Teach your horse to land on the correct lead

All too often I see riders wasting so much time in their showjumping rounds because their horse is on the wrong canter lead or disunited. Both of these problems result in a lack of balance, which will affect the horse’s ability to jump a clear, effortless round. 

By training at home to teach your horse to land on the correct lead every time, you can make your rounds seamless and more successful. Have a go at my exercise, and you’ll soon notice a difference. 

Set it up

For this exercise, you’ll need five pairs of wings and 11 poles. Start by creating a treble with each fence one stride apart (7m), then place a pole on the ground approximately 3m in front of the first fence. Position two more fences – one off to the right and one to the left – after the final fence of the treble, leaving four strides (18m) between them. 

Distance dos and don’ts

Try to avoid changing the distances to suit your horse’s stride. When at a competition you won’t have any control of the distances between fences, so you need to be able to adjust your horse’s canter to make your round clear and smooth.

If you’re struggling with making the distances, go back to the basics in your flatwork sessions and use two poles down the long side of your arena, seeing if you can increase and decrease the number of strides you ride in between them. 

After you’ve spent some time working on your canter, think about the line you’re taking between the treble and the next fence – you might need to make a more direct approach to get the four strides, or ride a wider turn if your horse covers more ground. 

The exception to this rule is that, if your horse is less experienced, it’s wise to tweak the distances to suit him. This will avoid knocking his confidence by asking for too much too soon. It’s better to focus on the aim – getting the correct canter lead every time – rather than thinking too much about the strides.

Step by step

It’s important to work through this exercise gradually – not only to build your horse’s confidence, but also to give you the chance to refine your aids and him the opportunity to understand them without the fences.

So, with that in mind, follow these steps, making sure you feel confident – and your horse stays relaxed and in a good rhythm – with each one before moving on to the next.

1. Canter down the line of poles, riding between the two final fences.
2. Keeping all the poles on the ground, practise your left- and right-hand turns.
3. Repeat step two with the final part of the treble as a cross-pole.
4. Add the second and then first parts of the treble and jump through straight, then incorporate the left and right turns. The treble is hard work for your horse physically and mentally, so it’s important to make sure he’s happy travelling through it by itself before adding in the turn and extra fences.
5. Raise the two singles fences and ride through the entire exercise, making sure you work your horse evenly. That means approaching on both reins and turning in each direction after the final jump. 

Top tip

Whether it’s while riding this exercise or over a single fence in your warm up at home, try to mix up the direction you turn after the fence as much as possible so your horse doesn’t predict where you’re going. That way, you’ll teach him to actually listen to your aids. 

How to ride it

There are so many elements to this exercise so there’s a lot to think about while riding through it, which can feel overwhelming. So – let’s break it down into three simple sections. 

On the approach think about…

• getting a clear, consistent rhythm beforehand
• riding to the first pole on the floor
• channelling your horse straight onto the line

During the treble think about…

• staying relaxed and in your rhythm
• keeping your shoulders back but staying out of the saddle between the fences
• getting organised for your turn

As you prepare for the turn think about…

• looking in the direction you’re going
• putting more weight into the stirrup of the direction you’re going – for example, if you’re turning left, put more weight into your left stirrup
• opening your hand to guide your horse – avoid pulling on the rein because this will affect your horse’s balance and rhythm, instead imagine you’re opening the door for him to make the turn

All being well, you shouldn’t need to go above and beyond to encourage your horse to land on the correct lead. However, you might find you need to exaggerate your aids at first – especially if he’s unbalanced, uneven or inexperienced – to get him to understand what you’re asking. However, over time you’ll be able to give him more subtle cues that signal to him the direction you’ll be heading. 

Top tip

To encourage straightness in the treble, keep the fences as cross-poles. You can change to uprights, or even add in an oxer, when you feel ready. 

Top tip

Think carefully about whether your horse finds it easier on one rein compared with the other. It’s helpful to have someone on the ground, as they might notice something you haven’t. If this is the case, get your horse checked over by your vet and chosen bodyworker for any asymmetry.

Problem solver

Although this exercise isn’t particularly complex, with so many elements to tackle you might encounter a few problems along the way. 

Some horses will turn towards the jumps and start to rush, affecting their rhythm and balance, which will make the four strides difficult to achieve. If this is the case, try sitting a bit deeper into the saddle on the approach and think about approaching in a steady, balanced canter, talking to your horse and giving him a scratch on his neck if you need to. Rather than staying in a light seat throughout the treble, sit a bit taller on landing to bring your weight back and slow your horse down. You could also add in poles on the ground between each fence of the treble to make your horse back off a bit. Avoid repeating the exercise again and again if your horse does get fast – take a break and allow him to relax.

One of the most common problems with this exercise is drifting and making the turn too early. Make sure you jump the middle of the final fence in the treble, and not the right-hand side if you’re turning right, for example. That’s not to say you can’t start preparing for the turn as you land from the jump, but don’t allow your horse to drift too soon – when the fences get bigger, this could impact your horse’s technique and ability to jump clear. Focus on using your core and leg to encourage your horse through the turn. 

Always keep in mind that, if things become too challenging for you or your horse, it’s OK to take a step back to rebuild your confidence and end on a positive note, then you can try again on another day. 

Unite forces

Younger horses can often become disunited on landing due to a lack of balance. If this occurs, quickly and quietly bring him back to trot and, if there’s time before the next fence, ask him for canter again. If not, don’t worry – trotting into jumps is great for improving balance so will naturally help solve the issue. 

If your horse continues to land disunited, or it’s something your more experienced horse has started to do, make sure you get him checked over because it can be a sign of pain. 

Top tip

If you find your horse is drifting after the final fence – towards the gate, for example – try adding a pole on the ground at a right angle to the jump to encourage him to stay straight on landing. This will be particularly important in your round because cutting the corner could negatively impact your line to the next fence. 

Equal measure

Like humans, most horses tend to favour one side, so if that’s the case with your horse, keep practising and working through the stages of this exercise over several sessions until you have the desired result. Building even muscle tone takes time and it won’t happen instantly, but be sure to reward your horse whenever he does as you ask and you’ll soon be on your way to seamless showjumping rounds.   

Our expert: Yazmin Pinchen-McCulloch has competed for Great Britian since she was 13-years-old. In her senior career, she’s been based with Michael Whitaker and the Philappaert family in Belgium, and has competed on the Global Champions Tour circuit.