Lightning the forehand

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CaleruxShearer

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I was wondering if anyone has any bright ideas for exercises I can use to lighten my horses forehand when I'm asking to come slightly more upright and rounder in his outline? I'm making sure he's staying really forward as I'm asking but he still wants to grab the bit and lean on my hand which obviously then makes him quite heavy through his forehand and means he isn't taking the weight behind correctly, if any one has any ideas I would be v grateful :)
 
Do lots and lots of exercises for suppleness - serpentine loops, half 10m circles back to the track, 10m figure of eights and so on.. This really helps the horse to balance himself and become more supple and use his back end more. Every time you exercise him just constantly do these exercises and you'll notice the results in a few weeks. Do them in walk and trot to start with and progress to canter. I found this really worked with my horse
 
Agree with hgor about suppleness exercises.

I have a horse who is naturally built downhill, so struggles when I ask him to come up and together. So for the first 10-15minutes of schooling I allow him to go slightly on the forehand and aim to get roundness a little lower to get him soft and supple (because he is most comfortable this way as it is the way he is built), and THEN ask for him to come up once he has softened on the forehand in order to reduce any resistance when he is asked to come up. (i don't ask him to be 'up' too early as he just had a paddy as he finds it very difficult and then he just becomes leany/ignorant).

I do lots of exercises such as serpentine loops, 10mcircles and leg yielding in/out on a spiral circle, outside and inside bend whilst on circles, transitions (i.e. if they get a bit long/leany in trot, do a transition to halt, ask them to re soften...give when they do, then pick up trot again keeping contact and leg on the outside and keeping the inside rein soft....and definitely keep your elbows soft). With my horse it often helps to 'feel' the bit down the rein a little bit to encourage softness, and then every now and then widen my hands and ask for stretch (but maintaining the roundness in the stretch). I also do within the trot and canter, really slow him down but maintain the forward movement - and then push forwards to get more power but maintain the contact and give with my inside rein when he softens...and then bring it back to slower pace again - is good for softness and suppleness.

Once he is really supple like that, then I slowly ask again for inside/outside bend but raise my hands a bit and he usually comes up nicely now as he trusts the contact more due to the previous exercises a bit lower. If he gets long and leany, then again I do the transition down to remind him that when he softens I soften (as a reward).

hope some of those exercises help!! sorry if some of them sound really basic and numpty-ish, but i find they have really helped Socks become more supple and less leany when I ask him to come up through his poll a bit

ETA sorry if this is quite rambly...I hope it makes sense!!
 
Also try shoulder in / shoulder fore and changes within the pace keep moving even on the circle keep asking shoulder fore, I find that helps get them more uphill. Lots of changes in bend and neck length as well will help :)
 
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