Like riding a snake!

[Olliepoppy]

My 6 year old cob stays relatively straight in the paddock when schooling but when I take him out into the huge cow field he's all over the place, both in walk and trot. He likes to try to go his own way and ends up going forward in a bent shape, almost S shape! Are there any exercises anyone can recommend to help improve his straightness? I feel like I am fighting him to get him to stay in a straight line! Any ehlpful advice appreciated

 

[JFTDWS]

How is he away from the fence in the school? Do you have independent control of his shoulder / quarters? If so I'd put him into shoulder in and, while not straight, at least he will be bending "your way" and keep plugging away until he realises he can't evade by wobbling.

 

[Fides]

Every time he tries to wobble, put him on a small circle. Then ride straight off from it. Rinse and repeat until he learns that going straight is easier. This is what I do with my mare who tries to be a banana...

 

[Olliepoppy]

Banana... like it! That's just what he does. Away from the fence in the school he is mostly okay except from the odd try to turn his way rather than mine but out in the field is all over the place! Will try the small circle thing.. We are working on independent control which is much better in the school than out.

 

[Fides]

Banana... like it! That's just what he does. Away from the fence in the school he is mostly okay except from the odd try to turn his way rather than mine but out in the field is all over the place! Will try the small circle thing.. We are working on independent control which is much better in the school than out.

My mare is particularly bad in the school and tries to bend the opposite way to which we are going. It's part nosiness and part her being young and unbalanced. To help I also circles on a line when hacking in open spaces too. To concentrate on true straightness I ride half a dozen straight, a circle, half a dozen straight and so on. Then let her relax for a little bit

 

[Olliepoppy]

Thanks, I will try that, my boy is part nosy, part unbalanced, and part cheeky! He hasn't quite learned yet who is boss