sending away for schooling

[CazD]

About 4 months ago I purchased a 13 year old cob. I'm not sure what she has done previously as the girl I bought her from had had her two years but done very little with her, other than the occasional hack. Previous to that she had been in the same home for about 7 years and bred a few foals. She was broken in at that home. I mainly hack but am having a few problems keeping her in to the side of the road, she wants to be on the right hand side rather than the left and no matter how much I use my leg to push her over, she just doesn't seem to understand. There are very few instructors close to me but I wondered whether sending her away for a couple of weeks schooling would help to teach her to understand the leg aids??

 

[ycbm]

Which rein are you using? The mistake most people make is to feel the left rein , When you need to turn the head into the road, the right rein.

If you are sure that you have the aid right, then I think lessons with the two of you would do more good than sending away, for this problem.

 

[CazD]

I'm turning her head slightly to the right and pushing with my right leg to push her back over to the left hand side, but I just cant get her to move over. On the ground she will move away from my hand but she just doesn't seem to understand when ridden. I'm struggling to find instructors locally and don't have access to an arena as I keep my horses at home. I appreciate that lessons for the two of us would be the best way to go, but wondered if sending her away for schooling would help or just be a waste of money.

 

[ycbm]

I'm turning her head slightly to the right and pushing with my right leg to push her back over to the left hand side, but I just cant get her to move over. On the ground she will move away from my hand but she just doesn't seem to understand when ridden. I'm struggling to find instructors locally and don't have access to an arena as I keep my horses at home. I appreciate that lessons for the two of us would be the best way to go, but wondered if sending her away for schooling would help or just be a waste of money.

I'd be tempered to try by myself first if I were you. This is what I would do. Standing still anywhere, when you are on her, bring her head to the right and use your right leg. Continue to bring her head and shoulders to the right until she is forced to step sideways with the back end in order to stay in balance. Tap the bum with a whip if you have to. Praise any tiny sideways movement excessively and ask for more the next time. Then morph that into sideways while also walking forwards.

Answering the original question, yes I think sending her away will work if you decide to go that way.

 

[CazD]

Thank you for your advice. I'll try working with her, possibly with someone on the ground to back up my leg aid with their hand, and see if we make any progress. I'm away for a couple of weeks in January so might send her away then if I don't have much success.

 

[ycbm]

Thank you for your advice. I'll try working with her, possibly with someone on the ground to back up my leg aid with their hand, and see if we make any progress. I'm away for a couple of weeks in January so might send her away then if I don't have much success.

Where are you? If around the south side of Manchester at all I'd be happy to try and help a couple of times for tea and biscuits

In case you don't already, use your voice as well and then she can connect the two. I use 'over' in hand first, then with the leg. Good luck.