Bending

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rodeo12

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Long story short:

I haven't been riding my horse regularly for a long time now.

Anyway, I went to lunge him with side reins but when he stands still they are an EXACT match, as soon as he gets going in walk/trot/canter it looks like I've shortened one about 5 holes, he is sooooo uneven. Is there anyway I can fix this on the lunge without schooling. I know schooling would be ideal, but I would just spend the whole time on the ground (I've out grown him ability wise so he just protests). He has been on loan for a long time, but they don't have the experience to 'school' which is where I think it's come from. I noticed a little unwillingness to bend when I rode bareback and he had a tantrum when I asked for inside bend as he went with his head to the outside, but put it to an off day, but now I'm around more I've realised it's a big problem.

Any tips on exercises/devices to help with getting him even? I'll school if there isn't a way to do it on the lunge as its now affecting his muscle development and making the saddle tighter on one side.

Thanks
 
He just spends the whole time trying to get me off. He is perfect for everyone else. He has complete novices ride him. He used to be fine for me when I let him do what he wanted. But now, I have the ability to get him going e.g. the beginners will say trot now, and he'll trot 5 strides 10 seconds later, whereas when I ride, when I say trot he HAS to trot as soon as I ask which he doesn't like. So then spends the whole time thinking of ways to get me off or to have a tantrum. Which is why I don't school now, as we both just end up stressed at each other and it's not fun! It's definitely not pain related, it's just him. Someone could take him xc and he'd be fine. But as soon as I get on: if he decides he wants to go for a gallop but I want him to stand or warm up or something he'll just get me off there and then and go for a gallop on his own. It's his character -I do love it, but where his so lazy and hard work I just don't get anything from it anymore and leave thinking why did I bother. I've had him since I was 10. So over a decade now which is why I have outgrown him ability wise - he was very much a first horse and that's what he is good at being. Ask anymore of him and that's it, you have a completely different horse.
FfionWinnie said:
What do you mean by this please?
Click to expand...
 
It sounds as if it probably is pain related to a degree, he is carrying himself in a way that is comfortable for him, this will be either due to an underlying condition causing him to protect himself, because he has built up incorrect muscles that he will now find it hard to go any other way without some discomfort or most likely a combination of both .
Now it is visible and causing a problem with the saddle the issue is very established and unlikely to be resolved without some real rehab, vet check, physio, saddle check and loads of work helping train him to use himself correctly again.
The work can be done on the ground, lunging and long reining as well as stretches and massage but without professional input first the underlying cause will prevent real progress, as will being ridden incorrectly during the work.
 
Would defo say it's down to building up incorrect muscles causing him to find it hard. He is ridden by so many people who want to learn to ride (lesson horse) as well as his loaners, so no one ever really gets on and 'rides' him now. He used to be really even when I rode lots alongside him being ridden by beginners which is why I was so conscious of him bending/flexing becoming supple and working both sides eveningly. But I didn't really think about him not getting schooled in the same way as the loaners have lessons too. I know what exercises to do on top, I just don't know what I could do on the lunge to help. Think it will probably just be easier if I just get on top and school once a week and then lunge another time. The saddler is already sorted so that will be one problem elevated.

What exercises would you do on the lunge though to get him bending?
 
I would do carrot stretches on the ground to get him bending and when lunging work on getting him straight, until he is straight and working evenly he will not be able to truly bend while working. Aim for forward and even into the rein, work on two reins may be more useful than just on one, watch his hindlegs they should follow into the tracks of the front once he is really tracking up and lifting his back the bend will start to come, it will take time and needs to be done gradually otherwise you risk making him sore and he may get worse not better, especially if the reason behind it is long established.
 
Brill thanks, have already been working on getting him to make a true circle - lots of different size circles on the lunge to really get him listening and stop him falling in/out so much. So will keep doing that and just keep to walk and trot for a while. Will try and get down too to give the loaners a lesson or two so that they know what they are doing.

I know my previous loaners had me give them lessons for a while so they got to grips with how to ride him, but unfortunately the timing of this one meant they just had him on loan and just got on with it. Even just getting them to do simple exercise properly such as 3 loop serpentines and shallow loops and changing the reins will help him.

The trouble with lessons I think is often it's every body trots large, then a circle and then do the same on the other rein, then canter large one at a time. Whereas when I schooled him I don't think we ever did just a whole lap.

Hopefully it will sort out soon. Bit nervous about those carrot exercises though - do you find the horses bite? My horse doesn't get fed anything by hand as he then thinks everyone has food and tries to bite people. Where he is used for lessons and ridden by such tiny people I always get nervous in case he mistakes their fingers as food in anticipation of a treat? But I suppose as long as his doing something for it then it should be ok?
 
Out of curiosity, what does he do when you don't have the side reins on?

You can do gentle carrot stretches without food. I do them with my boy. I stand at his (e.g left) shoulder, put my right hand on his right cheek, and gently stretch his head around to the left to the point he's happy with, hold for a couple of seconds, then let him slowly bring his head back. We used to do them with food, but he'd just snatch, rather than stretching, which probably doesn't do them much good.
 
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