Getting horse to bend GRR

[Jenna1406]

My horse has trouble striking off on the correct leg on the left rein so I do the following, pole in the corner, small jump or when leg yelding out etc and that is fine, when you get the canter its lovely, balanced etc BUT on the right rein, the rein she strikes off on the correct lead all the time I find her to be quite unbalanced and she bends her neck to the outside which makes everything out of balance, quite hard to sit etc

What other things can I do to help her bend correctly?

At the moment, I do flexing right and left, I do spiral circles in and out, changes of rein, surpintines, tear drops............is there anything else I can try?

Thanks

 

[be positive]

You need to get her straight before thinking about bend, she is most likely much stiffer along one side of her body and this will prevent her bending correctly on either rein.
Go back to basics in walk and trot really work on getting her straight, plenty of polework on circles, work on an inside track, lots of transitions, will really help ensure she is carrying herself properly, once she is straight you will find it easier for her to bend correctly both ways, the canter should be much easier then.

Carrot stretches are useful to encourage equal stretching both ways.

 

[Jenna1406]

She does go straight for everything else as I did alot of work on that. When you ask for canter she will go up the long side straight but when you start to turn, she starts to bend the wrong way (frustrating).

I do carrot stretches with her every other day

 

[CobsGalore]

Have you had everything checked? teeth, back, saddle etc?

 

[be positive]

You may think she is truly straight but if she cannot bend around a corner on the right rein, she should be bending slightly to the right around your inside leg in canter all the time anyway, there will be some stiffness causing it hence the suggestion for working on straightness.
It may be that you do not have her softly around your leg before the corners so try asking for more inside bend in canter, on an inside track and see if she remains straight and in balance.
Try doing some counter canter work on her better leg, again remain on bend around the leading leg, she should have to stay straight to remain balanced and it will really help with the left canter.
Other things to try are walk to canter, canter transitions on the long side being very clear with your aids, canter poles on a 20 m circle in the middle of the school.

 

[Jenna1406]

Have you had everything checked? teeth, back, saddle etc?

She gets her teeth done every 6 months, so that isnt an issue. She had her back checked a couple of months ago, she can do the carrot stretches really well, so I know she can bend, she just doesnt find it easy when cantering and the saddle gets checked every year as well.

You may think she is truly straight but if she cannot bend around a corner on the right rein, she should be bending slightly to the right around your inside leg in canter all the time anyway, there will be some stiffness causing it hence the suggestion for working on straightness.
It may be that you do not have her softly around your leg before the corners so try asking for more inside bend in canter, on an inside track and see if she remains straight and in balance.
Try doing some counter canter work on her better leg, again remain on bend around the leading leg, she should have to stay straight to remain balanced and it will really help with the left canter.
Other things to try are walk to canter, canter transitions on the long side being very clear with your aids, canter poles on a 20 m circle in the middle of the school.

Thanks for that. I have some homework to go away and play with.

 

[Dubsie]

Just a thought, but how straight are you? RI pointed out daughter is getting unlevel (which may or may not be due to speed she is growing, at one point a couple of years ago one leg was a good inch longer than the other) and it definitely affects pony bend.

 

[Jenna1406]

My left leg is stronger than my right so I tend to lean more to the left, so have to try and stretch with my right leg

 

[AmyMay]

Just a thought, but how straight are you?

Exactly. I would assume rider error, OP.

 

[Jenna1406]

Me as a rider is getting worked on at every lesson as ever since I came off her my position has been terrible but although her not been straight will be because of myself not been 100% straight but when riding instructors get on her she tends to do the same (she is good at evading the bit, ill try find a jumping picture of her doing it).

 

[Kokopelli]

Lunge lessons with a good instructor are brilliant if you're sitting wonky you might find a real difference after a couple to your horses way of going.

Also is she heavier in one particular rein then the other?

 

[Jenna1406]

Lunge lessons with a good instructor are brilliant if you're sitting wonky you might find a real difference after a couple to your horses way of going.

Also is she heavier in one particular rein then the other?

Getting lunged on her isnt the best idea as i had the great idea of doing this with no reins and something spooked her and we were cantering around for what felt like a long time with no reins (very weird feeling) and thankfully I stay on and the intructor was very calm lol.

 

[Jenna1406]

Here are a few different pictures of my horse in different places

This one really speaks for itself but it looks horrible

First time at the beach and you can see that she isnt straight, I put this down to slight excitment and evading

Its very slight here but I know that she isnt straight here, sometime I think she does it more when I am nervous.

 

[Jenna1406]

And another nicer one lol

 

[kinnygirl1]

Hi I have had the canter strike off problem on and off with my 5 YO. He is perfect for a few weeks and then reverts to not being able to strike off left for some reason. Anyway, what has helped us is to really exagerate the canter aid on BOTH reins, even the one he prefers, so that he really gets the feel for the aid. So on the left really, really open the left rein, lots of inside leg at the girth and slide your right leg back as much as is comfy. Feels odd but seems to help him get what I am asking for. Then after getting it right a couple of times, you can begin to refine your aid again and wrap him round your inside leg more subtley.

May be worth getting teeth and things checked just to be sure - hope you don't mind me saying but she does look a little uncomfortable in the pics. Sometimes issues can creep up between checks. Good Luck.

 

[Jenna1406]

Hi I have had the canter strike off problem on and off with my 5 YO. He is perfect for a few weeks and then reverts to not being able to strike off left for some reason. Anyway, what has helped us is to really exagerate the canter aid on BOTH reins, even the one he prefers, so that he really gets the feel for the aid. So on the left really, really open the left rein, lots of inside leg at the girth and slide your right leg back as much as is comfy. Feels odd but seems to help him get what I am asking for. Then after getting it right a couple of times, you can begin to refine your aid again and wrap him round your inside leg more subtley.

May be worth getting teeth and things checked just to be sure - hope you don't mind me saying but she does look a little uncomfortable in the pics. Sometimes issues can creep up between checks. Good Luck.

I will try this.

This mare isnt uncomfortable in anyway shape or form, dont let her fool you lol. She can look like this one min and be as relaxed and as straight as you like. Some schooling sessions I have to look down and see if I am riding the right horse as she goes beutifully and then some days reverts back to the old darcy.

She used to go "sideways" alot when a first got her and this took a lot of hard work to sort out and she barely does it now, will do it once and a while when she is really excited but when schooling she wont.

She is a very complex mare............frustrating and rewarding at the same time lol

 

[TigerTail]

Horses lose/gain weight and muscle constantly so a saddle check once a year when you have a treed saddle is not a guarantee that it isnt the saddle causing the issue.......

Personally id be laying off even trying to canter to begin with , the more you carry on in the vein of those pics eek the worse the asymmetry is gonna get and the more ingrained the problem.

Id start with a HM vogue saddle, a good trainer and lots of slow trot and lateral work.

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

when you have finished warming up and about to start the proper work put her on her most comfortable rein and ask for a 20m circle with outside bend and progress this into a large piroutte. This stretches all the right muscles but you get less of the arguements.

Also slow her right down on her bad rein to an 'irish jog' to get the bend, just make sure she is engaged behind correctly so she is still going forwards. she might not be ready to work forwards at pace just yet.

I also found figures of 8 with lots of transition changes and pushing the bend through from your outside leg and hand works well.

 

[Bernster]

OP - do you mind if I ask how you dealt with the 'sideways' issue?

We've gone very wonky on left rein trot, we come off corners quarters in and when I put my inside leg on it gets worse. We are slightly wonky generally but this is very pronounced. I know I'm not straight and trying hard to correct that as I sit naturally with my left hip back and am stronger on the right hand side. She does it with my instructor too but she can straighten her out, whereas I am struggling.

 

[Miss L Toe]

Lunge with two reins, mostly 15 m circles at the trot, plenty of transitions, ask for the bend, encourage impulsion and ask for relaxation, do this with standard snaffle loose ring bit until he is happy.
I got a much better "work ethic" when I changed to a fillet baucher half cheek [lozenge] as he was slopping along before, this gives good sideways control.

 

[Littlelegs]

Agree with tiger tail. I'd also lunge to improve her without rider error. Its hard to judge from a few pictures, but in every one you have low hands which makes me think the contact is a factor with your issues. It might not be the sole cause, but at the least its complicating it.

 

[~ Clear Light ~]

Rule number 1) the horse must be going forwards. Forget bending until she's in front of your leg. She does not look active behind or tracking up at all, which means she's not working through her body. Once she's genuinely forwards you should work on getting her straight, ie keeping the neck dead straight and thinking about riding the back end on turns and circles and not thinking about turning the inside shoulder. Once a true contact is established then you can work on flexing and bend with clever exercises with an instructor watching to tackle the hollow and stiff sides. So I think perhaps go back a few stages to establish the basics.

(assuming teeth, back etc is fine and you're positive you are sitting correctly without unbalancing her. Remember the rider is the main cause for a crooked horse!)*

 

[AmyMay]

Interesting photos. Have you looked at your position in the one by the dressage arena?

 

[AmyMay]

And who is riding het in the jumping photo? Again, position.......

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Agree with tiger tail. I'd also lunge to improve her without rider error. Its hard to judge from a few pictures, but in every one you have low hands which makes me think the contact is a factor with your issues. It might not be the sole cause, but at the least its complicating it.

Interesting photos. Have you looked at your position in the one by the dressage arena?

Or indeed in all those photos.

As was said on another thread recently, the rider needs to be in the right position for the horse to be in the right position (or words to that effect - littlelegs actually put it much better, lol!)

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

OP horse may be losing balance down long side of arena then falling onto inside shoulder as they start the turn. Counteract this by doing transitions down the long side to maintain the balance, eventually horse will be able to hold the balance in canter for longer.

Sort out your position, you look to be gripping with your knees, causing your heel to raise so your leg is not effective to support horse through the turn. Your hands look low and fixed, you want them like you have them in the halt pic. If you lean left horse will lean right so until you sort that out horse stands no chance.

If horse is throwing itself onto inside shoulder through laziness as it starts the turn: support with outside rein, lift inside hand a few inches and vibrate it, keep outside leg behind girth and increase pressure slightly to support, nudge firmly with inside leg on girth.
. If inside leg ignored, give a tap with short whip (held in inside hand) down inside shoulder and repeat the leg aid. Basically you're kicking the horse upright, telling it to get off the shoulder, straighten up and stop being lazy. The tap with the whip helps make it clear its the shoulder you want moved back where it belongs, not for the horse to go onto a smaller circle or go faster or any other evasions they may offer you instead of straightening up and engaging the inside hind.

 

[Littlelegs]

Lol pearlsasinger, the polite version is that if you aren't in the right position, how do you expect the horse to be. And if by chance the horse does end up in the right place, how will it know its there if you aren't.

 

[Jenna1406]

Horses lose/gain weight and muscle constantly so a saddle check once a year when you have a treed saddle is not a guarantee that it isnt the saddle causing the issue.......

Personally id be laying off even trying to canter to begin with , the more you carry on in the vein of those pics eek the worse the asymmetry is gonna get and the more ingrained the problem.

Id start with a HM vogue saddle, a good trainer and lots of slow trot and lateral work.

The horse has had the same saddle for the whole time that I have had her, plus she has a dressage saddle but this makes no difference.

The horse will work really well in trot in the school BUT when you ride her somewhere else i.e in our jumping paddock she becomes a nightmare and evades.

I have been getting lessons and my next one is on Monday.

when you have finished warming up and about to start the proper work put her on her most comfortable rein and ask for a 20m circle with outside bend and progress this into a large piroutte. This stretches all the right muscles but you get less of the arguements.

Also slow her right down on her bad rein to an 'irish jog' to get the bend, just make sure she is engaged behind correctly so she is still going forwards. she might not be ready to work forwards at pace just yet.

I also found figures of 8 with lots of transition changes and pushing the bend through from your outside leg and hand works well.

Thanks, thats the sort of thing I need to try.

OP - do you mind if I ask how you dealt with the 'sideways' issue?

We've gone very wonky on left rein trot, we come off corners quarters in and when I put my inside leg on it gets worse. We are slightly wonky generally but this is very pronounced. I know I'm not straight and trying hard to correct that as I sit naturally with my left hip back and am stronger on the right hand side. She does it with my instructor too but she can straighten her out, whereas I am struggling.

Dealing the the sideways was alot of consistent work, thinking ahead of her and changing what she was doing. She used to do it in certain places so instead of continuing on round the school, I would change direction before she started to go sideways. She still does the sideways thing when she gets excited.

Good luck

Lunge with two reins, mostly 15 m circles at the trot, plenty of transitions, ask for the bend, encourage impulsion and ask for relaxation, do this with standard snaffle loose ring bit until he is happy.
I got a much better "work ethic" when I changed to a fillet baucher half cheek [lozenge] as he was slopping along before, this gives good sideways control.

I do alot of long reining out and about on hacks etc but I will start taking her into the school to do this. I am finding that she is heavy on my hands and I have changed her into a loose ring french link, she tries to grab the bit from my hand, pulling me forward (almost off a few times)

My mare has a few issues with poll pressure, do you think that bit would be good for her though?

Thanks

Agree with tiger tail. I'd also lunge to improve her without rider error. Its hard to judge from a few pictures, but in every one you have low hands which makes me think the contact is a factor with your issues. It might not be the sole cause, but at the least its complicating it.

Rule number 1) the horse must be going forwards. Forget bending until she's in front of your leg. She does not look active behind or tracking up at all, which means she's not working through her body. Once she's genuinely forwards you should work on getting her straight, ie keeping the neck dead straight and thinking about riding the back end on turns and circles and not thinking about turning the inside shoulder. Once a true contact is established then you can work on flexing and bend with clever exercises with an instructor watching to tackle the hollow and stiff sides. So I think perhaps go back a few stages to establish the basics.

(assuming teeth, back etc is fine and you're positive you are sitting correctly without unbalancing her. Remember the rider is the main cause for a crooked horse!)*

We are working on pushing her forward in lessons at the moment and making her go faster and lower rather than slower (hope that makes sense lol)

I know I have a stronger left leg than my right and have to stretch me right leg down more so I am constantly going in my head "right leg right leg" lol.

She is getting her teeth done again at the end of this month but she does get done every 6 months, person that used to part loan her knew how to fit saddles and it was fine (might get a second opinion - just in case)

Interesting photos. Have you looked at your position in the one by the dressage arena?

The photos are from a few different times this year. I will admit that my nerves would have got the better of me but in this dressage test she was "heavy" "strong" and "uncooperative" with me which did not help my nerves or my seat (which I am working on)

And who is riding het in the jumping photo? Again, position.......

This is a riding instructor that is on her for the XC - she is VERY strong going XC. I will get another picture of her jumping XC and its a completely different look.

Or indeed in all those photos.

As was said on another thread recently, the rider needs to be in the right position for the horse to be in the right position (or words to that effect - littlelegs actually put it much better, lol!)

All of them are me apart from the XC. The beach she was as high as a kite as she had never been there before and jogged the whole time, sideways the lot and that was at the start of the year.

The dressage was recently and it was like two different horses going from what she was like at home and what she was like on the day

OP horse may be losing balance down long side of arena then falling onto inside shoulder as they start the turn. Counteract this by doing transitions down the long side to maintain the balance, eventually horse will be able to hold the balance in canter for longer.

Sort out your position, you look to be gripping with your knees, causing your heel to raise so your leg is not effective to support horse through the turn. Your hands look low and fixed, you want them like you have them in the halt pic. If you lean left horse will lean right so until you sort that out horse stands no chance.

If horse is throwing itself onto inside shoulder through laziness as it starts the turn: support with outside rein, lift inside hand a few inches and vibrate it, keep outside leg behind girth and increase pressure slightly to support, nudge firmly with inside leg on girth.
. If inside leg ignored, give a tap with short whip (held in inside hand) down inside shoulder and repeat the leg aid. Basically you're kicking the horse upright, telling it to get off the shoulder, straighten up and stop being lazy. The tap with the whip helps make it clear its the shoulder you want moved back where it belongs, not for the horse to go onto a smaller circle or go faster or any other evasions they may offer you instead of straightening up and engaging the inside hind.

Yes, I grip with my knees and lean forward when nervous but at home its a completely different look. Working on loosening up my hips, so that my knees come of the saddle (stiff muscles/tendons in hips).

I will try this, this seems like more what D'Arcy needs, just that tap to tell her. I normally ride with a schooling whip but will try the small whip for this exercise

Thank you.

P.S I am working on my position, its a working progress

 

[Jenna1406]

Lol pearlsasinger, the polite version is that if you aren't in the right position, how do you expect the horse to be. And if by chance the horse does end up in the right place, how will it know its there if you aren't.

Ambush on my position

This is getting worked on BUT the whole problem doesnt lie with me. I admit that my position needs alot of work and has done since she got me of and I broke my wrist, cracked ribs and broken confidence. So, it is a working progress at the moment

 

[TigerTail]

Whats she like bareback?

Just because she's had the same saddle strapped on her since youve had her doesnt mean its ok!!! Horses are incredibly stoic when it comes to pain....