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Regular
Posts: 82
| I have a late two year old that I had 60 days put on a few months ago. He's been an absolute joy to ride - nothing spooks him, steps out and goes somewhere, carries a saddle well - just an all around nice colt. We've been roping the hot heels on him, hauling him to see the sights and sounds and even took him to a horsemanship clinic this past weekend. And that's when it started.... I have not loped a lot of circles on him at home, but when I did, I could get him to pick up both leads - maybe not right away, but he would get there. Last week I was unable to get him to take his right lead, and Saturday the clinician even worked him for about 20 minutes trying to get him to pick it up with no success.
I'm not going to futurtity him and have no need to push him, but I feel like he should have he's leads somewhat mastered by this point and am afraid of waiting any longer to correct the issue and creating a bad habit that is even tougher to break. He never got lazy or stubborn when the clinician loped him for so long on Saturday, which makes me think he just doesn't know what we're asking him to do and he really thinks he's doing the right thing.
Any suggestions, ideas or recommendations as far as how I might be able to get him to pick his right lead up? Picks his left up right away... Thanks in advance. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
  
Location: Southeast Louisiana | I'd start by going back to the trainer that put the 60 days on him and see what he or she thinks. They will know where your colt was and how he was progressing toward that level of training.
After that, possibly have a chiropractor work on him and go back to some slower work, getting him more responsive with moving his body in slow work before you ask for a lope. He might just be tensing up because he isn't comfortable with moving out yet and needs more time to build strength and get used to the extra weight moving around while he's moving faster. |
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 Member
Posts: 28
| My 3yr old did the same thing with me on her right lead. I had my chiropractor out to look at her and she was definately out in her right shoulder. Its been about a month or so since he's worked on her and she hasnt had any trouble picking up that lead since. Just something to think about.. its not always a training issue |
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 Peat and Repeat
Posts: 2773
Location: IN MY OWN LITTLE WORLD AT LEAST THEY KNOW ME HERE | I had one do this n he had issues w stifles. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2154
Location: USA | Had a colt that didn't want to pick up his right lead either. Trainer couldn't figure it out. Had him chiro'd (he was out on right side) but he would still not pick up his right lead. It was frustrating! When he wouldn't pick up his right lead, I would spin him to the right in a tight circle and from out of the circle go in a straight line. It only took a couple times and he started picking up his right lead. I think it just became a habit for him. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 962
| Craig Haythorn wrote an article on training cow horses a few years back I think in "Today's Horse" magazine that talked about getting leads. He said that if you lope a horse around a hill or on an incline, that they will always take the lead on the uphill side. Worked like a charm for me. Given that the horse is sound with no physical problems. Cue like you normally do to pick up a lead. |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | Because he used to do this.....and now won't pick up leads anymore, I'd start with a physical issue. Have him checked out by a vet, not just a chiropractor. Have his teeth checked by a dentist. Once you've been given the all good from them...
1. How good is he at moving his hips away from leg pressure? If you will move his hips slightly to the inside, he physically cannot drop his shoulder and will pick up his lead.
2. When he lopes in a round pen - just free - can he pick up both leads?
You can feel which lead a horse is going to pick up when they're walking/trotting when you've got forward motion. Does his body ever feel like it's in the correct shape to pick up his right lead?
Edited by MS2011 2015-09-03 8:37 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 695
Location: Windoming | FinneyQuarterHorses - 2015-09-02 9:52 PM Craig Haythorn wrote an article on training cow horses a few years back I think in "Today's Horse" magazine that talked about getting leads. He said that if you lope a horse around a hill or on an incline, that they will always take the lead on the uphill side. Worked like a charm for me. Given that the horse is sound with no physical problems. Cue like you normally do to pick up a lead.
And if you don't have any hills, I used a log where I wanted him to change leads. Ask for the change as you lope over the log. I had a stubborn colt that I did this with. And as soon as he would finally change his lead, next stride he changed back again! A year later and I entered him in a pole futurity where he won $700 and third in the average! I really thought I deserved a medal for that................................... |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Mountains of VA | I'd say it's his left stifle. He could be getting sore from all the riding/work or going through a normal growth spurt and his left stifle is catching/sore. I do agree with others that it is some type of physical soreness.
I have had success trotting them and doing a quick roll-back into the fence and popping them off into a lope. They will usually get the correct lead then.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 926
| MS2011 - 2015-09-03 8:35 AM
Because he used to do this.....and now won't pick up leads anymore, I'd start with a physical issue. Have him checked out by a vet, not just a chiropractor. Have his teeth checked by a dentist. Once you've been given the all good from them...
1. How good is he at moving his hips away from leg pressure? If you will move his hips slightly to the inside, he physically cannot drop his shoulder and will pick up his lead.
2. When he lopes in a round pen - just free - can he pick up both leads?
You can feel which lead a horse is going to pick up when they're walking/trotting when you've got forward motion. Does his body ever feel like it's in the correct shape to pick up his right lead?
This. My horse has KS and this is one of the ways I know his back bothering him. Not saying that's what you horse has, but it' could be a pain issue so don't start really pushing him until you rule that out. |
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Expert
Posts: 1543
Location: MI | With my 4yo it was saddle fit. His saddle was pinching him in the shoulders and he was (rightly so) all kinds of upset about it. New saddle, he does much better... |
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Regular
Posts: 82
| Thanks for the ideas, everyone! Any others?? I've got an appointment to have his teeth checked and chiro'd. Ugh - they're so humbling :/
Edited by Two Nickles 2015-09-17 8:59 PM
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | I was helping a gal last month with her 4 year old having the same issue. Thought for sure he was having a stifle issue. Asked her to stop riding as she tried everything in the toolbox to get the lead departure. I didn't want him so sore the vet would have to peel a big onion to discover the issue. I went to the vet with her two days later and as we were going thru the motions of a lameness exam it was surelooking neurological...EPM treatment has begun and last I heard he was doing better in the roundpen. Not ridden yet, I believe his first month of meds are in him sometime this week then she will remount. |
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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | Good idea on ruling out pain issues since he used to take his leads.
Leads start at the hip so if I have problems I work on lateral work to loosen and lighten the hip.
I also make sure they're not over-bent to the inside which can cause them to blow a lead. |
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The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
Location: PNW | Check left stifle. Stifle issues tend to present on the outside of a circle. |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | svincent - 2015-09-18 7:37 PM Check left stifle. Stifle issues tend to present on the outside of a circle.
Good Point! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1066
| Check his teeth! We have a 3 year old who is coming along great with the exception of his right lead... Had a good feel in his mouth last night and he's got some seriously sharp edges in there... He's booked in to get his teeth done and I'm betting he's a different horse after that. Also have a chiro look at him... I find with young horses there's usually a physical issue preventing them from "trying"... They will almost always do what is easy or comfortable so make sure everything is good before having an all out fight over it (you feel like a real jerk if you find out a month later that they were hurting!) |
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Location: Wisconsin | I would also check the feet for any soreness. Tried a different farrier last year and had problems with leads on my 4 yr. old that progressively got worse. Finally after six months back with regular farrier, will take both leads equally well. |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| MS2011 - 2015-09-03 8:35 AM
Because he used to do this.....and now won't pick up leads anymore, I'd start with a physical issue. Have him checked out by a vet, not just a chiropractor. Have his teeth checked by a dentist. Once you've been given the all good from them...
1. How good is he at moving his hips away from leg pressure? If you will move his hips slightly to the inside, he physically cannot drop his shoulder and will pick up his lead.
2. When he lopes in a round pen - just free - can he pick up both leads?
You can feel which lead a horse is going to pick up when they're walking/trotting when you've got forward motion. Does his body ever feel like it's in the correct shape to pick up his right lead?
Exactly what I was going to say/ask |
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Regular
Posts: 82
| Okay... Had his teeth checked! He definitely had some issues going on there, so we can rule that out. I worked him tonight and was, unfortunately, still unsuccessful. Last week I worked him in a round pen and he would pick up the right lead in his front for a few strides, but his back legs never got out of a trot. I couldn't get this much out of him tonight in the pasture. Thoughts?? So discouraging... |
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Regular
Posts: 82
| Tried loping on a hill side and over logs tonight. Still no luck. Chiro is coming out tomorrow. I'm about at my wits end. He's such a nice colt... So willing and a great mind - shoot, I rode him around the pasture in a halter last night for gosh sake! His ONLY flaw is this lead issue. I did notice he's starting to develop saddle sores on his withers so I'm playing with a few saddle/pad combos...haven't had any luck yet. I'm just so afraid I've ruined this poor colt.... |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I wouldn't be riding him if you don't have a saddle to fit.
Also I would be treating for ulcers, horses experiencing pain (teeth, saddle issues in this case) are more prone to ulcers, and it can affect them picking up leads. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| The first thing I would do is find a saddle that fits. The second would be his teeth. My two year old filly has a dentist appointment Thursday. Those wolf teeth gotta go. My colt have wolf teeth removed when gelded as yearlings. A bit set is important too. |
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Two Nickles - 2015-09-28 8:44 PM Okay... Had his teeth checked! He definitely had some issues going on there, so we can rule that out. I worked him tonight and was, unfortunately, still unsuccessful. Last week I worked him in a round pen and he would pick up the right lead in his front for a few strides, but his back legs never got out of a trot. I couldn't get this much out of him tonight in the pasture. Thoughts?? So discouraging... Before I worked him again, I would get a saddle that fit properly if he is getting wither sores.and Id have stifle looked at.
Edited by Bibliafarm 2015-10-13 10:02 PM
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | I also would not ride him until you can get a saddle that fits, until the chiro checks him, and until the vet does a lameness exam (particularly looking at the stifles). He's not even 3 yet. And if you have no plans to futurity him .... what's the rush? Let him sit until you can figure out what is hurting. |
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 Half-Eaten Cookies
Posts: 2076
Location: Fort Worth / Springtown | I am glad you noticed the saddle issues!
Before I read your update, I was going to share something minor with the saddle that solved an issue I just had with a filly I got back from the trainer, who said she didn't have any lead issues - and she did just fine the time I rode her at the trainer (although she wasn't there for very long).
Got her back home in a different saddle and girth length. We did a lot of walk/trot work at first, but when I started asking for a lope, she was always taking the right lead, no matter which direction we were going. She'd get a little wormy when trying to go left. I also noticed she seemed slightly cinchy and would sometimes look back at the cinch area when I was riding her.
I got rid of the extra latigo length/bulk (where you loop several times) and put a latigo on the other side, as well (got rid of the off-billet). I cinch up on both sides (not always on the same side, to avoid soreness over time).
Then, I briefly worked on controlling her ribcage and her hindend, side-tracking, and then asked for the right lead --we had to work a little at it the first day, but the next time I rode her she's back to automatically taking the correct leads without any trial.
Good luck!
Edited by txbredbr 2015-10-15 9:48 AM
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 Some Kind of Trouble
Posts: 4430
| You mentioned working him in the round pen and he wasn't holding the lead... was it under saddle or free lunging him? If he's not holding it when free working, keep looking until you find the physical issue.. it's more than your saddle fit, but definetely get that fixed too. |
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Regular
Posts: 82
| The round pen work was under saddle. We went as far as to take his headstall off to ensure I wasn't picking at him too much. The chiro had to post pone but will be out Saturday. Hopefully we nail something down.... |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | I'm really betting its stifle and *maybe* hocks. I wouldn't be having a chiro out; that's a short term fix. I'd be having a vet do a lameness exam and xray both hocks and stifles. My filly had a trouble with this and we did IRAP on her stifles and hocks; xrays showed a spur and some epiphysitis in her stifles (very common in two year olds). I put her on Rejuvinaide for the epiphysitis (potential mineral imbalances there). The IRAP helped tremendously for her other issues. When we checked the fluid in her stifles it was quite watery, meaning inflammation. Her stifles are finally starting to look really good and we've gotten more aggressive on her hocks. We've combined these therapies with rest and icing too. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Also if your saddle is to narrow sitting it would interfere with his shoulder movements, he may feel he cant stride out, maybe pinching him... |
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Regular
Posts: 82
| oija - 2015-10-15 4:00 PM
I'm really betting its stifle and *maybe* hocks. I wouldn't be having a chiro out; that's a short term fix. I'd be having a vet do a lameness exam and xray both hocks and stifles. My filly had a trouble with this and we did IRAP on her stifles and hocks; xrays showed a spur and some epiphysitis in her stifles (very common in two year olds). I put her on Rejuvinaide for the epiphysitis (potential mineral imbalances there). The IRAP helped tremendously for her other issues. When we checked the fluid in her stifles it was quite watery, meaning inflammation. Her stifles are finally starting to look really good and we've gotten more aggressive on her hocks. We've combined these therapies with rest and icing too.
How long of a process was all of this? Before you started to see improvement that is... |
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Sparklin Cowgirl
Posts: 4379
| I had a similar problem with my colt but he wasn't holding his lead behind..... Turns out he has EPM.  |
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Regular
Posts: 82
| Gunnin to Play - 2015-10-16 3:02 PM
I had a similar problem with my colt but he wasn't holding his lead behind..... Turns out he has EPM.
How did they determine it was EPM? What other symptoms did he have and how was it treated? |
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Colt won't pick up right lead - HELP! :)