MORE right rein problems!

M

Morrigan_Lady

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Well after two goes on his back, Arch can now canter on the correct leg on the right rein
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BUT, schooled last night and it was horrible. Similar to riding a girraffe! Arch was hard in the mouth and did not want to drop his head. He was playing with the bit the whol time and wibbling his head around. Ive had his teeth done, his back done twice and his saddle checked, what more can I do!!
I used to have a lovely well schooled horse with a super soft mouth that lowered his head without me even moving.
He was 'ok' ish on the left rein, but as soon as I changed the rein he tensed abit. The right has always been his weaker rein so Im hoping with lots of schooling he'll come right.
Im at a lose as to what to do next. Any help much appreciated.
 
We have a similar problem with our pony. He is very hard mouthed on the right. He is totally left handed to such an extent that his back muscles are uneven and the saddler had to stuff his saddle in a particular way to counteract this.

My duaghter schools him about 4 times a week, doing lots of right rein 10 and 5 metre circles.

I usually lunge him twice a week for 5 mins on the right, 5 mins on the left and then another 5 mins on the right.

When we first got him he used to just charge off across the arena to the left with his head in the air. Although he was fine generally in an eggbutt snaffle, I have changed to a 3 ring bubble bit which just gives my daughter a bit more leverage when he darts off to the left! She wasn't physically strong enough to haul him back round.

We've had him now for 4 months and he is definately improving. The instances of him charging off to the left are getting far fewer!

I think you already know the anser to your problem with your horse - schooling and lunging. Good luck!
 
umm, who did his teeth? did they take 40 mins and do them really thoroughly? i had mine done by my vet and then found out a week later (was at a yard where a proper equine dentist was, and he put a gag on, and i cut myself on the edges of the teeth... not chuffed). i now know that not every "expert" can be trusted. ditto your saddle... i'd try it with a prolite, see if there's a change.
if you are expecting him to be tricky, are you tensing or asking in a different way from before? is your back okay, you aren't twisted/compensating or anything?
did your back person check his atlas/axis area, behind his ears? has he pulled back while tied up since having back done? this is a classic area of pain and preventing horse from softening at poll.
running out of ideas. have you tried putting someone else on (ideally good and sympathetic, not someone who's going to yank him into an outline in front) and seeing what they feel and how he responds to a different rider?
 

I would like to see someone else riding him, but unfortunatly not many people will ride Arch!!
I have a very good dentist doing Archie's teeth, vets are not properly qualified to do teeth.
Youve def got a point about my back though, I do need it checking, but Im pretty much outta money after spending it all on getting Arch right!
My back person chekled everything, she is very good and thorough. I think the problem is more with his head, I was thinking of putting a grackle nose band on to keep his mout shut as a flash isnt quite up to the job.
But Ill def be doing ALOT more schooling and lunging.
 
My horse kind of did similar things back in the summer, but it was a big change in him because as much as he is difficult, he isn't THAT difficult!! I knew it wasn't his back as me and him have an understanding about that now, and he'd had his teeth checked only a month before. I was really puzzled by the whole thing and decided to just hack him for a week to give him a break from schooling. I'm pleased I did as about 5 days later I found a swelling along his jaw and he had an abcess which had been causing him pain - poor boy!
You need to go with your gut instinct, as you know your horse. Is this him just being difficult or do you believe there could be pain somewhere? If you do think it could be related to pain, perhaps have a 2nd opinion on the things you have already had done.
 

Ifield - I think you may be on to some thing there! Arch doese have swollen bits either side of his head at the mo, sorta looks like a hamster! I put it down to the grass and his glands are swollen, but if they are up again tonight Im gonna get the vet out, coz that could explain alot.
 
Him and Jed are two of a kind. He was exactly the same last night. I put up a poll on some buckets to encourage him to strike on the right leg and he did but his head was every where. Hard mouthed and just a mess.
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I cantered him on the tightest circle he could manage and he seemed to soften after a while. I left it at that. Think i will lunge tonight to see if he is better out of the saddle. Back and teeth checked regularly so no pain (i hope).
 
How old is your horse? Could he be teething? I'd get those glands checked pronto too!
I got a great lesson back in the 60s about how to teach leads to a horse. You go all the way around the arena and each time you come to the same spot, ask for a strike off. If you don't get it, stop him...go all the way around to the same place and ask him again. It can take a couple of hours, but since the horse has to understand the principal of resting between strike offs it really has merit. Never got an off lead from the day I learned that.
BAck in thoses days, correct strike offs could mean either winning a pleasure class or not placing and that was in Southern California where compitition was feirce!
Love ya
SUzi
 
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