My first horse - update!

[express_75]

Hi all
Bought my first horse last weekend - Section D mare, 4yr old!
Posted last week about her. She's a star!
Just a few questions for you...after her schooling session (by my very experienced friend)yeserday...
1) She's very stiff on her left rein - couldn't canter at all on it - Will this come?
2) A bit strong at times? Not tanking off style, just leaning..will this be due to her lack of balance?
3) Any tips/exercises i could practice on her that will help her with her balance??

Apart from those expected issues...She's wonderful! 100% hack with brakes and she's just SO friendl and nosey!

Thanks all
xx

 

[Alimac19]

If she leans I find that momentarily relax (not loose) and retake contact. Not in a flappy rein way but just by opening and closing the fingers. This makes her loose her balance a bit more as she is relying on you to "hold her up". If you keep doing this everytime she leans (absuloutly loads at first, every few seconds) she will soon become uncomforatble with it and realise that she has to hold her own head up. I've tryed this and within an hour of purely concentrating on this excercie the horse was going much much better. Just don't "jab" in the mouth. A small release and regain is all that is required.

 

[OrangeEmpire]

As a 4 yro she'll have appalling balance. You need to have an established balanced walk and trot in the school before canter will be comfortable. If she is very stiff I'd be gently asking her to flex inwards and outwards on a circle to loosen her up. You can do this on hacks too - get her too look at one side of the road/track for 10 strides, then the other.
The leaning will improve as she gets fitter and stronger. Lots of transitions will get her sat on her bottom more and listening so she doesn't learn to lean on you. All this can be done on hacks along with regular but short schooling sessions.

Welsh cobs mature slowly so think about teaching her slowly but consistently. That doesn't mean let her get away with murder, but don't expect too much too soon. I bought a 4yro last autumn and gently got her going through the winter, picked up the schooling in the spring and worked hard in the summer. Now aged 5 she is strong, fit and reasonably balanced in all paces.
Good luck - i'm sure she'll bring you a lot of fun!

 

[claireross]

My Welsh Section D was 6 this year and is only just beginning to have a nice balanced canter. I think there are lots of exercises you can do to help them gain balance, but I don't think you can force it and it will get better with age.

 

[express_75]

Thank you so much for your replies.
Very helpful
x

 

[Tempi]

I would personally get a back person out to her (physio) as if she is leaning to one side, and stiff on one side this could indicate that she might have pulled something. Have you had her tack and teeth done aswell?