Help needed - horse very stiff on the right rein (long, sorry!)

j1ffy

j1ffy

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I've just taken on a new share horse. He has lovely paces and on the left rein he bends beautifully, works from inside leg to outside rein, is soft on the bit, easily leg yields etc. However on the right rein he is like a different horse! He is stiff as a board, finds it almost impossible to leg yield and relies on the inside rather than outside rein.

I've been focusing on exercises such as spiralling in and out on circles, three 10-metre circles on the long side (he is starting to do these nicely) and I've just started doing some turn on the forehand. It dawned on me yesterday that I really need to get him to pick up the contact more on the outside rein instead of the inside rein when going to the right so I started to work on that but it can result in the wrong bend.

Does anyone have any more suggestions on how to help with this? I know all horses (and most riders!) have a better rein but this is the most pronounced I've seen. He's 16 but I'm sure he's not too old to improve.

FYI, I know he has his teeth done a couple of times a year and his owner has a Bowen therapist working on his back. His tack all fits well and he's in a Neue Schule loose ring french link bit.
 
I'm sure I am lol. But I know the owner has the same problem with him and complains about it to other people on the yard. I had a lesson on a different horse yesterday and didn't have a problem and haven't done in the past.

I will have lessons on my share horse too, but I'd like to get to know him a bit first.
 
He has quite possibly been ridden by a very one sided rider, and developed the musculature to accomodate for this! At the age of 16 it will be harder to correct than say for a younger horse, but I don't see why there cannot be improvement.
Have you tried carrot stretches? i.e. him loose in the stable and you get him to stretch round to each side for a carrot, most horses should be able to reach their stifle. Would be interesting to see if he is less bendable to the right! If not then it could indicate either you being one sided in your riding, or the tack that needs addressing.
 
Chococornflake - I'll give that a go and see how he copes. I'm not expecting miracles, but a slight improvement and less leaning on the right rein would be nice. Otherwise I'll end up with a bulging right bicep ;-)
 
My horse is exactly the same! He's only 7 so probably less set in his ways, but I'm beginning to make an improvement. I've been trying to work him in shoulder fore a lot when I'm schooling him, which encourages him into the outside rein. He also needs more support from my outside leg than I'm used to. In my lessons we've been working on a 12-15 metre circle in shoulder fore (walking at first) and asking him to step away to the outside with his hindleg, moving him into the outside rein while also taking his inside hind further underneath him. It seems to be making a difference, just got to try it in warm up for competition now!
 
I've had horses like that. try thease suggestions.

Walk him along the fence line of your school ( on each rein) and bend his head to the inside along the long side. Use your inside leg to keep him going forward and maintain a contact on your outside rein but flexing him to the inside. Make sure you are not pulling the inside rein to ask for the flexion but almost lift it. Make sure you are looking forward.

Same goes for when you ride him on the circle. You MUST NOT pull the inside rein. The main point is to maintain a good even contact on the outside rein and leave the inside rein alone, almost letting it be on the loose side. The minute you feel him soften and take up the contact, gently lift your inside rein to ask for some flexion using a good strong inside leg to back this up.

It is very easy to try and pull a stiff horse round using your inside rein when in fact you must give it away. Hope this makes sense.
 
the first exercise i would do (assuming no pain/other causes/blablabla) is, on the left rein, apply the right leg and bend the horse gently to the outside. Its a great suppling and straightening exercise that i end up using on most horses as a warm up, when done right it really flexes the muscles well.

But anyway, yes i would work on the left rein on a circle and bend him right (then flexing him onto the left bend for breaks) and then on a right rein circle, bend him a tiny bit left, then encourage right bend, then give him a break and bend him a little left again.

Hope you find something that works!
 
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