Into the outside rein?

[Bexx]

Hi all I'm just after a bit of advice really. I have a lovely 6yo TB mare who is coming along nicely in her schooling. She goes well on the left rein, she is straight and consistent in all paces. The right rein however is a different story. She overtness massively to the right and disappears through the left shoulder. I find it almost impossible to keep her straight. I find that I can't feel her at all in my left rein and therefore find it very hard to support her and keep her straight. I try hard not to overuse my right hand but that is what ends up happening. She has had her back/teeth and saddle checked recently so I am very sure that its not a pain issue. I think its a combination of her being a bit wonky on that rein and me using my inside hand too much. I find that leg yeilding away from the fence helps a bit but does anyone have any other ideas of exercises that I could use to help her stay more straight and me not use my right hand too much? We do have weekly lessons, but my instructor is currently cycling around sri lanka!
Thanks every one

 

[LiffWee93]

I had same problem same way with my welsh, spent a lot of time with outside bend and loads of give and retake with the inside rein (more to make me aware of not using it) we also worked on leg yielding toward the fence with a slight outside bend to stop the shoulder falling out and really pushing the quarters over. Also, riding a circle, slight shoulder fore, straight, shoulder fore. Square turns using a slight outside bend or straight neck and using the outside leg and rein to push the shoulders over. Also turning my left thumb to point slightly to the outside- made me really conscious of that hand, it took a while but he will take and hold that side now good luck!

 

[Bexx]

I had same problem same way with my welsh, spent a lot of time with outside bend and loads of give and retake with the inside rein (more to make me aware of not using it) we also worked on leg yielding toward the fence with a slight outside bend to stop the shoulder falling out and really pushing the quarters over. Also, riding a circle, slight shoulder fore, straight, shoulder fore. Square turns using a slight outside bend or straight neck and using the outside leg and rein to push the shoulders over. Also turning my left thumb to point slightly to the outside- made me really conscious of that hand, it took a while but he will take and hold that side now good luck!

Thank you! I will try all of this when we school on Friday. It's so frustrating especially when I know it's partly my fault!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Is it possible that you are not sitting absolutely straight? If your shoulders are not parallel to the horse's shoulders, you will struggle to keep her straight. You should of course remember to ride with more leg than hand. The exercises suggested above will help to straighten you as well as the horse.

 

[srt544]

Another great exercise for straightness is to ride from a quarter marker to a/c so you essentially ride a diagonal line, away from the fence, without changing the rein. It can also be ridden from a/c to the quarter marker or to make it easier from e/b to the short side. Adding a 10 or 15 meter circle in the corner before and after the movement also helps to get them more engaged and around your inside leg. Useful in trot but great for canter work. Made a huuuuge difference to my mares counter canter! I hope it makes sense too!!

 

[Bexx]

Is it possible that you are not sitting absolutely straight? If your shoulders are not parallel to the horse's shoulders, you will struggle to keep her straight. You should of course remember to ride with more leg than hand. The exercises suggested above will help to straighten you as well as the horse.

I'm not sure really, I don't have this problem on my other horse however he is a lot less evasive then her. I guess it's possible she could be altering my position to get out of something she finds a bit difficult? I'll get a friend to video me riding her I think. Thanks for this

 

[Simon Battram]

It sounds like the natural one sidedness that every horse has. As with humans being left or right handed horses have a similar thing and this is from birth. I nickname it 'banana shape', meaning that all horses with either wrap around you right (right banana) or left legs easier (left banana). It sounds very much like your horse is a right banana.

So this basically means that the right hindleg is the slightly weaker one of the two, the right side of the body is the more contracted side and she will overly curl to the right, taking the weight off the right hind by loading and then falling out through the left shoulder.

In walk down the long side on the right rein ride a 10m circle, focusing on your position and trying to keep her between your left and right aids. Then ride straight for a little bit then ask her to look to the outside and then ride another 10m circle but this time in the counter flexion. Straighten and ride a 3rd circle on the same long side with normal bend.

Another exercise is to ride a 20m circle in walk on the right rein. Spiral in to a 10m circle and then leg yield out. Then counter flex and spiral in with counter flexion to the 10m circle, change to true flexion and leg yield out. When this is ok try it in trot.

 

[Bexx]

It sounds like the natural one sidedness that every horse has. As with humans being left or right handed horses have a similar thing and this is from birth. I nickname it 'banana shape', meaning that all horses with either wrap around you right (right banana) or left legs easier (left banana). It sounds very much like your horse is a right banana.

So this basically means that the right hindleg is the slightly weaker one of the two, the right side of the body is the more contracted side and she will overly curl to the right, taking the weight off the right hind by loading and then falling out through the left shoulder.

In walk down the long side on the right rein ride a 10m circle, focusing on your position and trying to keep her between your left and right aids. Then ride straight for a little bit then ask her to look to the outside and then ride another 10m circle but this time in the counter flexion. Straighten and ride a 3rd circle on the same long side with normal bend.

Another exercise is to ride a 20m circle in walk on the right rein. Spiral in to a 10m circle and then leg yield out. Then counter flex and spiral in with counter flexion to the 10m circle, change to true flexion and leg yield out. When this is ok try it in trot.

Thanks for this! I will try these exercises over the next few schooling sessions and see how we go