schooling problem :(

[gonebananas]

I was schooling Meg tonight and on the right rein she always moves to the outside pushing me into the fence. She doesn't do it on the left rein. She doesn't do it when she's not on the bit but she's hesitant to bend on the right rein in an outline and has just being a total pig tonight She's had her back checked, her saddle fits and she'll go fine in an outline on the left rein. My outside leg is always on firmly. I don't know if there's something wrong with her or if she's just playing on it. Any ideas what I can do to stop her doing this (and save my legs from mega bruises!)

 

[blitznbobs]

Shoulder in - set her up in shoulder in and work the circles in this. If necessary at first start on the straight and then round the corners try and continue the position through. This encourages her to step under further with an inside hind which is usually the cause of this problem. She may try to give you more neck bend but don't allow this (use outside rein if necessary) and it should improve... A little bit at a time.

Also leg yielding in and out from a 10m circle to a 20 m circle and back again should help.

DOn't hold your outside leg on all the time... the horse will just lean on it and it will make her dead to the leg in the long run. IF it isn't working - change it...

HTH

BnBx

 

[letrec_fan]

Sounds as if she is stiff or not as able to stretch as much one way and is falling out through the shoulder to the fence. Just going by my own experience here but she probably just needs to build up more strength - perhaps try some carrot stretches and shoulder in etc as suggested above. I always did alot of serpentines with my lad which helped control the shoulders and also a square, getting perfect turns without shoulder or hindquarters falling out as they turn, between F to K, K to E, E to B etc in a square. (Sorry if I got markers wrong but you get the idea!) The turn should be near enough to turn on the spot, no deviation. Start in walk etc and build up to trot. As said above do not keep leg on all the time and offer support through outside rein to keep her lighter and hopefully work through hindquarters more to prevent falling onto forehand and therefore drifting/falling out. Hope this helps.

 

[lucyjay11]

I used to ride a horse on a riding school that used to do this, he was a b*gger for it. they told me to put the schooling whip on the outside (where the fence is, and not use it, its just litterally there to help). the horse can see the whip and moves away from the fence because they think something is there, it worked for me with this horse. I would however do quite a bit of flexion work on the stiff rein. Lots of laterals to get the horse to loosen up through its back.

Hope this helps.

 

[gonebananas]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like we're doing lateral work and flexing this week then
I have put the schooling whip on the outside, it works but sometimes she just ignores it

Another question - Does anyone prefer schooling without stirrups? or is it just me being weird