Advice please... My horse runs on the forehand!

BorgRae

BorgRae

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Hi everyone.

I'm new to the forum as a member but have been reading posts for months to get advice and help for my own situations. I find all the help on here fantastic!

My issue is that my horse always seems to run out the front door! constantly on the forehand. He softends in walk, but in trot and canter, different story!!

Several months back, he had a slightly sore back, which we noticed in lessons as he found it more difficlut to give bend to the right. I've had the pysio out to him 4 times now and his back is completely better. And the saddler has fitted a perfect saddle for him (a dressage one).

I am now wanting to start schooling again, (i'm not a novice, but not fantastic either!) but since his back has started feeling better, he feels very "fresh" when I get on him and he just seems to want to run all the time with no contact. I do have an instructor, but wanted some advice on things I can do.

We'd mastered the trot before his back went bad and had just started to work on his rather frantic canter, which was starting to come on ok, but now we're back to square one again.

Any suggestions?

Thanks you to everyone that can help. I really appreciate it!
 
Hi, when i school my horses, i ride lots of transitions, and transitions within the gaits, i.e lenghtening and shortening the strides, i find this really engages the backend and brings them off their fore hand, as he has had a sore back i would suggest lunging with a pessoa or bungee first, so he can learn to sit on his hindquarters, and find his balence without the added weight of you on his back.

I would also ride some shoulder in aswell to help him become supple, then he wont find turning to the right so difficult
 
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I have been lunging him in a Hoe on the advice of the physio, for the last couple of months, but will now try the pessoa to see if that will help.

He was going well in the pessoa before his back issue, so will go back to that for a bit.

What's a bungie?

Thank you!
 
Echo the transitions and also lots and lots of hill work, if at all possible. I got my mare 5 years ago and she was very on the forehand at that time, she is much better now, to the point where she had removes on her fronts and needed new on the backs :D I put a lot of that down to the fact that we do a lot of hill work (not much choice here!) and she is turned out on a hilly field half the time. The other tip I would say is that regardless of how forward going he/she is, remember to ride positively from your leg. (something I forget when mine is zooming!)
Oh I also changed my bit to a myler pelham from first a french link snaffle and then a myler comfort snaffle, as she had a tendancy to a ewe neck and to go about quite hollow)
 
Unfortunately, it's really quite flat around here. But will definitely go in search of a hill and try and do some hill work. Great idea, thank you.

I am also thinking of changing his bit. He's in a french link snaffle at the mo. So will try the one you mentioned.

Thank you!! :)
 
I've only had the pelham on her for about 12 months and wish I had done it before! I was brought up with the 'a simple snaffle is the ideal' school of thought, not so in the case of a mare who arrived in a single jointed 3 ring gag (which I never put in her mouth from the day she got here!) I now have a much haopier, more enjoyable horse to ride, who is working well from back to front, instead of whzzing about with her nose in the air and a hollow neck :D
 
BorgRae said:
I have been lunging him in a Hoe on the advice of the physio, for the last couple of months, but will now try the pessoa to see if that will help.

He was going well in the pessoa before his back issue, so will go back to that for a bit.

What's a bungie?

Thank you!
Click to expand...


Heres a bungie, second pic, with a description.
http://www.equiworld.net/uk/ezine/0302/libbys2.htm

Also to get pics, load them to flickr, then grab the hml, and copy the bb code, then, at the tool bar above the box your writing in and click add link, paste your link in there, then voila
 
tinkandlily said:
Heres a bungie, second pic, with a description.
http://www.equiworld.net/uk/ezine/0302/libbys2.htm

Also to get pics, load them to flickr, then grab the hml, and copy the bb code, then, at the tool bar above the box your writing in and click add link, paste your link in there, then voila
Click to expand...

hehe... just noticed the reply with quote button!! You can tell I'm a rookie!!

The Bungie looks great, will defo look into getting one. And will give posting a pic a go when I get home from work!! Thanks for everyone's advice, it's so very much appreciated!! :D
 
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