Horse always falls out through shoulder on left rein?

[Mrsox]

Hi everyone. I'm new on the forum but just thought I'd ask for some advice.
I bought an Irish X pony about 7 months ago, and he has a bit of an issue in one corner of our school. The school is like a dressage arena and has boards around the outside but no fence. There are also X-country jumps around the outside that we can use. Sox (my pony) has recently started napping towards the jumps and become quite strong. I ride him in a snaffle bit but that was all he needed. Anyway, he has now begun refusing to turn on a circle up that end, and instead goes straight toward the boards and jumps out of the school. He only does it on this rein and I have asked several people for advice but nothing is working! He is still only just 6 though so know he is just a baby but it's not on.
Got any advice?

 

[Booboos]

Sounds like a youngster who is testing the boundaries. Do you have lessons with anyone? A good trainer should be able to help you through this even if they need to ride the pony a few times.

 

[Burnttoast]

A fulmer or a full cheek would assist with steering while still allowing you to use the same mouthpiece, and make sure you have him contained with the outside leg and rein. Don't always just ride down to the end of the school before you ask for the corner, as he obviously isn't 100% focused on you - ask for the turn at any point. So you could start your circle before the quarter marker, change rein B-E/E-B, turn down the CL or 3/4 line, or do a demi-volte and go back on yourself - keep him occupied with transitions and turns so that he's always wondering what you're going to ask next.

 

[DD265]

My boy was falling out/in through his right shoulder (depending on the rein) rather than opening it up.

My instructor has had me shortening and lifting the inside rein to get some bend in the neck and then taking the outside hand right out (literally sliding down the rein as far as I can whilst maintaining some contact) and my boy has very quickly learnt to open the shoulder. It probably helps that he gets regular Bowen treatments as there was probably a physical reason that he found this difficult initially.

 

[Mrsox]

Thanks everyone. I do have lessons with a trainer but he just doesn't seem to respond. I am moving to a new livery yard in a couple of weeks where he will not be able to jump out and xc jumps are out of sight so maybe the temptation will be less. Really I want to event him but flatwork really isn't happening at the moment. Think he is more of a 'project' rather than a get on and go pony for me!

 

[philamena]

This is v common, and if horse is naturally right fore dominant the jack-knifing happens much more easily this way, and once you've lost the shoulder things can unravel quickly! Try to make sure you're steering the shoulders rather than the nose, steering with the outside aids, even if that means riding in counterbend through the nappy corner. This should help to prevent it until you break the habit. Straightening work in general will help to reduce the jacknifing tendency.

 

[Mrsox]

philamena: tried that yesterday and he ended up jumping out again and doing a 'step' jump on the xc course! We're going to try a different bit as he just won't listen in the snaffle.

 

[JillA]

Mine tends to do this on return to the track if we are finishing a volte going away from the gate. He does know to move his quarters away from my leg (as in turn on the forehand) so I ask him to move his quarters so he is no longer facing where he wants to go. Worth a try? It does sound as though you are having to be over reliant on the bit for steering, and maybe need to teach him about bending, moving his forehand and his haunches.

 

[Mrsox]

JillA: he does know how to bend and all that jazz, but he tends to set himself and refuse to turn to the left. I use the reins as little as I can but he just doesn't pay any attention. It's like his brain is fixed on xc jumps!
His little tricks don't scare me like they would a few months ago, but they are extremely annoying, as that is the only thing stopping me from taking him to his first 'competition'. He has it all there in little pieces, it just has to come together.
He is also perfect on the other rein and for the first 10-15 mins he is happy to do anything. He has a very good brain and learns quickly.
Has anyone got any ideas for things I can teach him to stop him getting bored on the flat?
Thanks

 

[cptrayes]

I would teach him shoulder in and get him into it some distance before he usually leaves the arena. You should then also be able to turn at any point by sending him forward out of the shoulder in.

There's a book called, I think, 101 schooling exercises (someone correct me if I'm wrong) which you might find useful to keep him interested.

 

[Mrsox]

Shoulder in sounds good. Could you possibly remind me how to teach him that? I am a little rusty!

 

[cptrayes]

Shoulder in sounds good. Could you possibly remind me how to teach him that? I am a little rusty!

Well I always think of it as starting a ten metre circle and not letting the horse complete it, so get that image in your head. Also remember that your aim is to have the outside foreleg and the inside hind leg stepping in the same line, so that the horse is on three tracks. That's the feel you are aiming for, but shoulder fore on four tracks with less bend is fine to begin with.


So, ride up the long side straight, and bring his shoulders off the track to begin a ten metre circle. Before his bum leaves the track, ask him to move sideways up the long side with your inside leg on the girth, and stop him moving out from the track with a rein aid.

Some of them get it immediately, some need to drift out from the track to start with but at first, reward any sideways movement offered even if he drifts. If everything goes to pot, go back to the track and start with a ten metre circle again.

In horses that find it difficult I would actually do ten metre circles until the bend is definitely there, then ask. And in the early attempts I will also hold the neck bend with the inside rein if necessary until they realise they are being asked to move sideways. I would insist on the sideways, and then go back to something more refined

Your body position needs to be inside hip forwards, maintaining the bend. Try to think of him wrapping around your inside leg and moving sideways away from it. It's difficult to describe in words but I hope that helps.

I teach it in walk and move to trot as well once they've got it. Have fun!

 

[Mrsox]

Thank you so much! He just gets bored easily on the flat so have actually had to teach him things like flying changes. He really enjoys those! He'll go cantering across the school and 'skip' the whole way. He is an odd pony.
I meant to ask. When we are showjumping, he tends to speed up with his head up, but when we go xc he has a lovely rhythm and slows down easily. Any ideas on why he does this?

 

[cptrayes]

Thank you so much! He just gets bored easily on the flat so have actually had to teach him things like flying changes. He really enjoys those! He'll go cantering across the school and 'skip' the whole way. He is an odd pony.
I meant to ask. When we are showjumping, he tends to speed up with his head up, but when we go xc he has a lovely rhythm and slows down easily. Any ideas on why he does this?

First I would check his hocks, just to rule out him finding it easier to jump from a fatter, flatter pace. He should be too young, but older horses having trouble with their hocks often start to speed up when show jumping as a first sign.

Then I'd say your problem is related to the flat work. He isn't feeling balanced enough to turn and jump in tighter areas, and rushes through anxiety, which is often mistaken for enthusiasm.

More schooling

 

[Tnavas]

Ever heard the expression 'Drive to Survive'? Now instead think 'Ride to Survive'.

Plan well in advance for the corner - start defensive riding before he starts to be cheeky. Keep your leg on and before you even get to the turn be looking around, almost over your shoulder. Don't let the outside rein go slack as all you will get is a bendy neck.

So head up, legs on and look to the opposite diagonal marker.

I don't know if you are zooming out over the end or the side, so I will give an example.
Example 1
Your horse is ducking out of the KA corner, as you come up the long side passing E, look across to B, as you get to K look around to C. This turns your whole body, firmly telling the horse to turn.

Example 2
Your horse is ducking out the AF corner, as you pass K, look to E and as you pass A look around to C.

But just remember, you know what he is going to do, so don't wait till you have to react, ride to prevent him sneaking of.

 

[Mrsox]

Thanks guys. His hocks are fine, and he is well-balanced. When we go cross country he is in a nice collectable canter but the minute he showjumps, his strides get shorter and faster and his head pops up.
The ducking out problem is mostly when on a circle at the bottom end of the school on the left rein. He just doesn't turn in canter and just aims for the boards! Strangely though his circles in trot are fantastic, he only plays up in canter.

 

[L&M]

Just a different angle - to me it sounds a nappiness issue as much as a schooling one.

Is it possible to put up some temporary fencing around the school, therefore blocking his exit route? Our school is open like yours and I had major issues keeping my youngster in. Therefore I put a run of electric fencing around the edge, so he couldn't 'escape'. Once he realised he was contained, he started to knuckle down to work.

 

[Mrsox]

L&M: it is a nappiness thing. Sorry if that didn't come across, I'm not good with words! Unfortunately I can't put up any fencing, but we are moving yards and there is a wooden fence around the outside of it. He just naps towards the jumps, but only in this corner and on the left rein and only in canter. It just puzzles me as to why he does this. It means more work for him and he is literally dripping after a session filled with battles. Am trying him in rubber Pelham today to see of that makes a difference as he just totally ignores any aids through the snaffle. I also have a hard time stopping him. Thanks.

 

[Mickyjoe]

Put a short whip in your outside hand and give him a tap on the shoulder when he starts to hang out. He'll soon realise it's not allowed.

 

[Mrsox]

Just did walk and trot with him yesterday and he was fantastic! He did try twice to get out but I managed to stop him and give him a slap with the stick before he went too far. Think I'm getting through to him!

 

[philamena]

philamena: tried that yesterday and he ended up jumping out again and doing a 'step' jump on the xc course! We're going to try a different bit as he just won't listen in the snaffle.

Hee hee, just take him XC instead! (Kidding.) Stronger outside aids and counterbend, to the point of essentially riding shoulder in with counterbend...

 

[Mrsox]

Thanks. I think it's getting better. He hasn't got away from me in the last few days. Hehe.

 

[Tnavas]

Thanks. I think it's getting better. He hasn't got away from me in the last few days. Hehe.

Well done

 

[Mrsox]

Thanks. Hopefully we're getting somewhere now!
Really hope he doesn't do it again as it can be quite a shock...
Canter canter canter Whoopsies! Out the school!