One-sided horse? exercises to help?

[Hoof_Prints]

Hi, hope someone can offer some exercises and tips to help!
I have a 5 year old who has not been schooled, just broken and ridden by being held to the outside track with the outside rein- so that's all he knows. He's a good boy and tries hard, just doesn't understand why suddenly he's being asked to hold himself up and use his muscles! On the left rein he is fairly easy, he is starting to "follow" the rein and accept contact more, as I think he has been fighting with the bit so ive ditched the tight nosebands and hes now ridden in just a loose cavesson and rubber mullen mouth. Outline is very inconsistent but he is stretching through his back intermittently and keeping a fairly even rhythm. On the right rein he will swing his bum in, hold his nose and head to the left and fall in through the shoulder, I've started to school him out of this and he will flex right at times but he does try to protest. He's a quick learner and has grasped the very basics of lateral work (turn on the forehand, rein back and very basic start to shoulder in and leg yield!) which has helped, but I don't want him to carry on making a habit of working in this way and building up the wrong muscles. I know he's young and hasn't got the physical capability to work like a 10 year old but I want to make the process simple, stress free and easier for him to build up the right muscles to work in a correct frame.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Pinkvboots]

Try doing counter bend on each rein in walk then trot, just do a few strides on the wrong bend then ask for the correct bend for a few strides down the llong side of the school use your shoulders and legs to ask for the bend not with the reins, doing the lateral work you are doing will help, try doing a few steps of leg yield before a corner so its harder for him to fall out through the shoulder, sometimes a tap on the shoulder can help too, carrot stretches to the hip do the same amount each side and try and hold the stretch for a few seconds,you can even pull the tail round towards you to get even more of a bend. Might be worth getting a physio out they can give you things to do to help get him more even.

 

[be positive]

He may find it easier to go straighter if you use counter flexions, so work on the better left rein asking for right flexion, also work on an inside track as much as possible, by giving him nothing to support him he should start to rely on you more which should help you ride him more from the leg, don't worry too much if he falls in initially once he becomes straighter he will find it easier to stay where you want him.

I would also get out trotting up plenty of hills, they have little option but to push forward and remain straight without you having to constantly remind them, it will be the best way to really build up the muscles correctly as well as get them seeking an even contact.

 

[sportsmansB]

Never ride 'on the track' he will only hang toward it more
Serpentines, hill work, lots of changes of bend and zillions of transitions to get his hind legs underneath him and working properly- its much easier to be a crooked wobbly person when not going forward enough

 

[Chottsy]

My boy is quite one sided and he's a grown up, apparently. He will lean on the left rein for balance. He got a lot better/straighter through flexing and leg yield spirals but I got the physio/chiro out to look for any tightness that might be hindering. She said he was tight through hamstrings and back (which is what I thought). I've seen a massive difference in his way of going since she treated him, he's really swingy (technical term I'm sure) behind now. As a result of this he is now struggling a little with his balance again as everything is bigger and looser, so is trying to use me to balance himself.

 

[viola]

It sounds like you're doing the right thing with him now but perhaps trying to have the longer lasting results too quickly? When I work with a horse that has been allowed to be crooked under the saddle for some time I think of the work plan as of bringing ones leg into full range of motion after having it in plaster for weeks...It will be uncomfortable to maintain good movement for any length of time, perhaps only once or twice the bend in the joints will be bearable, then it gets easier and easier with each time until movement can be sustained without pain/discomfort.
As your horse not only been allowed to be crooked but also never had the groundwork that taught him to use both of his sides well, it might take several weeks of well timed exercises until he stops "protest".
I would do 10-15min of in-hand work with him before you get on, walking and halting without swinging his back end either way, lowering the head and neck when walking next to you and on circles. Short lunge sessions with no gadgets just careful observation and paying attention to position of his neck and head and back end. If he lunges with his head to the outside, then you would need to walk next to him rather than being in the middle in order to correct his posture.
When he really protest that's when he tells you he needs a break, then just walk on long rein for a moment, no questions asked.
One round around the arena without getting tense and losing balance would be great at this stage.

I would only school twice a week, the rest of the work being out and about and second hillwork/varied terrain work

 

[Tnavas]

Not been schooled should tell you exactly what to do

Start at the beginning with the basics!

Circles, loops, serpentines by the million, never go around the arena more than once without doing something different. Transitions within and between paces

Forget shoulder in at this point in time - you will just set up resistances - you need to get him supple first and moving off your leg.

Also have his back checked - he may have nosedived at some point - this tends to make them very resistant through the neck.

Bit wise - try a Fulmer snaffle and drop as this combination encourages a horse to work in a long low frame.