getting pony to get bottom underneath him/work over his back

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jess.hewlett

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I am currently bringing on a youngster who's flatwork has come on crazy amounts in the past few months however would love some exercises to get him to work over his back and get his bottom underneath him, if anybody has some suggestions would be very grateful!!!
 
You have posted a lot recently with questions about how to qualify for some top class shows; but also about some very basic questions. No problem with asking questions - that is absolutely what everyone does if they want to learn. But in several replies it has been suggested you get a good instructor. I think this might be one of them.

To get a horse to work correctly over his back requires that he has the musculature in place to allow this. Also that his tack fits and the rider is at an appropriate standard. I'm not sure if this is the spooky pony, the 12.2 with saddle fit issues or the youngster. Or if they are all the same? I could type out a load of possible exercises - but without being able to assess you both it is difficult to know what is best for the pony's level of education and your level of riding. In general terms transitions and rein back are the first part of the answer. But it might be that even this is a step further that either he or you are set up for. You need someone with experience and eyes con the ground to make the correct recommendation.
 
Hi yer sorry, its quite odd rlly i ask questions for friends as well so account is a bit all over the place!! (this question is for me and my pony personally) I have has some help from the ground and tend to video him and me and we are getting there and have made a crazy difference but just wondering if there are any exercises out there that i haven't tried just to make things more interesting or to improve further, he came to us with very wrong schooling and when you touched the reins would yank his head under very over bent and not working at all with no top line and muscles all in the wrong place but is totally different now almost there and would just like him to work over his back more and carry his head a little lower still. If you have any suggestions would be over the moon!
 
Thank you, have done lateral work in trot only and a bit of walk, but would it be good to do more in canter and walk, have done lots of turn on the forehand but he seems to be better on one rein than the other is there anything i can to about that, sorry for so many questions!!
 
jess.hewlett said:
Thank you, have done lateral work in trot only and a bit of walk, but would it be good to do more in canter and walk, have done lots of turn on the forehand but he seems to be better on one rein than the other is there anything i can to about that, sorry for so many questions!!
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How can you have only done laterals in trot only? Surely you need to start in walk to be successful? Maybe that's what has gone wrong with your engagement problems. Go back a step and start all your lateral work either in hand or in walk until they are established. It's taken me over a year just to get my mare engaged and straight enough to even try lateral work in walk, never mind trot... I might not be doing that until this Autumn.
 
No what i am saying is i have done it in walk of course, but i mostly work in trot now with lateral work but should i do lateral work in walk more ?
 
Just to say you have to be quite careful with lateral work in canter as you can cause horse to fall out/curl/loose balance very easily.
If you are sure the lateral work in trot is correct and you have them on the aids for that then move up to canter, if not stick to trot.
There is loads of lateral work to do in trot; it can take time for them to get onto aids and move across correctly. Try doing leg yields/shoulder in/travers and once able to do them correctly on their own you can add leg yield to shoulder in etc. so work is more challenging. Or do a leg yield on a circle. Lots of counter canter is good work too!

I think you may need an instructor though, for a horse that's only really started correct flatwork I would probably stick to leg yields and shoulder ins, but usually I'm on a young horse so usually not ready for more. The benefit of an instructor is that they can see what stage you are at and help correct that, which gives you a better foundation to build on. E.g. I taught changes myself as I knew my horse was "on", but still had a lesson to point out errors/improvements needed or my position corrected. This allowed me to work on it at home so quality improved.
The quality of the work is what engages the horse, doing hours of incorrect laterals will not help engagement :)

Good luck! I love doing lateral work, makes me feel like a proper dressage rider :p
 
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jess.hewlett said:
No what i am saying is i have done it in walk of course, but i mostly work in trot now with lateral work but should i do lateral work in walk more ?
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It is quality not quantity that will help you, if the lateral work is correct the pony will work over his back, use his core and engage more, all the work you do is aiming for this and should be done in all paces, if he is ready to do so, if not balanced and strong enough then do more in walk until you can feel the difference in the way he is going before moving on to trot.

What lateral movements are you currently established in? do ensure he is able to work evenly and straight before doing too much as that can make them more one sided, turns on the forehand will disengage the hind end and should be done really just to help establish them moving away from the leg then move on to forward movements or rein back to get them more engaged and in front of the leg through transitions.
 
Wow thanks so much for some reason never thought of trying counter canter with him so will do that, have got an instructor but lives far away so can't come too often, he loves his flying changes, sometimes a bit too much ;) haha
Thanks again
 
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