How would you fix...?

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melbournesunrise

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My (new) horse is, as most of them are, weaker on one side than the other. However, he is weaker to the extent that on the he always bends his head and neck to the right. When I try to correct this by flexing him left, he will try to react by tilting his neck and head left, but still poking his nose to the right. Some of the time, I can correct him by raising my left hand.

I am going to have him looked at by the vet, with the possibility of getting a physio or a chiro recommended to me. He's recently had a new saddle fitted, and a new bridle and bit to help with his contact issues - these have made such a difference, according to people who have known him for years.

How would you be dealing with this? I'm talking strategies that could be used both hacking and schooling.

Thanks in advance! :)
 
Obviously first point of call is teeth, back, tack etc.

I largely find things that over bend one way are actually loading onto the opposite shoulder. So the resistance you get when you try to bend them the other way is exasperated further by the fact that they are slightly leading with that shoulder and have more of their weight on it. The Diva had a dreadful hyper flex to the right and nothing to the left when I got her. The problem was not her neck, but her shoulders. I had to work on putting her shoulders in front of her hips and effectively straightening her and then miraculously the left flexion became doable.

How I did this- she had a slightly inactive left hind, so I worked on motivating this, which in turn helped straighten her pelvis. I also moved my left leg slightly forward (right into the girth and ankle slightly wrapped under) to support the shoulder and encourage it over. I was also careful that on the right rein, I wasn't letting her over-bend to the inside.

The key to fixing this problem was actually working on straightness, not flexion. That all fell into place once I put her back in alignment.
 
I would get him checked as soon as possible because if he has been going this way for years he may need some help from a physio to relax the tension, if there is no underlying cause, then I would work on his straightness generally, encourage left flexion but only ask as much as you can get without him tilting his head or going crooked, his muscles will take time to develop more evenly so plenty of work out hacking, going up hills should help with straightness as will polework, anything to get him using himself evenly without you making an issue of it will be of benefit.
The physio should give you appropriate exercises you can do on the ground but there is no reason not to get started now with carrot stretches both ways to help his flexibility.
 
My gelding is like this and the 2 things which really help are Hillwork, up and down slowly stretching his topline and having him as straight as possible, and work in hand and on the lunge. Watching him move on a lunge without any tack or gadgets will really help you see how he is muscled and how horse moved unevenly. I use side reins quite loose to ncourage a contact and stability in the contact, have horse walk trot and halt quietly & aming to get bend on each rein and a steady rythym. A bit of in hand work such as turns on the forehand and rein back is also useful.
works for mine.
 
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