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Originally Posted by DJofSD
A horse while cantering or galloping will have a front leg that strikes the ground before the other. Typically, this will be called a left lead if the left fore leg hits the ground first.
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When a horse is on it's left lead, the left front hits after the right front. The gallop is a four beat gait and the canter is a three beat gait. The left lead is right hind/ left hind/ right front/ left front/ airtime and beginning the next stride again on the right hind. Most racehorses will also get a little bit of "airtime" between the hind legs pushing and the front leg landing. The right lead is the opposite. LH/RH/LF/RF.
A horse should use their left lead for turns and right for straights in counterclockwise racing. Sore,tired or green(young) horses may not change or change too often.
It is difficult for a horse to negotiate the whole turn on the wrong lead. Switching too soon coming out of a turn usually won't slow them down, as long as they are past the elbow of the turn.
Some horses switch to their right lead as soon as they straighten out for home, others wait until deep stretch.
