidgety horse at this stage.

What you did if you practice the above is teach your horse
to step over
behind.  IF your horse moves his right leg and steps under
himself WHEN
you ask with your right leg slightly behind the girth --
THAT is your
signal to canter, left lead!!!!
(a horse picks up a left lead starting by using his right
hind deep under
himself)  All you need is turn up the speed.

1. exercise tip for canter left:
--------------------------------------
practice lots of circles to the RIGHT!!!! yes, because you
want the right
hind flexed.
practice shoulder ins, while circling left:  because you
want to not drop
the left shoulder.

Start canter from circling left.  As long as you are on a
general "circle
left" position, don't worry too much about corners or
straightness (untill
you get the left lead going better.)  It's hard enought to
concentrate on
one thing (the left lead), so don't worry too much about
arena patterns.
But do use your reins to support the horse.  Use your left
rein to bend
the horse's head, and if you think he'll drop his shoulder,
keep the left
hand a bit away from withers, and a bit higher than you
would in
competition.  You are schooling now.
Mainly, if for one or two strides, he goes well, REWARD by
slowing him
down and praising!!!!  Don't try to keep it, untill it
falls apart on you.
Check your own body balance.  Are your shoulders, back and
seat balanced?
Most of us are not exactly symmetrical in our riding, and
it carries to
our horses.
Check saddle.  Check horses' back manually, look for
possible sore spots,
saddle fitting , etc.
Lastly:  are you the only rider ? If the horse is ridden by
other
people.... it's not helping.
As you know:  spend most of your time at walk, trot.  Lots
of circles,
snakelines, shoulder ins,
Cavaletti and trailriding build muscle and flexions.
and....
one more thing: I repeat, because it's important.
when you get the left lead, praise, and gently (but soon)
bring him down
to trot or lively walk!!!  Reward him for taking the left
lead, ASAP :)
and do not try to maintain it.  I want you to stop  him,
before the
quality of your left canter falls apart.

2nd exercise to pick up a lead:
------------------------------------------
set up a cross rail low cavaletti - jump on a diagonal.  No
poles before.
Pick up a right lead canter, go to the right, then after
the corner,
canter along the diagonal.  Prepare your body to change to
left as he
jumps the crossrail and take his nose left as he jumps.  
He'll likely take
the left lead at landing.  If not, repeat.  Be sure that
you change your
body.
Technically, I'd say ok, your body is set on "right
canter.".  One stride
before the jump, straighten your body.  CHange to left over
the jump.
You're allowing your horse to change leads -- most of them
will do it
naturally.  Then rub and praise him as he canters off to
the left....

For this exercise: do not attempt perfect collection.  At
this stage in
training, allow your horse a bit of speed. (should he be
natuarally "lazy"
encourage some more life!)  Not dangerous, just don't
expect perfection.
He may not have the conditioning for collection, nor the
mental readiness.

Hope this helps, Rena