Horses that like to lean on your hands

Thanks all, some interesting advice here and it's helped me clarify in my own head what the problem is, so very much appreciated! I have a lesson tomorrow so will follow up on this and various of the advice above, thank you.

just as a response to a few things:
Yes teeth done recently.
the 'leaning' is the same when going forwards or asking to go sideways, or indeed backwards. I think what this has helped me clarify is that it really is a problem with giving in to pressure in his mouth that is the issue and that I can definitely work on now I see it more clearly, and I'm probably wrong therefore to call is 'leaning' in the conventional sense - it's more a problem of yielding to a contact (although it does lead him to lean). So, for example the idea someone gave earlier about pulling to the side; he just wouldn't yield doing that. Similarly rein-back, I've had instructors before reining me back for bloody ages and he just doesn't get to soften. He is often same in a headcollar re: yielding when he doesn't want to and as i've said this used to be an issue with anything, even moving over in the stable. So I'll work on this and take the other advice on board as well. Thanks all this has been very useful :-).
 
You can teach him to soften in hand - just stand in front, take the bit rings in each hand and apply a little gentle pressure. The instant he softens, release. It will get softer and softer the more you do it - too many horses never learn this as part of the breaking process. From the saddle you can do it easily by asking for a flex to one side or the other - the key is the release
 
My horse tends to lean and I started off by puttng her in a loose ring waterford and now she schools in neue schule verbindend, which I find great and its dressage legal.
 
OP I hope your next lesson goes well and this thread has helped .
I would also try some different narrow mouthpieced snaffles on him .
 
OK I think I get it now - does it feel like he takes over the bit and it no longer belongs to you?

I have a horse who tries that. Try different snaffles with him, start with really thin ones (my horse likes the demi-Anky). My chap tends to do it more the thicker the bit, but I think it's a bit of trial and error. And then think of always vibrating the bit in his mouth, tiny, tiny movements to remind him that the bit is yours not his (if that makes any sense).
 
Thank you! Yes thinner mouhtpiece definitely thicker, you're right. I'll keep an eye out for the demi-Anky, not seen that before. Thanks all this has been very, very helpful. :-)
 
These horses are often helped by swopping three similar but slightly different snaffles so the mouth stays senestive .
That's what I would do
Verbindend , demi Anky and simple myler a good three to try .
Be prepared he might like having his dummy removed so give each bit a fair trail over a few days .
 
Goldenstar said:
These horses are often helped by swopping three similar but slightly different snaffles so the mouth stays senestive .
That's what I would do
Verbindend , demi Anky and simple myler a good three to try .
Be prepared he might like having his dummy removed so give each bit a fair trail over a few days .
Click to expand...

Glad it's not just me that finds this , I swop the verbindend and ns starter bit. She hated the myler in a big way! Plenty of transitions, lateral work and at the moment walk pirouettes then riding squares in trot and canter help. I have to mix it up, I have a mare with a brain ;) certainly any 'force' from my hand will have the opposite effect and one very stroppy mare!!
 
Oh yes I forgot about that, I used to swap him as well! Demi-Anky, Myler and another weird one my trainer had given me for bend in lateral work, sorry can't quite remember what it is called now.
 
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