Not trotting straight

sleepykitten

sleepykitten

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Dear all,

wonder if you can help, long story short, mare back in work since November after suspensory ligament injury, just light hacking for now, but gradually building up and getting fitter. Vet given all clear as sound, teeth done a few months back, saddle checked recently and McTimoney practitioner out a few weeks back after tweaking her pelvis, all good now, also found a bit of muscle tightness in forelegs which she sorted and now doing stretches every day.

Walk and steady trot and canter are fine, but when I ask for a faster trot, she goes almost sideways :confused: I can kind of hold her together, but its not pretty! She doesn't get excited or silly, just doesn't seem to go straight. I think it might be me :o

I have started having lessons again after a long time, but wondered if you had any suggestions as to how I can get her straight or what I need to be thinking about to see if its my fault??

Thanks as always!
 
If you've checked her out get yourself checked too, if she's been unlevel in the past and youve gotten used to riding a certain way you body will need a tweak or two, it may not be you but it is amazing how much our posture interferes with the horses way of going. Id get someone to give you a good check over then take it from there
 
Queenbee said:
Lol, just read your post properly and you say you think it could be you! :D
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LOL! Yeah, I've had everything checked on her but not me I guess! Good advice, I do think it could be me but its very difficult to see yourself objectively, which is why I started lessons again, but can't afford very many so having to work at not being lazy with my position by trying to tell myself what I should be doing!! Don't reckon I'm the best teacher though! :p
 
Heres an easy way to see if its you. Ride her in walk in a straight line down the middle of arena or mark out an area. Do,you have to keep straightening her? Then repeat but no stirrups and apart from asking her to walk on, do nothing with yours legs. If she stays straight then you are sitting straight, if she starts to move off centre it is pretty likely to be you putting more weight on one seat bone. I got a friend to do this on my youngster who is pretty responsive to the seat. Second time she did this he leg yielded from the centre line ally the way to E!
 
My rider instructor said that quite often people are unbalanced. She asked me to see which bum cheek I sat on most time when I was driving and sure enough the side I put most pressure on was the side my horse would leave the track on. I was unintentionally pushing her out with my weight. I found work without stirrups helped a lot.
 
claribella said:
My rider instructor said that quite often people are unbalanced. She asked me to see which bum cheek I sat on most time when I was driving and sure enough the side I put most pressure on was the side my horse would leave the track on. I was unintentionally pushing her out with my weight. I found work without stirrups helped a lot.
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Thanks, I'll try both these things, I also like riding bareback, do you think that might help?
 
No idea about the bareback bit, but I do know that I can walk my horse in a straight line fine... But when it comes to working on the right rein at a trot... Especially in circles all hell can break lose because my back is out and I find it hard to support her adequately... Just because I can walk my horse in a straight line, doesn't mean my back isn't iffy...
 
Agree with the suggestion above of riding up the centre line or off the track, and see how straight you can keep her, make sure you are sitting evenly on both seat bones, to help keep her balanced, if you are balanced and can keep your position, the horse should be balanced too.

However, if she has had a physical injury/problem it could be a strength related thing i.e the fitter and stronger she gets in her body and frame, the easier she will be able to find everything, so loads of hacking and hills is what i've done with mine to get them to find the school work easier.

Also, my trainer used to say to me- if they are not forwards they will not be straight, if they are not straight, they are not forwards.

Good luck!
 
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