gaining control - dressage riders

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not_with_it

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I am open to all suggestions but would particularly like to hear from people competing elementary and above.

My mare is usually ridden and competed in a french link bradoon with a flash noseband. When schooling at home she can sometimes get very strong, especially in the canter. At the moment we are having real problems with the canter, especially on the left rein. Teeth, back, saddle etc are all fine. The canter has never been easy for us but Gin just wants to go round quite hollow and getting her to come round is difficult. Im at my wits end. She makes it even more difficult by pushing my left leg off her side and pushing me out of a correct position.

After our disaster at the regionals my instructor suggested putting her in a hanging cheek and drop noseband for a bit of poll pressuse. As were competing at elementary I thought about putting her in a double for the area festivals to have a little more control.

So my question is, was there a stage that your horse went through like this? What did you do to solve it?

I keep toying with the idea of a weeks training away from the yard with a fresh pair of eyes but not sure I will be able to fit it in.
 
i very much doupt using a double to 'solve ' your problems is the way to go.I think its totally un-neccessary for double bridles to be used at this level and i for one am one of those people that ride at advanced level in a snaffle. Dont think thats because i am blessed with 'perfect' horses, far from it.
This is about connection and the fact that she pushes you away at the ribs and therefore avoids the connection with the outsde rein is the 'key' here. most horses are 'left strong and push harder with the left leg, they then translate this into the hand and you feel this in the heavier dead inside rein. As a result riders tend to loose the outside shoulder, lean in and dont open the inside rein enough. 99% of riders that come to me have this problem and they ALL have this 'stuck' inside left hand. one key way to develope a better connection is to ride squares and make her wait between the inside leg and the outside rein. Be aware of how you turn your shoulders and nearly always you will feel the horse fall against your leg and in an attempt to keep her out you will use your inside rein , this will the cause resitance as you are not allowing the inside leg to come straight under the body and time the 'ask' to release off the floor quick enough.You will also need to really balance the hand with the seat and not drop your inside shoulder, keep the right shoulder and elbow down and close the outside rein against the neck. Its this outside connection that is vital in the 'wait ' for the corner of your square. Really think about the timing of the use of your inside leg as this will also help with the timing and the connection.If she will not 'wait ' on the half halt on the outside rein then you must halt her and keep her facining the corner, then open the inside rein ,turn your shoulders and tap with the inside leg,make sure the outside leg is behind the girth to hold the outside hind on so that she has to take more weight here. If you like she over balances to the inside and she needs to have less weight here.
The hanging cheek snaffle is very useful and i have used them but i find that after a while they lean on them and rather like the fulmer they can tilt against them also.
One of my Spanish boys was very difficult in the canter and avoided connection especially in the canter but it really was more about balance and reaction to my leg. Now he is more forward in connection terms he is much softer and i am able to guide him forward and through and this was one of the methods i used combined with the transitions to increase reaction to my leg and hand so that the moment i asked for the canter i got it. This is also vital as it is often the case that they often run one step and this ia the moment you loose that connection in a through way.
Sorry for the long reply.
 
Thanks or the reply, I will read through it a few times so it sinks in then put it into practise.
I have the same views as you on the hanging cheek. I think they encourage the horse to lean.
The reason I suggested the double was because at the regionals she really got away from me and I didnt have any control. I thought it might just able me to bring her back to me in that evironment.
She normally does all her tests in a snaffle without any problems.

I know that the canter really does need work and not a quick fix and I really dont want to force her head down. I will play around tomorrow and definatly try what you have suggested.
 
Good luck I am sure you will get there. Please dont think i was being hard on you i think you have obviously got the right idea and obviously more scope than just this championship. I am trying to give you advice for the future.
I just think the double will lead to even more problems even in the short term.
 
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