First of all, thank you all again for the advice with the stopping. We have been working on it (not much because of 100 degree temps all week) but even the little bit that I have worked him, I can see improvements. He is really taking to the "starting over" and it's like I can see his brain working and realizing that what is going on now is totally different than whatever happened before and it doesn't *have* to be painful and hard work to stop. Yay
Ok, so next question. This is something odd that he does, not sure why so I figured I'd ask you guys and see if you have seen this before.
Ok, so loping counter clockwise (that would be left lead if I'm not mistaken I think) is the side he is naturally more comfortable with. (i've heard horses are "right or left-handed" so to speak. any truth to this?) He stays on the rail fine, totally perfect. Now, when you lope on the right lead...
1. He seems to have a harder time picking that one up. Not physically. He can physically do it just fine as he has before. It just takes more encouragement and he is more likely to miss that lead than when I ask for the left lead (which is usually a near flawless smooth transition). We have been working on loping from a stop, and walk and he is getting better. I figured I would add this note but the main question is the next one.
2. When loping on the right lead, no matter where we are, what arena we are in, home, show, whatever. He pulls off the rail SOOOOOOOOOO bad to the right, but only one one side of the arena. I can lightly pull the left rein to pull him back towards it, but *normally* that just puts his head on the rail, butt in the middle and we lope sideways. I have tried pulling lightly and then also applying slight leg pressure to move him (as he does know how to half-pass). Sometimes this works, or he surges forward real quick. He also cuts corners REALLY bad to the right. Doesn't to it at a walk, trot, or extended trot. The best way to describe it is like he is *leaning* (so to speak) on my right leg. Does that make any sense? And how do I correct it?
I had thought at one point maybe it's the stuff on the outside he is trying to get away from? But at home its just a wall (indoor arena), a bare wall with NOTHING there, and again to the left he is totally fine. At shows it has been the side with bleachers, the side with nothing there (while he was totally fine being on the rail where all the horses, trailers and commotion were). I can't find a pattern in physical *scary* things bothering him. So maybe it's a psychological thing? Maybe he's left-handed? lol. I don't know. Has anyone had this kinda thing before?