flatwork help!

[rosiev]

i am using the winter to improve my 7 yo ex- racer's dressage! currently, he is very unbalanced and i am finding that if you take him off a circle onto a straight line in trot, he tends to lean on the bit. What i have been doing is a 10-15m circle everytime he leans as this tends to rebalance him so he stops leaning. is this what i should be doing or not?!!? i have also stopped cantering him completely at the moment if schooling as he is so unbalanced that he changes behind and upsets himself, so does anyone have any ideas to help him to be more balanced?
thank you very much

 

[Sarah_Jane]

Have you done any lunging on a Pessoa or similiar that could really help.

If he is that unbalanced keep to a 20m circle in trot and yes rebalance but make sure when you have done so you allow him to carry himself and don't hold him up. Lots of transitions walk trot walk etc will also help.

 

[hellspells]

Lots of transitions to really bring him off your leg. Start on a 20m circle spiral it in, probably for the moment just a little bit so its 15/16m for a complete circle or 2 then slowly ask him to leg yeild back onto the 20m.

Also lunging in a pessoa in the lowest postion to really get him working over his back and try and ride long and low, although I know from personnal experience that is less than easy with ex racers!

 

[TableDancer]

FWIW I wouldn't abandon the canter completely as the danger is the trot improves and the canter gets left behind - you'll have to face it sometime

Short canters, going large, with a light seat, is what I would recommend atm. Re trot, they always seem to find it hard when you go large off a circle, he just has to learn to find his balance. Don't be afraid to half-halt him a little as you make the transition onto the straight line, but then make sure you lighten your hands and ride forward - he mustn't rely on you to hold his head up! FWIW a 10m circle sounds too small for him for the moment. Good luck