schooling help

[BroadfordQueen]

i schooled my mare today as have a comp on sunday, so needed to go through my dressage test. she took a long time to relax, but once she did she was brilliant in walk and trot, felt really lovely. however, we have problems when it comes to cantering. All you have to do with her is "think" canter and she goes, but today she was being really silly and being really strong. my neighbour who rides at HOYS in showing classes regularly gave me some help and taught me to use my seat and eventually we got her going well on the left rein, but on the right rein she "motorbikes" round the corners leans on my outside hand.

We ended up giving up (on a good note, a lovely canter on the left rein), but we are going to school her again tomorrow, and i need some tips. we thought about putting two poles at a 90 degrees angle in each corner so she has to go round them to stop her cutting them. obviously i need to "use my inside leg and outside hand", but she is proving to be quite stubbern. she goes in a lovely outline on the left rein, but on the right rein she gets her head up and goes, so we thought maybe using a "degoge" (sp?) on her- although i dont often use gadgets like these, i thought it could help if only worn once (tomorrow). any more tips please? thank you!

 

[Haflinger]

Join the club - only with us its left rein trouble

My instructor said to me lots of inside leg, and try raising the inside hand. If she's being very strong raise it and cross it over the neck a bit or something.. It's helped quite a lot actually

Also try cantering a 20 metre circle.

 

[BroadfordQueen]

yeah, my dressage instructer taught me "indirect hand" or whatever its called when you cross your hand over on my old pony, but i ended up getting into the habit of doing it in dressage tests, which is a no no, and got marked down for it, have just got out of the habit and dont want to start doing it again

 

[JustKickOn]

JJ does that! hes and absoloute monster sometimes u just have to keep your seat and position but relax, lots of 1/2 half usually work for me even tough we still go at some speed

good luck!!

 

[tanflislibs]

have her eyes checked

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

Its not uncommon for horses to have a stronger side. IME it comes down to either muscles or lack of them on one side, or eyes. I take it hers are fine as she passed her recent vetting? Most horses are stronger left because thats the side we do eveything on, Tack up, lead, mount... Etc etc...

 

[Jemayni]

My horse used to have a similar problem. To be honest, I have now realised it was primarily my fault. I was crooked, so collapsed my hip, this made my right leg inneffective, so he ignored it and leaned on it, therefore he want engaging the inside hind so then leaned on my outside rein , as he could get out of work this way.

Now I sit up straight with my hands held in a "classical position" (before I didma ll sorts of strange things.) And I own a completly different horse.

 

[Sags_Deer]

put a cone in the corner think of riding a square and turn with you body not the reins. try in walk to get the hang of it. another thing you can try is counter flexion i horse but still using inside leg.

 

[paulo]

I would say you are probably stronger on your left side and it isnt an issue with the horse. When you watch the horse on the lunge on the right rein do they move in the same way as when being ridden? My horse was always awfull on the right rein and i always though it was an issue with her, eventually after seeing a video of myself i was totally crooked, right hip and leg totally inefective. When cantering on the right rein and look down at your leg is it actually working/ aching or just sitting there? I also dont think the outside rein is what will help here or crossing hand over, your inside hand will encourage the bend (keep this hand up) and outside hand provides balance. I would also suggest riding without stirrups to see if this makes a difference, extra leg and forcing you into a straighter seat.