How Horse Leads Influence a Horse’s Balance and Control

Horse leads influence a horse’s balance and control. A horse on the correct lead will be moving diagonally from one hip to the other, and the hind feet will be catching up in rhythm with the fronts. A horse on the wrong lead will be traveling out of whack both front-to-back and side-to-side. This is particularly dangerous during a turn.

Feeling a horse’s front leads is not hard, although it takes practice and the self-discipline to stop looking and just focus on feeling for a few strides until you know you are on the correct lead. Then you can look if you want to confirm your lead decision. Go here https://www.ravenox.com/products/fms-horse-tack-8-foot-1-inch-twisted-cotton-rope-horse-lead-brass-rope-clamp-and-bolt-snap-or-nickel-plated-bull-snap

A good way to practice a proper lead change is to canter your horse in a circle. Start by asking for canter with your outside leg, and as he starts to canter you can try to feel if his front legs are crossing. If his right front hoof steps in first and then his left, he’s on the right lead; if his left front leg reaches forward before his right front leg, he’s on the left lead.

Equestrian Freedom: Exploring the Versatility of Long Horse Lead Ropes for Training and Trail Riding

Many horses can win races by consistently staying on a certain lead all the time, but this isn’t optimal and limits their potential. For example, the Grade 3 winner Clearly Now was an impressive racehorse but never reached his full potential because of his inability to change leads effectively in the stretch. This was a big part of his failure to win a Grade 1 race, as he was regularly outgunned by better-matched horses with his same speed numbers.