Horse feels different when changing posting diagonal

[Hippoloosa]

Title probably doesn’t make much sense. If doing rising trot in a straight line, horse feels great. But then sit two beats and rise on the other diagonal and horse feels off for a few strides then it feels normal again… this is whichever diagonal you switch too. Looks perfectly normal trotting up and on the lunge, tracking well etc. Saddle fits great and checked. Am going to get physio but had a few different opinions as to whether it can just be due to horse being unfit and unbalanced and continued strengthening will work this out?

 

[spacefaer]

Or it could be you do you have regular physio/chiro checks too?

 

[J&S]

You probably are unintentionally using one diagonal more than the other. Hence, when you switch to the less used one it feels a bit "off" until you get used to it.
I find (or rather, found, as i don't ride any more) I could always tell which diagonal an owner/rier used mostly as soon as i sat on their horse!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Horses are also one-sided, they have a prefered side as we do. It could just be those first few strides feel more powerful ( better side) or just different ( weaker side).

 

[TheMule]

Normally happens when they’re lame behind. Subtle hind limb lameness can be hard to spot, book a vet visit

 

[sbloom]

It's asymmetry, not strength or fitness. Take photos from both sides (without tack, whole body, level ground) and compare what you see, feel the muscles on each side, look at the placement of the shoulder blades, these will show that your horse isn't moving symmetrically (or relatively symmetrically, nothing is 100%). The more symmetrical we can help them to be the more likely they are to maintain long term soundness. Bodyworker and then close attention to what the horse needs to straighten - highly likely to need you to be straighter too - groundwork for the horse is so often the best way, and off horse work for the rider too (I recommend the Equestrian Fitness Institute, formerly Rider Reboot). This should be at the heart of everything we do for the horse but it's not talked about a lot except in ridden work where we end up unproductively fighting the horse on one rein or the other. I'm over simplifying but this lens is a good one to look at horses through.

 

[greenbean10]

Every horse I've ridden I have had the same. It just feels different for a couple of strides and then you get used to it. It's just where either you or the horse is different one way than the other, horses and humans are not totally even. After a few strides, if I change back again then that way feels odd for a few strides.

Mine have regular physio and vet checks, I honestly wouldn't worry about it. If it takes much longer to get used to it than a couple of strides then maybe I'd start to question it but not other than that.

 

[sbloom]

@greenbean10 makes a fair point, I would try and video him ridden, the weight of a rider makes a lot of difference, and I will still say the straighter the pairing the less you would feel that difference when changing the diagonal.

 

[Bernster]

I find this too but I think it’s one sidedness from horse and/or rider. Obv you’d want to be sure it’s not due to unsoundness so check if there are other indications. I always pick up the same diagonal and have to adjust dep what rein I’m on.