With horse riding, what are canter leads and why do we have to use them?
2006-10-16 20:48:36 · 4 answers · asked by Amore 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
When a horse canters there is 3 beats. When you are cantering around you want to have the lead leg be the inside leg. You can see if you are on the correct leg by glancing down at your horse and seeing which of the horses front legs goes farther. We didn't really invent leads horses did, but we want to have the front inside leg leading because when you are turning corners it helps them keep their balance. If you are jumping their is no correct lead between two jumps on a line.
2006-10-20 13:31:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Canter leads refer to the way the horse is moving his legs in the canter. They initiate in the hind end, when the horse starts the canter stride. People generally look at the front end to determine the lead (the leg that reaches out further is the lead you are on).
Being on the proper lead when turning is essential for balance, otherwise the horse may fall over. Watch a movie where the horse falls down with a rider...they get the horse to do this by turning him sharplyin the direction opposite of the lead he is on. While riding in a large open field, going in a straight line, the lead is not important. It is important in a smaller area, where tighter turns need to be made. Since they are so important, it is a criteria in judging in most showing venues (showjumpers, barrel racers, etc aren't exactly judged on leads, but if their leads aren't correct, the horse cannot perform properly.)
Some horses will favor one lead over another, like being right or left handed.
2006-10-20 16:59:56 · answer #2 · answered by Carson 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A horse can canter 2 ways.
The first is to push off with his back left foot, then there is a moment of suspension, then his back left hits, then his back right and front left at the same time, with his right front hiting the ground last and hiting furthest forward.
The other way is exactly the same, exept everything is reversed (the LEFT front hits last.
If the left front hits last and goes farthest out, the horse is on the left lead.
If its the right front, the horse is on the right lead.
You want to lead with the inside leg, which helps the horse balence better.
2006-10-17 00:52:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lead with the inside leg. The left lead is when the horses left hind foot is touching the ground first. And the right lead is exactly the opposite
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2006-10-17 02:02:27 · answer #4 · answered by ktkiokins14 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋