Bucking when asking for left canter!!?

[bandit]

morning all....

my mare is proving to be really lovely, but last night i schooled her as i need to improve my position apart from anything else LOL... when we'd finished about 20 mins of me without stirrups in both walk and trot, i took my irons back and then cantered her. right rein fine, and then left rein, she kept striking off on the wrong leg, and when i did get left lead she bucked for a bit, and then settled and finally we got 2 nice canters on left lead.

she's very obviously a right handed horse, and i have had her saddle checked, previous owner was an equine dentist and she's just passed a vetting.

do you think it's just because she is weaker on that side and muscles need to be built up?

thought i may try lunging her as then she'll have to support herself rather than have me help her ...

Answers on a post card......

Bx

 

[Sal_E]

There COULD be a problem there, but it sounds as if you've done everything right - I would still want a back person to take a look as vets on vettings are notorious for over-looking muscular discomfort, expecially if it's not severe...

If it were me, I'd get the back done first & then if it's all clear, work on schooling exercises. I would be careful about doing a lot of canter at the moment - going round & round on the bad rein won't improve things, she'll just find new ways to avoid working correctly (i.e. find ways to make it more comfortable for herself). So, lots of work at walk on trot on both reins, building up flexibility on both reins (don't forget to use outside flexion on both reins, leg yeilding etc). Limited amount of canter, always starting on the good rein - work more on multiple transitions than lots of canter - i.e. set yourself a target relevant to the level of fitness but something like only ever canter 1/2 a 20metre circle but ask for that, say, 5 times in a schooling session on both reins. At the moment, the regular transitions will help build up the strength & balance far more than prolonged cantering. If you don't see marked improvement over the coming weeks, it's time to enlist the help of an instructor...

 

[bandit]

cheers - thanks for the advice and i do have a back lady who i can ask to check her out.

I do already have an instructor who has seen her once - she's due again next week. as we've only been a partnership for 3 weeks, its all new to both of us. i definatley will do alot more work in walk and trot and do more transitions - also advised by trainer! her right shoulder is very strong and therefore she's naturally always cantered right lead. her right hind is not as strong and perhaps why she is bucking...

I'll hack her tonight with my friend - nothing too strenous (sp) and next time we school i'll put into practice your advice.

thanks v much.

 

[4whitesocks]

Had exactly same prob with my boy and while we have good days last night was a bad one! He is very one-sided and when we first started to get teh right lead he would buck because he just wasn't used to using himself that way
I sued an equine-touch person with him while he learnt how to use his muscles differently as he was quite sore on his bad side

we did lots of transitions and leg yielding to help him

 

[bandit]

i'm hoping you meant USED and not SUED an equine touch person???

leg yeilding is the way forward - we have that has homework from last training sesh..

Bx

 

[Leg_end]

My lad is the same, very stiff on his left. Had a physio look at him and theres no probs just stiffness so we are doing exactly what Sal_E suggested and really praise for the good canters but keep them short and sweet.

 

[Sal_E]

Bandit, just another point - you can try strengthening the weak side whilst working on the good side - i.e. outside flexion & counter canter; I'd say she may find counter canter fairly easy & in which case it's worth incorporating it, but if she finds it difficult, don't pursue it for now.

Any lateral work which helps to engage the back end & get that side hind leg underneath her will really help strengthen her - i.e. leg yeilding & shoulder in, although don't ask too much of her if she's weak. Lots & lots of transitions between all paces will also help her sit down & strengthen up. To get the correct strike off, try coming up the centre line (or 3/4 line depending on amount of leg yeilding you want/can do) & as you hit the outside track at the corner end, ask for canter then - you will be in a good position to ask for it & she will be stepping that inside hind under her which will help set her up.

 

[kick_On]

hi
it sound like a combinations of things. I would defo have a back person out as they give a diagonis(sp) also they will give you tips on how to warm up/cool down correct muscles for gg condition.
This my sounds daft, but when horses change home, need to tune into your aids as they might be different from how they where asked before. Then once gg happy knowing your aids for canter then you can work on building up muscles
Lots of transitions will help, lungeing also a good help with a pessoa
But i wouldn't worry slowly slowly and it will sort its self out-good luck

 

[bandit]

good point about centre line - she falls out on the right shoulder so asking for left lead isn't v easy as she just keeps falling out... bless her.

thanks for your comments and thoughts though - v helpful.

we'll get there - one day!

BX

 

[Super_Kat]

McTimoney. My 6yo ISH mare did excatly the same thing and she got seen on saturday by a McTimoney student and it turned out her atlas was tilded and rotated, she had 4 cirvical vertebre out causing her to be very stiss down the left side of her neck and her pelvis on the offside was out quite badly. I'm yet to see is she can get left canter yet because she is still building up her walk and trot in relativley straight lines.

kat
xx

 

[Super_Kat]

I've just realised what I complete idiot I sounded

oops! I'll learn to spell and phrase things eventually

kat
xx