Schooling Question

[Tifferss]

Afternoon all you schooling experts!! ;-)

I have a 5yr old mare that I'm schooling for dressage (doing well at the moment 74% in our last prelim!!) however now that we are working through the balance issues she has started to lean heavily on the right rein.

Im thinking maybe just let her lean to help her with the balance till she can balance her self

OR

Correct it so she balances herself on her own

Any tips/advice?

 

[Caol Ila]

I would not let her lean because it will become a habit. For both of you.

I would first of all make sure that you're not also leaning or bracing on that rein. Not infrequently, a horse who leans on one rein does so because the rider is hanging on that rein and the horse is bracing against him/her. If you make sure that you release the brace, the horse has nothing to lean on.

Even if the horse "started it" by trying to lean on the rein for balance, the rider continued to allow the habit to happen by bracing against the horse. The rider, however, has a bigger frontal cortex and can think about all the wonderful lightness that can happen if they soften. The horse responds to the situation in front of it.

I would also teach the horse lateral flexions so it gives on both sides when asked. For me, the reasoning behind this is to simply teach the horse how pressure and release work with regards to the reins and the bit. It has the added benefit of increasing suppleness in the poll if done right. When the horse turns its head to towards the rein you're squeezing, release. The release is critical and goes back to my first point. If you make a request with the rein and don't soften when the horse complies, you're teaching the horse to lean and brace.

 

[swintondesire]

I personally wouldnt let her lean as you will have many years with a bad arm from supporting her. lol. i rode a horse once and it lent really bad on the right rein i would give the odd wiggle to get her off and then relax the contact forward so she would carry herself. once she was working correclty she became very soft within the mouth. Not sure if this will help, just thought i would share

 

[Tifferss]

So when releasing would you do this continually till she stops leaning? ie take contact and "drop contact" when lean becomes apparent?

 

[Tifferss]

I personally wouldnt let her lean as you will have many years with a bad arm from supporting her. lol. i rode a horse once and it lent really bad on the right rein i would give the odd wiggle to get her off and then relax the contact forward so she would carry herself. once she was working correclty she became very soft within the mouth. Not sure if this will help, just thought i would share

Thank you for sharing

 

[Caol Ila]

Yes and no.


If the horse is moving correctly, you can of course drop the inside rein and the horse will maintain the bend, but a leaning horse isn't correct. If it's leaning on the inside and you drop the inside rein, the balance will go completely wonky since it wasn't on the outside rein to begin with. So I don't just throw the offending rein away. I maintain light contact, but soft contact, without stiffening against the horse in my arm or body, and can softly give or tighten the rein with my elbow and fingers. If your horse is leaning, it means that you've become as supple and giving as a rock in your body, which is why that horse can lean.

 

[JillA]

I imagine you have had her teeth and back checked? At 5 her teeth will be undergoing changes. And if you can get to work with a mirror, check your own alignment - i.e. are you sitting straight?