Confidence boosted! How to teach a horse to bend?

[inkratlet]

I don't know if anyone remembers I was having confidence issues out hacking my TB on loan because he kept spooking?

Anyway, his mum has sat on him a few times since the weekend and he's been as good as gold for her...

She kindly drove him up to Fenning Farm yesterday evening for me to ride him in their dressage arena. He was knackered after an hour in there doing mostly walk and trot work, we only did 2 or so circles in canter on both reins really just to see what its like (including some accidental counter canter!). He was a very good boy!

I could do with some pointers to help his flatwork though.

Bearing in mind the poor boy is quite unfit, he starts off lovely and forward and eager, but towards the end was falling out of trot unless I kept my leg on constantly.

He doesn't bend. It's quite hard to ride corners as he either falls in very badly and cuts the corner off or he goes straight towards the fence until you ask him to turn, which he then does in plank fashion. Inside leg not making any difference, he doesn't 'get' that legs mean anything other than go forward (ex racehorse).

I rode lots and lots of circles, they weren't circle shaped but that isn't an issue at the moment, the aim was to get him to bend. Using the inside rein to get him to bend his neck resulted in him trotting a smaller and smaller circle until there was nothing left. I can't seem to push him out with my leg as he just doesn't respond. He will turn on the spot (yay pirouettes!) with absolutely no forward movement in walk just by using the inside rein. It's just like spinning a pencil on your desk.

I know he will find this easier when he's fitter, but tips would be great.

Also his owner commented that he seems very tight in the shoulder, so anything to help him there would be great too. She also commented that his paces are really quite nice, and his canter is BIG and bouncy.

All in all he was very patient and willing to put up with silly person on his back asking all these things he doesn't understand and I know how important it is to really 'feel' it when he does good as he gets that rewarding feeling down through the saddle.

 

[caemar1]

Practice makes perfect!

Keep doing what you are doing and one day you will realise how far you have come, you just have to keep chipping away.

Just keep your sessions short and sweet.

The only other thing that you may want to add is leg yield. I taught my newly broken mare this and it had really helped with all aspects of circles, bending as it gets them used to responding to your leg in a sideways movement rather than just forwards.

 

[angiebaby]

My TB is exactly the same, used to pointing the nose forward and going in straight lines! One thing that has helped mine bend is the carrot exercise. A couple of times a day, take small pieces of carrot and place them on his side so he has to reach round to get them, making him stretch his neck further each day repeat on each side. Within a couple of weeks my horse has improved loads

 

[Saffylou]

Persistance is the key I'm working on similar issues with my mare (although her problem is more one sidedness), lots of circles, serpentines, spiralling in and out on a circle as well as shoulder in are all exercises to help.

Leg yielding should help with getting him to move away from your leg as should turns on and about the forehand.

And lessons with a good instructor are invaluable!!

Good luck!

 

[Pasha]

Leg-yield and shoulder-in will help no end.... instead of trying to 'push' him out or over with lots of leg, take your leg out of your inside stirrup to force you to sit on the inside seat bone and increase the weight there and he should move away from your leg without the need for you to give an aid which he interprets as go faster.... may take a bit of practice and perseverence. Good luck x

 

[minkymoo]

What are the aids for a leg yield? I really need to start practising, but have no idea how to do it