help with bending please

[bexcy-bee]

Can anyone help me with ideas for getting my pony to bend on the right rein?

He was fine before turned away for winter, but now seems to have some mental block on it. He is also fine with bending round on the left rein, its just his right that he doesn't seem to be able to do.

So, are there any obvious exercises, or things i can do?

He's just turning 5, and was turned away for about 3 months over winter.

Thanks in advance!

bexcy-bee x

 

[Elbie]

I have a similar problem with my loan horse, except he's stiffer on the left. He hadn't been schooled for ages when I got home and so had just become very stiff.

Have you tried riding on a 20m circle and then getting your horse to leg yield in, making it smaller to a 10m circle, then pushing them back out again. At first this exercise used to make me so frustrated as we had no bend but he has got better.

I just try to constantly think about getting that bend, plenty of inside hand asking along with asking for the bend with the legs, and do lots of cirlces, figure of 8's, serpentines etc. If he's stiff after having time off he should soften eventually with work.

Another exercise I do is very simple but seems to get me concentrating on what i want more. Its basically while your riding in a 20m circle you want to have the bend so you can see the horse's eye. Even doing it in walk made me realise just how much my horse looks around him!

Not sure if that is any help at all

 

[Bug2007]

have his teeth been done recently.
Back might have been injured during his time out.

Otherwise make sure you are not dropping the outside rein while trying to get bend.
Think about moving the shoulders round the bend.
Shallow loops on the long sides are a good exercise as the horse has to listen to your leg.