Horrible on the right rein - HELP... Any ideas?!

[jadelovescassie]

I tend to avoid schooling my mare because on the right rein in canter she is terrible. On the left rein she is a gem, I find her canter easy to sit to and I find it nice, balanced and usually she listens to me. It could not be any different on the right.

On the right rein, in walk and trot, she is fairly similar to the left. However, it;s when I ask her to canter it becomes a disaster - the canter feels terribly unbalanced, like she is extending her take off leg WAY to much, which makes the canter very very bouncy and almost impossible to sit to. It almost feels like she is leaning into the inside too much. She often takes off on the wrong lead in canter on the right rein too but I have never had any problems on the left rein with this. She is a Welsh Section D and doesn't have lovely 'flowing' or 'floaty' paces anyway, but surely this is not normal!

I know avoiding schooling and ignoring the problem isn't going to make things better but I am at my wits end as I have become to absolutely hate the right rein because of this very reason. What can I do?!

 

[MissSBird]

Best advice would be a good instructor who can see the problem. It's very difficult to say what is going on exactly without seeing it infront of you.

Whatever the problem, however, as you've said avoiding it will not help. It's most likely a lack of suppleness/balance on the right rein, in which case you just have to work at it I'm afraid.

My boy is currently not very supple on the left rein, and is much more comfortable to the right. I know I have to physically stop myself from just changing reins automatically for an easy ride! It's so easy to fall into the trap!

If it is balance/suppleness, the only way to fix it is to work that rein I'm afraid

 

[Spotsrock]

Just the usual suggestions
Back
Saddle
Teeth
Your posture - I have unlevel hips and Beau deals with it but Ice canters different on 1 rein as a result, though she is getting adjusted

 

[Spotsrock]

Have you tried lunging?

 

[kickonchaps]

You get my very first H&H post

My vote is back, sounds like her right hip could be out and she's trying to avoid using it. Definitely get back and tack checked!

 

[jadelovescassie]

Come to think of it on the lunge she seems ok but it is difficult to tell as I obviously can't feel what it is like. She has a new saddle someone has lent me so maybe that will make a difference. She's had her back done since the problem started so I know it isn't that and her teeth are fine too. Maybe it is me!

 

[Damnation]

Welcome Kickonchaps
I would get a back person out to check.
What breed is your mare? My thinking is if shes an ex racer it could be that they only really race on one rein or something. My last mare was horrendusly one sided when it came to canter. Wall of death on a 10m circle.
Do you ride with a hip? I find that putting it down the inslfe shoulder straightens them up then they can get their balance

 

[jadelovescassie]

She is a Welsh Section D, 14.2hh so definitely not an ex racer hehe! She used to be in a hunting home for 5 years before I had her, whether or not this may have anything to do with it!
I do ride with a whip, I find she goes much better when I use a schooling whip but she is also very sensitive and if I accidently touch her with it in a place she doesn't seem to like then she will buck!

 

[Dirtymare]

Best advice would be a good instructor who can see the problem. It's very difficult to say what is going on exactly without seeing it infront of you.

Whatever the problem, however, as you've said avoiding it will not help. It's most likely a lack of suppleness/balance on the right rein, in which case you just have to work at it I'm afraid.

My boy is currently not very supple on the left rein, and is much more comfortable to the right. I know I have to physically stop myself from just changing reins automatically for an easy ride! It's so easy to fall into the trap!

If it is balance/suppleness, the only way to fix it is to work that rein I'm afraid

Ditto this, and get a professional to check the borrowed saddle.
It maybe a back problem but before you go to that expense, try getting some lessons.
Good luck.

 

[Damnation]

It just sounds like she is stiff then. My last mare with a whip was the same however never bucked with it on her shoulder, its worth a try

 

[xloopylozzax]

sticking on the left rein will not be helping matters either.
when hacking make a conscious decision to go on the right diagonal, and to get that canter lead, and also get that bend to flex her ribs around your leg.

shes just one sided like all of us, just more pronounced because you stick on her good rein. I imagine she's muscled up unevenly aswell which wont help when fitting a saddle.

 

[Wagtail]

Your horse is obviously not bending correctly to the right. This is always more obvious in canter and produces the symptoms you are describing. The answer is lots more trot work making sure that the lateral bend is always correct. You may not be noticing the problem in trot but it will be there, only less exaggerated. Get the trot right and subtle, putting in small circles here and there, and only when it is 100% try the canter. Once in canter, only canter half circles at first and then progress as your horse becomes more balanced. Good luck