Inside bend in canter!

[The_Connemara_Queen]

Hi guys I'm in need of some advice!;
Basically my 7yr old Connemara doesn't get that she needs inside bend on the left rein...although, it's only in canter! She works in beautiful self carriage..on the right rein she has lovely inside bend in walk, trot and canter, but on the left rein she only has it in walk and trot!! In canter, she still works in an outline, but she has outside bend! It's really frustrating! It's nothing pain related, she has had: Her teeth rasped 2 weeks ago, brand new jump saddle fitted 2 weeks ago fitter by a qualified professional (Patrick wilkinson!), and she had her back checked last week. She said that she was even on both side (she did loads of stretching with her). I can't use a lot of inside leg for the problem because she is forward off the leg, so if I constantly squeeze her, she gets giddy and goes in showjumping mode!! It doesn't help that at the bottom of the arena she hates! It's know as the spooky corner at my yard, and she usually tries to look over there when I go past! Although, I don't think this is the problem as she could still look on the outside on her good rein, but will always go back to her good inside bend again! I tried cantering her in the top end of the arena so she was doing a circle to see if this would help her bend correctly in the canter but I had no luck! I squeeze with my inside hand and just hold with my outside rein. She is in a Neue Schule Verbindend. So yeah, sorry for going on a bit (I always manage to do this!) does anyone have an exercises I could do please? Thank you x

 

[be positive]

Her right side is almost certainly slightly stiffer/ weaker than her left so she will find it harder to stretch her right side which she needs to do in order to bend to the left, her more stretchy side, so you need to make it as easy as possible for her to stretch the right side more and gradually become more comfortable and even on both sides.

Rather than working on the difficult left rein trying to get the bend do lots of counter flexing on the easy rein, so ask for left bend when working on the right rein, most horses will find this far easier in all paces than true flexion on the tough rein, lots of changes of flexion, loops and once she can move from right to left flexion in right canter introducing a little counter canter and leg yield can really help, often being one sided comes from a weaker hind leg on the stiff side, so her right hind may not be pushing as actively as it should, work on that as well as the flexion issue and she should start to strengthen and become straighter.

A few lessons with a good instructor would help you at this stage.

 

[The_Connemara_Queen]

Her right side is almost certainly slightly stiffer/ weaker than her left so she will find it harder to stretch her right side which she needs to do in order to bend to the left, her more stretchy side, so you need to make it as easy as possible for her to stretch the right side more and gradually become more comfortable and even on both sides.

Rather than working on the difficult left rein trying to get the bend do lots of counter flexing on the easy rein, so ask for left bend when working on the right rein, most horses will find this far easier in all paces than true flexion on the tough rein, lots of changes of flexion, loops and once she can move from right to left flexion in right canter introducing a little counter canter and leg yield can really help, often being one sided comes from a weaker hind leg on the stiff side, so her right hind may not be pushing as actively as it should, work on that as well as the flexion issue and she should start to strengthen and become straighter.

A few lessons with a good instructor would help you at this stage.

Hi, thanks for the great reply...that makes sense!! I'll try what you just said about the counter canter etc. I'm just on the look for a good dressage instructor atm so hopefully I'll be able to get some good lessons! Thanks again!

 

[Illusion100]

Before schooling, hack her out for a brisk 5 min walk, 3 min trot, 1 min canter on right rein and 2 min canter on right rein (you can go back to walk in between if she needs a breather). Keep up out of the saddle in trot and canter.

In walk, trot and canter leg yield her to the left once or twice for a couple of strides and to the right 3 or 4 times for an extra couple of strides, i.e left yield, straight, right yield, straight, right yield, straight, repeat.

You should find when you go in the school things go a good bit better with left bend. On the left rein keep off the outside track for straight lines so you can leg yield to it if needs be to encourage the bend. Keep your outside leg to minimum (if you even need to use it at all) and use your inside to control direction and impulsion.

Use slightly more inside flexion yielding to the right than the left. Half-halt a few times on the left rein, particularly when leg-yielding to the right to get that NH underneath her and stretching her right hand side.

 

[The_Connemara_Queen]

Before schooling, hack her out for a brisk 5 min walk, 3 min trot, 1 min canter on right rein and 2 min canter on right rein (you can go back to walk in between if she needs a breather). Keep up out of the saddle in trot and canter.

In walk, trot and canter leg yield her to the left once or twice for a couple of strides and to the right 3 or 4 times for an extra couple of strides, i.e left yield, straight, right yield, straight, right yield, straight, repeat.

You should find when you go in the school things go a good bit better with left bend. On the left rein keep off the outside track for straight lines so you can leg yield to it if needs be to encourage the bend. Keep your outside leg to minimum (if you even need to use it at all) and use your inside to control direction and impulsion.

Use slightly more inside flexion yielding to the right than the left. Half-halt a few times on the left rein, particularly when leg-yielding to the right to get that NH underneath her and stretching her right hand side.

Thanks so much for the great advice! I'll give it a go! Xx

 

[nato]

Hi, thanks for the great reply...that makes sense!! I'll try what you just said about the counter canter etc. I'm just on the look for a good dressage instructor atm so hopefully I'll be able to get some good lessons! Thanks again!

Don't get counter bend in canter and counter canter confused. They are not the same. Your horse is definitely not ready for counter canter by the sounds of it.

All horses have a stiff rein and a 'banana' rein. Her banana rein is obviously the right, meaning she is more flexible thorough the left side of her body as she can bend it easier. This means you need to work on stretching out the right side of her body - you can do this in any pace. It doesn't have to be canter. Lots of counter bend on the right rein as someone suggested, and if you know how, shoulder in is excellent. Also suggest spiralling circles, which you can do in canter but will be tough, spiralling in and leg yielding out.

Horses will typically evade work they find hard, and canter is typically the last pace to come through as it is easier for them to evade given they are going faster. Your horse will have to learn to respect your inside leg or you won't be able ask for true bend throughout the entire body - I would suggest going back to basics and teaching respect for your leg aids in the slower paces so she learns to respect them when you move up to canter.

When you are asking a horse to try something new try not to force it on them too much - she obviously finds it hard to bend that way so don't spend your entire session forcing her that way or you'll end up with an argument on your hands - quite literally! If on a circle, then try new bend for a few strides, allow her back to her comfortable outside position for a few strides, then ask again. Over time you can increase the time you ask her to maintain that bend. And don't ask for a dramatic change - think of the hands on a clock - if she's facing to 2 on the right rein (ie looking outside) then try for 12 for a few strides. Eventually you'll get to 10 or 11

Make sure you are sitting straight and not leaning to the inside too much - you'd be surprised how many bend issues are fixed by the rider getting out of the horses way. Me included!

On the ground, do lots of baited stretches - Google baited stretches and you'll see the types of exercises you can do. Do more stretching on the side that's tight

 

[The_Connemara_Queen]

Don't get counter bend in canter and counter canter confused. They are not the same. Your horse is definitely not ready for counter canter by the sounds of it.

All horses have a stiff rein and a 'banana' rein. Her banana rein is obviously the right, meaning she is more flexible thorough the left side of her body as she can bend it easier. This means you need to work on stretching out the right side of her body - you can do this in any pace. It doesn't have to be canter. Lots of counter bend on the right rein as someone suggested, and if you know how, shoulder in is excellent. Also suggest spiralling circles, which you can do in canter but will be tough, spiralling in and leg yielding out.

Horses will typically evade work they find hard, and canter is typically the last pace to come through as it is easier for them to evade given they are going faster. Your horse will have to learn to respect your inside leg or you won't be able ask for true bend throughout the entire body - I would suggest going back to basics and teaching respect for your leg aids in the slower paces so she learns to respect them when you move up to canter.

When you are asking a horse to try something new try not to force it on them too much - she obviously finds it hard to bend that way so don't spend your entire session forcing her that way or you'll end up with an argument on your hands - quite literally! If on a circle, then try new bend for a few strides, allow her back to her comfortable outside position for a few strides, then ask again. Over time you can increase the time you ask her to maintain that bend. And don't ask for a dramatic change - think of the hands on a clock - if she's facing to 2 on the right rein (ie looking outside) then try for 12 for a few strides. Eventually you'll get to 10 or 11

Make sure you are sitting straight and not leaning to the inside too much - you'd be surprised how many bend issues are fixed by the rider getting out of the horses way. Me included!

On the ground, do lots of baited stretches - Google baited stretches and you'll see the types of exercises you can do. Do more stretching on the side that's tight

Thank you so much, that's been a great help!! I like the clock idea aswell haha! I'll let you know how I get on xx

 

[be positive]

Hi, thanks for the great reply...that makes sense!! I'll try what you just said about the counter canter etc. I'm just on the look for a good dressage instructor atm so hopefully I'll be able to get some good lessons! Thanks again!

As nato has just pointed out counter canter and counter bend are very different, your horse will need to be further on before you will be ready to counter canter it will be very useful when the horse is ready but at the moment will be too much to ask for and of no benefit, she needs to supple up gradually over the next few months.

 

[The_Connemara_Queen]

Hiya, yes I don't think she is further on enough yet for counter canter, so I'll leave it out for a while..thank you xx