Hi there, this is my third post as I have been a lurker for a while but I am after some much needed advice and help.
I have had my boy for about 4 months now and am struggling to get him to canter on the correct lead on the left rein.
He is a ten year old cob who is a bit over weight and quite unfit. Before I bought him he had just been used for beach rides and pleasure rides so didn't matter which leg he cantered on and has been lightly schooled. He was only ridden about once a week during the summer and not rode during the winter and he has just been brought back into work when I bought him hence the poor fitness levels. He is getting fitter and losing weight due to his gradually increasing work load and diet.
Ever since I bought him I have not been able to get him to canter on the left lead even my instructors struggle and can only manage about 1 time out of 15.
I have had numerous lessons and tried all sorts. Flexing to the outside, flexed to the inside, in a corner, on a circle, over a pole, letting him pick up right and and turning him tighter hoping he will change ( he usually changes at the back and becomes disunited) these don't work he constantly gets the wrong lead. He will occasionally do it over a raised pole in the corner and in the middle of the school but it definitely not consistent maybe about 25% and we both run out of energy. I am a novice rider but I don't think that it is all me as he rarely does it on the lunge however this is slowly getting better but yesterday he wouldn't do it at all constantly on the wrong lead and I tried for about 20 minutes (he had been warmed up on both reins walk and trot and was in a pessoa). He is very lazy and lacks impulsion as some times I can't even get him to canter on the left rein over a pole he just trots. Right rein he is perfect every time. I know he can canter left as sometimes he will land on the left lead after a jump or a canter in a field he will strike off on the left. He has a new saddle which fits well, it does occasionally slip to the right but my instructor says it's because he is pushing me that way. His back has been checked twice and there was nothing wrong.
I need advice on where to go from here. To be honest I probably haven't been practising as much as I should and have been working more on walk and trot schooling and hacking for fitness, I have been lunging once a week in a pessoa but not sure whether I should be teaching him left canter in it as I need to have him on quite a tight circle for him to pick up left otherwise he will either go on the right lead or if he does get left he will change to the right.
Sorry for the essay and thanks in advance for any advice.