ok. heres problem number one.
(there are alot more coming....my friends have troublesome horses!)

a friend of mines horse, (who is a gaming horse) refuses to pick up the correct lead. she will only pick up her left lead, and no matter how many times we try to stop her, lift her shoulder and mover her out, she still will pick up the left lead!
the only way we have found to fix that, is to circle her, but of course, you cant do this in a WP or WR class!

any suggestions?

Does she pick up the right lead when she's in the round pen? Need to rule out health issues first, then go from there.

she's sound far as i know. but good suggestion...

she will pick up the right lead if she is circled into it...
i havnt lounged her yet... i just discussed the problem with my friend..

Try this,

ask the horse to move its hip over to the inside of the pen, tip its head to the rail, lift the shoulder then as the horse to pick up the lead. Make sure the inside rein if lifted up.

that is what we have tried time and time again. she still flat out refuses to pick up her correct lead, so we end up circling her into her lead.

its the oddest thing..

Did you tip her head to the rail? Collect her up, then ask her to lope off. Dont let her drop that sholder for nothing.

Leave her loose in the round pen and see if she catches her right lead... She's definitely left-handed or something's going on.... I tell ya what I'd do, is I'd private message Can'tjog (formerly known as Slowride on the quarter forum) and see if she can help you - she's a whiz with that mess...

I'd explain it, but I'd be afraid I'd say it wrong... I haven't had to do that in a long time, and every time I do, I have to call Anita and ask her, now what do I do?.... HA!

I know you pull the head to one side, and then push on the other side... but I can never remember which way the head is when you're going on whichever lead... I can never remember that! GAWD! I just know it feels weird when it's not right, and usually Rick's screaming at me WRONG LEAD... yeah, I got that... hang on a danged second...

ha 7c's you crack me up!

triple j, when i ask a horse to lope off, i collect them tip their nose into the rail, and use firm leg pressure.
but thank you for your advice!!!
now, this mare has been a gaming horse her entire 18 years. so im wondering it that is why she is so onesided?


really purplexes me!

I don't know if this will help or not but our rope horse refused to take his right lead, nothing would work... did all the bending flexiing, moving hip etc... and he still wouldn't take the right lead. We had a massage/chiro look at him and his upper back and shoulders were out. He adjusted him and the next day he was taking his right lead as easy as you please. One of the things the guy suggested was to do treat stretches, stand next to the horse by his hip with a treat and have him stretch back to get it. Also have them stretch their head to the cinch area and then have them lift their head up. It really seems to loosen up their neck area. He said to do it on both sides. Hotdog is getting really good at the stretches and he isn't having any more trouble with the right lead.

The chiro is a great idea. I wish they had such things 30 years ago, when my Appaloosa would not take a lead. I really think he was too out of adjustment after years of one-sidedness.

thanks guys. i really am starting to think something is off balance with the poor girl.

shes even started to fight my friend when shes being ridden. im thinking its definantly a physical problem..

So what's up with this horse - did y'all find out anything?

i havnt seen her in two weeks. i was at the beach on vacation this week and last week she had a death in the fam. I will let you know this week!