Cross Firing on the ground?

So even though Moon is already 18.... ( can't believe I'm even saying that) He is still having some trouble with cantering on the ground. Undersaddle? No problem, never even did it when I was teachin him lead changes. He does lead changes flawlessly under saddle, no questions asked. However. When I lunge him on the ground, he will usually take the correct lead front and back (Never takes the wrong lead in the front, ever) but If asked to speed up, and sometimes even If I don't ask him anything else after the canter departure, he will switch in the back. I can tell he knows its wrong and uncomfortable, and some trainers will say "speed him up, its more uncomfortable if they go faster and they will switch and eventually learn not to do it anymore." This doesn't work and only seems to stress him out more. He is one of those horses who gets furious at himself when he makes a mistake. I sometimes will bring him to a trot and ask again immediately for the canter departure, and sometimes that fixes it, but he still will sometimes switch in the back. I didn't do a ton of ground work in the years I've owned him, only recently are we doing like, clinton anderson style ground work. I even have his halter and stick and everything, and Moon and I both love it! But this cross firing thing doesn't seem to go away. However, something else is that, if I work him free in a round pen, he doesn't cross fire, it is only on the line that he does it. But it doesn't make any sense to me, he doesn't lean against the line, there is always slack in it.

Is anyone else dealing with or have dealt with this problem before? Could it be his age? I know his hocks are a little sore, but hes never gone lame and acted like he couldn't work. But If I pick his back feet up to clean them, or for the farrier, then he is pretty darn stiff. I have him on joint supplements that help some, but I'm not sure what the next step is or if the two problems are even remotely related.

Any input is appreciated.

How big is your circle? I imagine not as big as the roundpen so it sounds very much to me like he could be older, maybe a little soreness in the hocks or early arthritis and just isn't able to do smaller circles like that. If he's fine under saddle and also in the round pen, it definitely sounds like he's switching out of discomfort. Is canter really a big part of the work you're doing? Is it possible to just stick to trotting?

I use a 15 foot lead rope and try to let him use as much of the line as possible at all times, it of course is smaller occasionally. I might need to bust out the big lunge line, haven't used it in a while, but i don't recall having this issue with the longer line.

I think he is sore in the hocks. My farrier thinks he needs his hocks injected down the line, judging by how stiff he is to lift his feet for the farrier. I used to think it was a behavior thing because he would pick it up when asked, pull it tight under him like he was about to kick, then relax and let you have it. Now, the length of time he holds it up is much much longer. Used to, he would hold it up for like 2-3 seconds, now its much closer to 10-15 before he relaxes. I always let him do whatever he needs to do to get comfortable and hold it best I can for him without over stretching him, but I can tell its not comfortable. He will sometimes swish his tail over it even. I've thought putting him on a few joint supplements would help, but i haven't seen a difference yet.

Canter isn't a 'big' part of what I do. The ground work is purely just to make him think and move his feet respectfully for him. It isn't to get the buck out, I can get on without ground work, but we have a more successful ride if I move him around for 5-10 minutes, and I feel it might help to move him around and maybe bring the stiffness out of it. Sticking to trotting isn't a bad idea. He often elects to canter of his own accord, but I'll tell him to tone it down XD

Thanks for the tips Moki!

Anyone have any ideas regarding the hock injections? I admittedly know little about the procedure. I know its from the reining shows we did, but would it really be helpful? All I know is that its artificial joint fluid being injected. Are these problems related?

Sounds like a longer lunge line might solve the issue, though if it's connected to hock issues I'd stick to trotting on the ground. I'd have the vet out for an opinion and they'll be able to give you the most information about it and it's long term effects hock injections may give him the comfort level he needs to still work effectively for a long time! 18 isn't terribly old but years in reining showing will take a toll on the joints - would be worth looking at all possibilities! Best of luck and be sure to update when it all sorts itself out!

Thanks for the advice! I'll talk to my vet. I'm determined to keep Mooner young for as long as possible. I love him to bits and I don't want him sore. Until I can get to my vet, would aspirin or something similar be worth a try? I've been considering it lately.

Is cross firing the same as cantering disunited? Like when their front and back legs are on different leads? I'm assuming it is anyway ha! But Flynn often does this when he hasn't been schooled for a while and we're trying to land left lead when jumping - he has a much weaker left hind from an injury he had as a baby before I got him, so if it's not kept supple etc, he finds it much harder to work on. So I guess Moon's the same - now he's just a bit older he's probably finding cantering on the lunge a bit harder and uses this a coping mechanism so he's not as sore. So I'd probably try an avoid it for now, unless you have a big need for it!

But if you want to give something to him to help - my instructor recommended feeding Flynn a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda once a day, and that helped stop his leg getting stiff when he wasn't being schooled as much, and it seemed to make a difference so might be worth a shot with Moon!!