Horse Crossfires When Asked to Pick Up a Lead  

Crossfiring is when the horse picks up the correct lead with his front feet but gets the wrong lead with his hind feet. So he might be on the left lead up front but on the right lead behind. It’ll feel really discombobulated.

Nine times out of 10, when a horse crossfires, it’s because you’re not driving him from behind enough and you don’t have enough control of his hindquarters. In order for a horse to pick up the correct lead, his hindquarters have to be in the right position. If you set him up properly, it’s almost impossible for him not to take the correct lead.

For example, if you want the horse to pick up the left lead, you’ll have his hip pushed up to the left so that his shoulders are elevated. When you kiss to him, he’ll have to take the left lead. The only way he can’t is if at the last minute he swings his hip to the right. If that’s the case, then spend time moving him off your leg. Practice sidepassing and two-tracking to make him respect your leg and move off of it.