Leaning on the bit

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Bessieboo

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After a bit of advice please everyone.

During the last two lessons I have had on my little mare I have noticed that she has started to "lean" on the bit.

Can anyone give me any ideas on what I should do to prevent this as she has not done this before.

Her teeth have been done, back checked etc. and she does not lean at all at any other time only when schooling.

Many thanks in advance for any advice given :)
 
you need to provide a consistent but fluid contact on the reins.

she is either leaning because she is unbalanced and finds it hard, is in a false outline and has dropped onto the forehand (she should carry your and herself not you carrying the whole lot on your reins) or is pulling back as much as you are.

what works for me is if they are leaning i shake them off (half halt then soften my elbows) or i just halt, ask them to come back up (tends to drop right down onto the bridle) then back away into trot/walk:canter (more impulsion)
the lighter contact i have the less she relies on it, obviously youngsters (well all horses) need support and your aids on the end of the reins but not too much.

leg yielding corners and spiral circles also lifts them up, cos they get their hindlegs underneath them

as its not a learnt habit (only 2 sessions??) then i would tend to keep the bitting the same and address the cause rather than just giving her something she cant lean on. Its a sign that something else in the training isnt quite 100% if you cover it up she will just evade in other ways
 
She is currently being ridden in a cherry roller.

One of the things that has changed recently is once a week someone else has been riding her and she has been trying to get her into an "outline". As far as I have been told she does this by holding the reins down by her knees and quite short? Could this be the reason she is leaning?
 
Hi there, Iv'e been having the same problem in fact my instructer would say relax your hands when in canter and he would go along with nose nearly on floor so I changed his bit he was in a 3 ring but is now in a kimblewick and now hes more together and it's nice to have a head infront of you when riding lol hope this helps . x
 
Bessieboo said:
One of the things that has changed recently is once a week someone else has been riding her and she has been trying to get her into an "outline". As far as I have been told she does this by holding the reins down by her knees and quite short? Could this be the reason she is leaning?
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Eek! Yes, it could. I would see for yourself what this person is doing with your horse - if this is true then I'm not surprised you are having problems.

I am 100% for teaching horses to work in an outline but that is not the way.
 
thats the problem 100%. if they stop pulling her head in, she'll stop pulling down aswell.

shes telling you its uncomfortable, she doesnt have the muscles to work like that and its hard on her mouth. shes setting herself down (behind the contact) to fool the other rider and stop the bit pulling on her mouth
 
Thanks for the advice.

I suspected as much. I haven't seen her ride my horse but my instructor has and did have a quiet word with me about it last night saying that she was not happy but did not want to interfere.

I will put a stop to it I think as I don't want her to be uncomfortable and although an outline is lovely I don't want it achieving the wrong way.
 
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