Advice for one sided horse please

AShetlandBitMeOnce

AShetlandBitMeOnce

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Dex is rather 'stiff' on the left rein, I put quotations as he's not physically stiff as he he is equally mobile on both sides for his physio and is beautifully supple on both reins in walk, but when we go into trot he wants to automatically go into outside flexion and feels almost as if someone has a piece of 2x4 wood along his left side from end of rib cage to mouth if that makes any sense at all! I think it originally stemmed from me not being able to open that hip as well as the other side (I have bilateral hip dysplasia) and blocking that side of his body and where we have ceased lessons for a few months old habits have crept in, when we were having weekly lessons we were almost 'there' with it. If I just let him go round with it then he will get to the end of the long side and steer himself directly into the fence - he also likes to lean on the left hand but I let the rein slip somewhat once he starts to get heavy on that hand and it remedies it to a degree.

My instructor is usually brilliant with helping me remedy this but I don't quite have the funds to restart lessons at the moment - I remember she said something about not putting the inside leg on, as my brain wants to open the inside hand and apply inside leg to the rib cage but I vividly remember her saying this isn't helpful, and she was right when we worked through her way, but can't for the life of me remember why.

I try to spiral in and out of a 20m circle with some success, I have been transitioning up into trot from shoulder in to activate that left hind leg as he needs to build some strength in it (surgery last July on his stifle, musculature looks even so not hugely weak but needs reminding its there a bit), I have tried to constantly change the rein on a figure 8 so he can't lean too much on that left side but even this isn't so much helping as he goes beautifully right rein, then motorbikes through the change of rein until we go back on the right..

Complete word vomit of a post but hopefully someone can help! Should be able to get instructor out towards end of next month.
 
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How does he go on the lunge? It sounds a bit like he remembers pain or something on that side and wondering if its just a ridden issue in trot or trotting on that rein in general.
Running into the wall suggests he's really trying to avoid something real or remembered.

Has your physio seen you ride him? I think I'd want to check there isn't something showing under saddle that she's not seeing/feeling. But it is probably remembered pain and will take time to make him forget.

If its just ridden, how is he if you stay on the right diagonal (or the opposite one from the 1 he is stiff on)? Or if you stay sitting or completely stood in the stirrups?

Can you leg yield him to the wall in walk, pick up trot still with that inside flexion and aim for 2-3 strides before walking again? Or in walk have inside flexion ask for 1 or 2 strides of barely trot and back to walk, then slowly build up the number or trot strides. So he doesn't have time to set his neck etc and can hopefully will stop associating trot with pain.
 
Goes beautifully on the lunge, had saddle fitter in Dec, equal on the flexion/lateral work when we do groundwork, has monthly physio/bodywork, goes beautifully at walk, it's definitely not a pain response I believe it's mostly tension both because that's always been our worse rein (read: I made it his slightly worse rein while backing him because of my hips most likely) and he's not done much at all in the last 2 months plus my old habits have crept in a bit. He's seen the vet a lot because I am neurotic and there is nothing of any note - he wouldn't literally run into the wall, I am being a bit dramatic which isn't helpful I realise, it's more the feeling that I get.

I haven't tried staying on the right diagonal so not sure on that, will give the bits you have mentioned in your last paragraph a try - thank you :)
 
I know from your posts you do check everything so it is probably remembered pain/discomfort/weakness and didn't mean to imply you hadn't explored all routes. Just based on HHO forum experience and for others reading it doesn't hurt to ask if everything has been checked.

As he is 100% the rest of the time, I think trying to get a few controlled strides of straight/slightly inwardly flexed trot might be the best approach and slowly build up, so that he relearns that trotting on that leg is ok and builds up strength.
Other exercise to try might be leg yeild, in walk round the corner then as you straighten on the long side ask for a few strides of trot. Id practice all this on his good side first so he understands what is being asked.

Out of interest, how is he in canter?
 
How are your shoulders? I struggled for years with being misaligned and was making my horses one-sided. I could FEEL that I wasn't sitting evenly through my seat bones but I physically couldn't correct it. I went through several trainers and no-one picked up on it until my current trainer took one look at me and said I was tensing/lifting my left shoulder which was misaligning my weight through my seat. I have to consciously make an effort to make sure I am dropping and relaxing my left shoulder to stay even through my seat. Perversely the more I focus on bending and getting my horse supple on the bad-rein I was also tensing up even more through that shoulder and side of my body so making the issue worse.

The other thing we worked on with mine was straightness before bend. Most horses are not truly straight, but once you get straightness the suppleness comes a lot easier. So we worked on achieving true straightness, and then from there being able to flex him each way while riding, so going large or on a 20m circle on the left-rein, I will ride supppled to the left for a few strides, and then switch to straight for a few strides, then suppling to the right etc. this really forces you and the horse to be truly straight and supple through their body rather than relying on the direction you are going or just hanging them off your inside leg and rein.

A final exercise I do which is great for opening up the rib-cage but surprising difficult is to put 2 markers in the school, and then ride a figure-of-8 around them on 5m circles in walk. You want the horse to take the rein and stretch through the back and open up the ribcage, but you'll likely notice they do this on the 'good' rein and then hollow and struggle with the bad rein at first. But it really encourages them to open up the back and bend through.
 
YourValentine said:
I know from your posts you do check everything so it is probably remembered pain/discomfort/weakness and didn't mean to imply you hadn't explored all routes. Just based on HHO forum experience and for others reading it doesn't hurt to ask if everything has been checked.

As he is 100% the rest of the time, I think trying to get a few controlled strides of straight/slightly inwardly flexed trot might be the best approach and slowly build up, so that he relearns that trotting on that leg is ok and builds up strength.
Other exercise to try might be leg yeild, in walk round the corner then as you straighten on the long side ask for a few strides of trot. Id practice all this on his good side first so he understands what is being asked.

Out of interest, how is he in canter?
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I will definitely give it a go, thank you! I haven't done a huge amount of canter 'schooling' with him yet after his surgery as I spent the first 2 months back ridden hacking mostly and then he had most of Nov/Dec off so he's not built back so much strength, so all I can say is he has a massive lollopy stride still as I've not asked for much other than a bit of rhythm and a nice strike off.

KikiDee said:
How are your shoulders? I struggled for years with being misaligned and was making my horses one-sided. I could FEEL that I wasn't sitting evenly through my seat bones but I physically couldn't correct it. I went through several trainers and no-one picked up on it until my current trainer took one look at me and said I was tensing/lifting my left shoulder which was misaligning my weight through my seat. I have to consciously make an effort to make sure I am dropping and relaxing my left shoulder to stay even through my seat. Perversely the more I focus on bending and getting my horse supple on the bad-rein I was also tensing up even more through that shoulder and side of my body so making the issue worse.

The other thing we worked on with mine was straightness before bend. Most horses are not truly straight, but once you get straightness the suppleness comes a lot easier. So we worked on achieving true straightness, and then from there being able to flex him each way while riding, so going large or on a 20m circle on the left-rein, I will ride supppled to the left for a few strides, and then switch to straight for a few strides, then suppling to the right etc. this really forces you and the horse to be truly straight and supple through their body rather than relying on the direction you are going or just hanging them off your inside leg and rein.

A final exercise I do which is great for opening up the rib-cage but surprising difficult is to put 2 markers in the school, and then ride a figure-of-8 around them on 5m circles in walk. You want the horse to take the rein and stretch through the back and open up the ribcage, but you'll likely notice they do this on the 'good' rein and then hollow and struggle with the bad rein at first. But it really encourages them to open up the back and bend through.
Click to expand...

it's funny you say this as the first time I mentioned the one sidedness to my instructor she said 'well yes, you're sitting completely on your left seat bone, of course he wants to come in' and then she got me to sit on 2 foam balls to tune into my seat and then put them under my feet in the stirrups too and it was super helpful. I have been trying to make a conscious effort to not do this, but it's possible I have slipped but can't feel it.

I will definitely give those both a try, thank you! The 5m circle one sounds interesting!
 
Gloi said:
Could you get a few sessions on a mechanical horse where they can advise you about your body
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I have looked into it but any within an hour or me seem to be £70 or thereabouts, which I don't have spare right now. That's almost 2 lessons with instructor who would probably help 90% of the way within 10 minutes.. I may just have to suck it up and get her out for a one off to get us back on the right foot, but I feel cheeky doing that when I can't continue regular lessons until next month really
 
AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
I have looked into it but any within an hour or me seem to be £70 or thereabouts, which I don't have spare right now. That's almost 2 lessons with instructor who would probably help 90% of the way within 10 minutes.. I may just have to suck it up and get her out for a one off to get us back on the right foot, but I feel cheeky doing that when I can't continue regular lessons until next month really
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I imagine it's a quiet time for a lot of trainers as people decide they just can't be bothered with the weather and being short of cash in January. I wouldn't worry about booking a one-off persoally and then just explain you can't commit to regular lessons again for a few weeks but will be back!
 
AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
I have looked into it but any within an hour or me seem to be £70 or thereabouts, which I don't have spare right now. That's almost 2 lessons with instructor who would probably help 90% of the way within 10 minutes.. I may just have to suck it up and get her out for a one off to get us back on the right foot, but I feel cheeky doing that when I can't continue regular lessons until next month really
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Speaking as an instructor it wouldn't bother me in the slightest to be asked for a one off to help before you're ready to have regular lessons again.
 
I have a very similar issue with left rein stiffness on walk to trot transitions. What is helping at the moment is an extended warm up in walk only with lots of 5m circles, shoulder in-shoulder out and leg yielding. Basically loads of bending around my leg in both directions. After probably 15-20mins in walk I then start working in trot and whilst initially I get counter flexion on the transitions, it’s much less and easier to correct.

I also agree with working on straightness, I often start with trot transitions up the long side focussing on straight first before moving to transitions on a circle which seems to help.
 
Check you are straight, but be mindful that a crooked horse will make a crooked rider.

Lateral work and turns to supple both sides.

But…

He had an OCD removed, didn’t he? I would video him on the lunge on both reins in walk, trot and canter and if possible a jump. Then I would analyse those videos and just check.
 
maya2008 said:
Check you are straight, but be mindful that a crooked horse will make a crooked rider.

Lateral work and turns to supple both sides.

But…

He had an OCD removed, didn’t he? I would video him on the lunge on both reins in walk, trot and canter and if possible a jump. Then I would analyse those videos and just check.
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He's been trotted up by the vet almost monthly since he had that chip removed, he's 100% fully sound to the point that my vet is starting to audibly sign when he rocks up and I say 'nothing acute, just checking' 😂
 
If he's looking good on the ground without a rider, would a session with a Physio for yourself be a good investment?

I know when I've just had a Physio session, the next riding lesson I have always feels miles easier and the horse goes better because my body is finding it physically easier to do/not do what my instructor is saying/what the horse needs for me to not get in his way!
 
One of the exercises my instructor (classical) gave me was to go on the easier rein, flexion to the outside and - if in trot - go on the "wrong" diagonal.

Also leg yielding so he had to get off his left shoulder onto right hind.

But I would get a lesson because she spotted stuff I hadn't!
 
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